, 1860-07-02
Tic City Inspector and Archbishop
fTnHflt.A EOntr0Y&rhT.

The City In*pcctor and Archbishop
ltushes Controversy.
In the Metropolitan Record Of this week, the
controversy between Archbi.hop Hughes aad
the City Inspector, relative to the registry Of
marriages aud births, in accordance with the
law Of April, 1852, is made the subjsct Of lead
ing editorial, in which the reasons for refusing
to obey the law are stated more distinctly. We
make an e1tract:
There is DO use in Disgusting it. The werk-
nesses or depravity Of human nature are such,
that confidence in the physician, in the lawyer,
riage, and eyen in what the law calls midwises,
is iud spensable. The case does Dot apply ex
cIusively to Catholics. Itapplies 10 all. a ply
sician knows that the period between the mar
riage Of one Of his patients aod the birth of her
child are separated By three or four months only
The birth OF the child cannot be concealed. But
if the date OF the marriage and that Of the
child's nativity be both put on record, in Mr.
Uel2ran'B office, anc 1hs repor eru OF the press
have access to the same, professional secresy is
at an end. In such case family, otherwise
respected and respectable, are to be covered
woman are living together-they are supposed.
by I'LL their neighbots, to be lawfully united in
mutrimony. 1hey have already family Of
children growing up; remorse begins to haunt
them. Ii the world knew their secret they and
their children are ruined. They do not make it
known to The world; but they make it known
to their priest or minister, il that confidence
| and undtr thlt secresy which no decent man
would betray. He advises them-hc urges
them-to be married. He pledges himself tnat
unless the Law should require an exhibition Of
bis registry Of marriages, their secret shal! be
| ties haviag fised in such state, continue in 1t
uut,l The approach Of deatb. And then remorse
and terror oveIiake the patient. They are viii
ling 10 tie marred. but the d, inc party would
sooner pass unmarried into eternity than ex.
pose the manner Of his life, and imnrlnt on the
stigma Of his in,amy and their disgrace.
WI! any man or uny woman, any priest. or any
minititr Of my denomination, say that these
aud other tL1ngs touing under the same cate
goryare to be thrown open for the inspection
of reporters, to have them published 10 tue
news apers, US taken from the CitJ Inspector s
taices 70. The Law is, what q Protestant
| clers mau. has described il in Il private letter
to tne Archbishop, "foo|isi4'' mud 'uaeless."-
The law the il same for physicians and md
wires. There il not decent ph5 slcian 10 the
CITY Of New York who would not suffer his
risht hand to be cut Of, a. one has expressed
it, rather than betrsy the professional cont
tltnce that families and patients have reposee
in him, Nov, it may be aAid, thut in matters 0
this kind, professional men might use their dis
ctcsi,n in such cases, and keep their o9n escEe'
in regurd to them. But this wonld not b
Obedience to the Law. Tais would he mucler,
oil obedience. tof # one clause is binding 81
is another, aud tie Law makes III exceptions
Far better is it, then, for every QUE to speal
out, and say at once that the whole statute i
od,ous, irsolent, inquis,toriai, as 10 the right
nf families, insulting to professional men
whs.herthey be cle,gJmen Or pbye,cians-'hs
10 comply with portion of it, and degrad
themselves iu their own estimation by priEat
copcealment OF other portions, would be ur
| worthy Of their profession and Of their right
as American citizens.