The New York herald., 1870-04-02


records and returns will show.
These figures are fair average Of the amounts
paid and received by the different conntes, except
lne four COUNTIES named In contrast TO these tie
figures OF tne county OF New York are, for the
amount OF school tax paid the state by that county
svs7, 5s l4 aud tue amount received from the state
$a2-, 2l6 w showing that tho county 0f New York
taxes Itself and pays the state s5755il 22 more than
1t receives Tor school purposes which excess goes
to pay Tor the supporG Of schools in most Of the
other counties III the STATE. and yet some OF these
nn ssw s 9ors t snoda
fcr scnoos in other counties, be left TO tax her
SELF additionally II she sees dt for. her own
the Local affairs Of Sew Iors, While they themselves
OF New York would not the citizens OF New YORK be
justified IN demanding the passage or q law that
county should pay more school tax to the state tnan
1t draws from the state Treasury. 1t Is claimed that
this repeal is demanded by numerous petitions, and
tnat therefore 1t should be granted. ItIs true very
large number Of petitlons have been sent to the
Legislature asking for tue repeal. but 1t is equally
true, appeared before your committee that thege
petitions all emanated FROM one source. A lew gen.
tlenien from the political cluD known az the Union
League IN New York CITY, have created and skiiully
engineered the ,dea tnat division Of tho involate
c0mmon scnool Iund or the State was imminent.
By tDis means they have endeayored TO arouseIsec.
tarian Jeaousies and to embitter sectarian leeng.
Tney have written mp the subject In the newspapers
and an artist mas been encouraged to send t0rt. IN
paper that calls itself journal OF CIVILIZATION"
arousing toe prejudices oil the community against
wrong which exists only IN their imagination, IDey
have sent forth pettlons to every school, district in
the State, and III them appear in large type the
words '.pubrc money! and 'sec tartan schools"
These petitions, III the knowledge oil some Of us,
have been signed by persons who supposed tnat the
common scaUoi fund was being thus diverted, and
probably very many OF the signers supposed tnat to
be the case. They nave been distributed by clerks
in the employ OF the gentlemen referred to in sys
tematc manner aud various devices have Deen re-
sorted TO to arouse ~ sectarian excitement.
Tue acCon Ol some members oil your committee
has been msrepresented IN connection with this
blu Every means in fact to lead the public at,en
tlOn TO the subject has been res0rted to.
Taxing all THESE facts into consideration, tho
undersigned are opposed to the passage OF the pro.
posed bill. ShoLd u be ever favoraoly considered,
however. we recommend that as matssr OF justice
to these counties who pay lu0re school tax 10 the
state than tney receive back from tue STATE, and
especially the county aimed at IN this bill, chat the
lO.iow,ng be added to ana made a part OF its
SCTfoN q No county IN the State shall be required,
under any provisions Of the school laws or this
stale to raise by TAX or to pay into the schoo fund
Of the State for the support OF common schools, a
greater sum than IL appropriated TO 1t BY law out Of
the school moneys and school tax for the support Of
the common schools OF said county.
AL ef which ID respectfully submitted.
JOHN L. FLAGG,
LAWRENCE ID. kIERNAN
ID. d. BARNES,
SILAS SWEET.