The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-03-06

Statements OF the Union League Club Over.
hauled-The Question Of Secfarinnism DC.
fned-System OF Common School Education.
To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD
On the 23d ut you coated in the face or the
world monstr0us balloon, furnished by the Unien
League Club. 1t IL 80 large as to frlgnten many
people into hystercs especially those Afflicted with
ecclesiastcopnobia. uialady quite prevalent just
now. With your leave viii prick this monster;
for am afraid that after setting the deni2ens Of
Gotham into commotion, It has been borne on the
current IN q nortaerly direction and settled over
the Capitoiine HILL Mr.. Hawkins cites from the
constitution Of the Unted States and the constitu
ton OF the state very excellent laws; but in
fringes them.. Why therefore. this legal cration9
Mr.. Hawkins objects to donating lands and money
to sectartan institutions This Is not in itself vlO
lation OF that law. donation may be made TO an
Institution for the pubhc good which does without
any reference TO dts special religious views. II
more Is given TO institution than another on the
basis Of denolninatiOnalism that is partial and
wrong. Now, If the Union League Club would con.
tine themselves to the recuying OF abuses and the
resistance OF sach demands We Will rally around
anu sustain them. But the cluE.gO further. They
sweep away what Is good to get rid of the evil. II
a boy he's wart on his finger he may pe wise in
digging 1t out but he would be foolish to cut or his
finger TO get rid OF It.
There-are humane and moral institutions which
we must cherish and assist This ls the glory OF
Christianity. ''But," says MI. Hawkins. "the duty
OF taking Of the poor and ratheress under our
benign government Is assumed by the public. NUM-
1cent provision Is made for them" This Is only
true in part. The public s very far from supplying
all the@wants of the poor and taking care OF all the
fatherless. IL would cost the State vastly more
thanIt does now were 1t to provide for all. This
ta M iuott
making room for 0fiice-seekers The cost however,
would be Immensely greater, for then all who labor
for the institutions would have to be paid. II the
state had the institutions entirely to build the means
OF support entirely TO furnish, care takers and
missloners entirely 10 pay there Is no calculating
what the cost would be. The cheapest and the best
way Is as 1t is done now. Let benevolent lnstitu.
tons be encouragedsand AIDED, and they will do q
large share themselves by contributions and by free
labor.
tutions exclusively sectarlan ana II Is q cruel con-
cusion That they must all be excluded from public
deviation from tins rule admits sI she n prncne Of
State church TAke, Tor instance, the New YORK
Orphan Asylum. The Board or Managers is COM
posed OF members In different ecclesiastical rela
tOns. Could that be called sectaran institution,
and would helping II make it state cnurcns
AS TO our system OF common schOOi education,
We accord lis excellence and would resist any EFFORT
to break II up 10y dividing the money among sec
occasion stab the clergy9 II there are Catholic
countries, where blind devotion tnrives better III
the soil OF ignorance that does not apply to those
free countries wnere the BDe is open and the spirit
oil Christian liberty prevails. IL was the Reiorma-
ton in Europe. IN which the clergy were the
leaders, which gave impetus to learning and estsS.
l1shed lar and wide among the nations educational
institutions. Luther himself, CONFORMITY with
Melancth0n, drew up plan OF studies which was
followed IN The common schools OF Germany for o
long series Of years thereafter.
AS to our country, need inform the Union League
Club to what extent the schools colleges OF the
land owe their existence to the clergy How many
OF the best productions OF literature, particularly
those that moralize and refine, have emanated from
their pensS
and religious liberty. which was the asylum OF the
hberty-lOvtng from other lands, coming in two
on this island and the otner Ion Plymouth ROCK S
quilt simuitaneously and SIDE by SIDE the church
aTM me 81, so91 DOL In New York was then
tlnues till this day. And need trace the rise ana
progress of the noble colleges ana universities Of
our country from the first, at Amherst, In 1885, Till
the present time, including Yale, Union, Nassau
Hall, Rutgers, Columbia, our own University, num-
berlng IN all more than hundred, all originated,
established and presided over Dv the clergy and
their pious confrefes? And yet we are told IN the
nagrapt Union League Cluo report that Italy,
Spain and Mexico are Illustrations OF the clerical
system, and Germany and the states OF our country
lawyer OF this city could deliver uterances ike this
But more. 1t Is stated in the Union League report
NEARLY 500 200 Of the money raised oy taxes
distracted from the Public Treasury OF the city aud
county OF New York In the last three years alone Tor
sectarian uses" This, again. is an error. Under
than The true amount The column under 1870
seems IN somo cases a repetition OF the statement
under 1882 bat even where the figures are right
the statement Is not in every case fair. The idea
conveyed ~ That this Is the amount which the
churches cost the city in three years. How came 1t
that Just three years were grouped together ana
why Is the account begun with loG9S
The amounts or 1863 were In part cumulative. For
year or two before that the Legislature had not
allowed In the Tax bill anything for the remission
OF the taxes and assessments OF the churches. So
Items OF tnat nature belonging TO ierner years
included In the account OF 1869. The report there
lore conveys wrong impression. Ordinary read
ers, moreover Infer that this was so much money
paid by the Finance Department TO the churches
used by tue churches for secular purposes, whereas
the truth was that not dollar OF the money came
into the treasury OF the churches. 1t was Just
taking of what mad been laid upon the churches for
taxes and assessments, and the Comptroller ad-
Justed the accounts IN their proper bureau.
II should not therefore be SAID that the churches
obtained so much money from the pubic treasury
for sectarian uses.
QUOD Frat DEMONSTRANDUM.