The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1870-02-22
sr. PATRrcn,s uArHFpahI.
Special Grant. 60 Cethoiics-A Reply 70 the
Union League Report.

Special Grant. 60 Cathoiies-A Reply 70 the
Union League Report.
TO TIE Edifor OF ne sun.
Sra: About fortnight since some Of the daily
papers OF this city published extracts from report
OF a Committee OF the Union League Club, upon
the diversion Of puplc moneys from tho legitimate
objects OF political government to sectarian pur-
poses"
Among the statements made in the report In refer.
ence to real estate. which. the Committee alleges,
has been given. By the city sovernment to a
single sect, Tor sectarian purposes" 20 the amount
IN value, OF ts,NO,O00, Ia the following:
w. they gave 20 The same ,cei the fee Of whcle
'snd nom fiiiieie tS ffysr.t ..1sst By changing
pad nU nee St ss oS e b s sod s. O. @
M,di;Yn avenue sefos; .Sk Sloes and also ssSi q
I 81 Issn 7ua s q III,
block OF ground Ne tiSoo, ooo."
II upon sporton Of this block OF ground that the
Having some curiosity 70 ascertain whether the acts
az TO tho gilt OF the fec Of this block are truly sated In
pd for s % Is ss ne enss, soo
the conveyance could be readily found, have om-
poyed an hour ofleisure at the Hall Of Records in
The result IL as follows: In 1864 the city made
W9 CONVEYANCE Of property included IN this block.
corded In liber bOi Of conyeyances at page 44 the
other In ber Gao at page 1884, In the former convey.
anee the city, for the confederation recited OF one
by the trustees, conveyed strip Of iand extending
on the north side Of Fftleth street from Fourth TO
FIN avenue snd being Eve feet six inches in depth
on Fourth avenue, and diminishing uniformly 10
Firth avenue, where its depth is but ten inches The
premises conveyed to the city are not described In
the deed, as they should not be, and the transaction
was apparently the exchange VI one piece of prop
erty for another 10 the advantage Of both parties
THIS, then, It seems clear cannot be the conveyance
to which the Committee refers. But in hber go al
page 80, IL the record OF conveyance which
must be that which the Committee had In view when
IN he atNfr
at moderate estimate, si.50OOOO. In this convey,
ance, which Is dated November II, 1852, It s re.
cited that the city by tndenture ated May l. 11qe
had granted, barEained, &c, &C., unto Robert Ly
burn and TO bis heirs and assigns forever" GER
rents thst the s.d tra.tses wsrs Ssn eeln yefy
SAID premises rs they alleged, and mad paid the
ears OF rent, and the sum OF SS382 lieu OF all rents
thereafter TO accrue, and the conveyance then re-
leases the said trustees from oil covenants for the
payment Of rent In the future. The instrument is
signed by Mr. kingsland, who was then Mayor of
forth IN full, Il briehy this: A lot OF land parcel
Of tie common lands Of the city, ana described as
lot 90 on the map or chart OF said common lands,
bounded on the we.t end BY the Middle Road, the
Gust end by tne East Rosi, on the north by
q street sixty leet In width separating Il
from lot65 on said map aud on the south by street
also sixty feet In width, and separating ON lot 80
on said map, and containing IN breadth at each end
three chains and three links aud IN length ON each
side tirthecn chains and ninety.o links Now this
rs everyone can zee, was the case Of lease forever
with an annual rent tcsorv that the Trustees had in
some way, rs enc or more assignments, succeeded
to the rights OF the original lessee aud that all they
| guincd by tie deed was n discharge from Il :
| further payment Of rent. Let lne now state what
The original lease contains, that 1t may appear what
| was tue consideration paid and what the ren re.
| served II y dated May 1, 1879, and i recorded
April H. s2i, IN liber $50 OF convey ances, a. page
a32 and thereby tile city leases TO Robert Lyburn,
his heirs 1nd assigns forever and " In his actual
possession now being" tue same loo GA with the OK.
act wor's OF the description contained In the release
% mopcy OF SeS aSs o. Of p STes
meut TO pay the yearly rental OF four bushels OF
| good merchantab.e wheat n quit rent reserved
upon the premises" The lease ia sigued by Richard
Narck, Mayor.
| II any member Of the Committe, OF the onion
League Club had IN good faith looked into this mat.
ter for tea minutes Le wouI have seen that there
was no foundation for the accusation contained IN
the paragraph OF the report winch have quoted II
the committee made no examnauOu,it was wantin Z
N charity In permitting Itself to make charge which
It dad not know to be true. II s tAc more worthy u
eensure wien u Is considered that this charge. often
htreoiore made IN general terms, but never 30 far
az have sen, 50 specifically on the present occa
sion, has been already distinctly denied that ord
nary discretion should have induced the Com
mitiee to refrain from repeating the asser.
Ton S without The further examination: In the Cathode
nOrd Tor August lcd9, In answer TO an article In
friHdmS Mdga<ise for the month preceding IL is
stated that "the site Of 81. latriek's Cathedral
has been owned By Catholics for over sixty
years, and was bought ard paid FOR by them with
the'r own mogeY;' and again in the CdlhoIie World
H. Ua,Yay iSU, ~ is 't'ed ,hat Tue slis was pur
Catholic Bishop Of New York, with tic view Of
erecting college there, and that In fact, hui dug
since removed.
have not had time or inclination to investigate
and cannot state what Is the chain Of title by which
-. fatlcks Cathedral became the owner II the
premises IA question. II T. fortunate result Of the
clryul stance that the land purchased b. Catho-
hcs many years since, and continued to be he'd By
them rnd Others OF the same faith, " the latter Is the
TACT that thus Il was preserved for the site OF a
cathet raj which viii be the pride OF the city. The
cathedral Will Ne completed and paid for ir due time
| With tic money OF Catholics VITO Will contribute,
from year to year, such sums a. they may ieel taoy
| a tVV
| demands which arc made upon their generosity aud
Christian charity for tao other wants and works VI
| the Church.
IL Wocld seem as II IL were Necessary merely for
some person TO start story TO the PREF udioe the
Catholic Church, Catholics In order To induce the
entire community TO believe II, however unkind or
unreasonable II may be, without making any in-
curry as 10 its truthiulness A. to there and other
matters OF controversy people should learn uhll
DR.. JOnsOn's condition tor dealing with All great
questions; Sir 1rst clear your mind OF can't"
CUTHBERr.