The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-03-18
Fran The Metropolitan Record, March l6.
PROTESTANT PR0SELYTlSM IN AND
n

ARUUND NEW 1Ohh.
oprS INVASION OF CATHOLIC DoMICILEs AND FoRCE-
nLE ABDUCTION AND TRANSPORTATION OF CATHo-
Lie cHILDREN-oUTRAGES AND INEQUALITIES OF
TUE SYSTEM.
The investigation of the case of kidnapping, per-
TWtrated by the insoent, but omnipresent proseIv-
Tiers of New York, on the person of the boy VIM.
McVey, before Justice Connolly, at the Essex
Market Police Court, which is reported in the Re
cord to day, with the case of the Laffin children
whom it is attempted to tear from the arms of an
honest and faithful Catholic grandfather, now
pending for adjudication before the BROOKLYN
Judges, aad the descriptions have of the scenes
which are witnessed almost daily in the Tombs
when afflicted Irish parents are told that their chill
dren, missed from home for day two, have
been kept under restraint during the interval, in
some protestant Asylum" and are now en- route
for "the West, assure that the questions, wheth-
er the unity of hard working Catholic families can
be violated with impunity under the shadow of
law; whether Catholic parents are to have the con
troll and direction of their own children, or wheth-
er that control is to be surrendered to hireng and
oifcous fanatics; whether boy of eight or nine
years of age has any right OF liberty; whether
arbitrary transportation and exile of the Juvenile
citizens of any State can be made for the mate
rial benefit, canting congregational glory ofany
any other State; in line-whether the Catholic
gion is really free, and the domcies of our breth-
rem are their "castles' in the eve of the law have
been put to direct issue, and must be settled
one way or the other; in behalf of liberty of con-
science, parental guardianship and individual
rights, the side of fanatic oppression, intru
sion, dctaton, and most degrading tyranny ex-
ercised for lucre and gain in the of perverted
forms of religion.
The fact is, the humble Catholics of New York,
Brooklyn, Jersey city, and our other suburban
settlements, have endured-for they have never in
reality ountenanced-the annoying visitations OF
Protestant "Coporteurs," 'Tract Distributors, %
edible Society" agents, both male and female,
Scripture Readers "Children's Aid'' agents,
"Truant Law" officers, and such like, who fatten
| II.
houses of the diversified creeds which flourish in
midst, just long enough. Although we are
well aware that the faith of the poorer Catholics
from Ireland, when professed in New ork is often
assaied from the counting-ro of his millionaire
employer, from the desk of the gripping landlord of
the sitting tenement house, from the coal ward
and flour bin of those who would themselves at any
moment exchange their speckled form of faith for
"mess of pottage," from the boudoir of the fash
ionable lady who "gives out washing' to his wife,
and the paror of the belle who patronizes his
daughter with her sewing and consumption. still
we could never understand why the "Tract" en-
ployees of these people should be permitted an
entrance into his little room, rooms, where they
60 with the avowed intention of insulting the re-
gion of his dead ancestors introducing dissensions
into his household, singing out one or more of
his children, baptized for Heaven by the Church. as
the civil slave of some whining pharisee away out
the prairies of Illinois, the sandy fields of Wis
consin. or the finty valleys of Vermont, there to
remain during life lost to religion, family, name
nome
childhood.
A quiet, independent, yet firm denial of adms.
sion to Catholic apartments of the emissaries re-
erred to and enumerated in part above, is the only
first and efficient means OF arresting their progress
and naturaliZng their efforts. 1t is absolutely ne.
cessary that this should be commenced and per-
severed in, for never before did New York so swarm
with proselytizers to such extent as at this
moment. Within the past week a gentleman,
a friend of ours, counted many as ten females
employed for such work, congregated at point at
one of the leading avenues of the west side, and
them after deliberation, separate and take diff
ferent routes for the assainent of our religion and
the destruction, as far as possible, of the family
happiness of the poorer Catholics residing far up
town and on the bank of the Hudson river. What
amount of evil they enabled to accomplish
during the day will never be known in this world.
Doubtless 1t was considerable, for, in Ireland
they find their gain in of want; but we can
not help thinking that it would be much abridged
they in decided, but inoffensve tone refused
an entrance to the different apartments inhabited
by Catholics, at which they called.
This proposition is thrown out merely as gener-
al remedy, etfectually by application, ard unver-
SAL We regret to say that it is not so easy to point
to cure for the injuries which have been and are
being accomplished in our midst by the working of
the statuary enactment denominated the "Truant
Law" of New York. Under this measure Catholic
children are not safe from the kiduappers when
permitted to go the highways for air and
exercise, or sent by their parents on an ordinary
errand. As we have already stated woman or
man, well dressed and of winning address, will en-
tice the young one to the distance of few blocks
from the residence of its parents, then pounce upon
it, carry it before police magistrate charge it
as a"truant' child of vagrant parents, imprisou
it for day or two in legaized asylum, and sub
sequently enrol it for Punishment to the West
amongst humorous batch of little ones equally
unfortunate. Who portray the distraction
and agony which doting mothers and fond fathers
endure under such circumstances After a vain
search in their immediate neighborhood for
some days, and few sleepless nights, they learn,
perhaps at the Toombs, that their child has been
taken from them, most likely for ever and sent out
TO the West