New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-05-07
4 REPLY TO THE REV 4. l.. BROWN
in Amer

10 the Editor Of The N y Tribune
SIN. TgE TRIBUNE Of Friday contains an article
headed Shadows of our Social system with the
sonature of Antonettc L. Brown. Whether he writer
means TO attribute the shadows with which her
Ipicture is charged to the wrong structure OF society,
or ia thcoogv-whether she attributes the insanity OF
tbe DOOR Young girl to the alleged dogma which had
taucht her that objectionable sin might be committed
in infancy II is not my purpose TO discuss. Inc Rev.
Antoinee has been trained in the subteties of meta
pbvsical theology; persons with lesser lights can only
acknowledge tie existence IF pervaiins sorrow ana
suffering. which II IS simply their duty 10 alleviate by
all the means in their power, believing, the while In
the world progress and hoping for better days The
point in the article which induces ths comment 10 the
allusion TO tie connection of this unfortunate family
with a certain Industrial School
The school referred to- was in its forming state Ii
wasudged expedcnt provide teacher for the infant
department. one of the Drectrcsscs had knowledge of
tlisfamilv. They were extremely desttue-the daugh
fer Girl between 10 and II, had no employment at
the time. and was placed in charge of the inferior de-
partment. She was without experience, the school, as
has been said was in an ncipent stage one hundred
dollars thought sufficient compensation ana an
fhe Directresscs could then afford. lie young glri
continued come six months in the school, dlschargng
her duties faithfully she complained of broncia alice
ton and M the Stern nclemency OF last WINTER grew
worse and finally became too III 20 remain az her posi-
Her mother took her place for u ime' was'eu SUI
ferer worn aud broken BY the soreSt TRIALS: IL was
obyiong 10 all that duty to the children required re-
table and competent person. and such a one was ac-
Cordncly placed IN charge. The Nodng gH oecaune
moie H. and when she found herself spent ana io'aiy
incompcten TO earn the pittance which her family
relied the hereditary malady at once daTAened neF
mind and after few weeks, she wa removed WIN
her mother 10 the Asylum on Blaokwes Island II
is due TO the dectrcsses OF the school 20 say that one
gave literally from her purse while another gave her
time and her sclf-sacrlfcing effortsut her syinPa-
thy O-casiOned nlnees-tO relieve the uferers under
this terrible calamity. Beside liberal assistance IN
money clothing was gwen by the neighbors aud iool
was sent with unwearied compass ION for their hall
starved condition. II has been said by the lnludicous
and unthinkng that the D.octrcsses of the school
had surplus fund, and il was Their duty 10 provide
for tlls suffering grl.
The funds contributed Were for specific object, and
TO that alone they were TO be devoted.
A sadder page in the annals Of humanity has
scarcely been recorded, but the shadows are not
Of the social system. They shadows that came
into the world with Sin and Death, and they do not
obscure or hde from mental vision the sunshine OF
beDevoleDce, Of tender pity for common suffering OF
hope IN brighter day, even for this souow-burbenei
humanity aud world of imperfection and change.
One word more. An invidous note at the end OF
the Rev Antoinete's article says: cit is cheering 10
"be able TO state that thus school has since raised the
"wages of it, other teachers upon the strength of the
above facts" This Is true, substantially. The saa-
~ Of the teacher in the infant school has been raised
To 500; in the strength, however, Of an increased
ability, derived from the munihcence of the commu-
niiy and its confidence in the Directresses in
qucnce of the greater number Of scholars in that de-
psrtment, and from necessity 40 to do arising from
The emergency of the circumstances II which second
TEACHER was employed.