The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-03-02

don Of The unnatural crime of infantcide, buN
BY the founding of similar institutions with
like results in other cities Since the estab-
hshment of this asylum, in October, 1863, four
thousand innocent waits of society, many II
not all OF them the offspring of sin and shame.
have been saved to society by it's managers.
But its benedcent effects are not seen merely
upon the children. The morals of the
mothers, and indirectly of the entire COM
munity, have been strengthened and improved
in this direction by this and similar institu-
tons. The charge that these asylums pro-
mote this class of crime is too futile TO be
seriously entertained by any sane man. But
1t is sufficiently disproved by the fact that tho
institution sheltered and nourished as many
children during the first year of its existence
as it has any year since If the theory of in
crease is correct, the facts and figures of the
institution cannot be. But the same theo-
retcal argument is applicable, with much
more force, to the building of penitentiaries
and almshouses, insane asylums, and other
institutions maintained by the State. Does the
multiplication of these increase also proper
tionally insanity, pauperism and crime2 And
If not why not according to the Founding
Asylum theory?
But it is charged, the institution is q secta-
rian one, and should, on that account, be dis
couraged. Well, if an institution which cares
for thirteen hundred children who know not
their right hand from their left, and who for
years to come will have no more knowledge of
the Pope than of President Grant or Captain
Jack, Of the Modocs; if an institution which
employs at least four hundred Protestant
nurses out of eleven hundred altogether, can
be termed sectarian because the hearts Of few
Catholic Sisters of Charity instead of Protest
ants were first opened to attend to this matter
and to rescue these innocent little ones from
violent and untimely death, then it is evident
the charge is preposterous.
The concluding argument bears upon tho
purse and pocket This institution, when it
had been year in existence, received State
aid to the extent of one dollar a week for
done the same work for three times that
amount? Not if we may judge by its expen-
ditures for peculiarly State institutions. This
amount was subsequently increased to two
dollars week, and at later date sum equal
to that allowed to the Commissioners of Char.
tiles and Corrections for similar objects
namely, seven dollars and forty-fve cents
per month-was allowed. But the actual cost
is over ten dollars q month per child, and the
expenses of the institution aggregate more
than thirteen thousand dollars per month, OF
which sum between eight and ten thousand
dollars a month goes toward the mainte.
nance of the children. The balance
needed to meet expenses and to provide fol-
enlarged and improved accommodations must
come out of the pockets of the charitable and
benevolent Of our citizens. And the States
proportion is not one cent more than it should
be- And now it is proposed to withdraw this
aid altogether, and leave the youngest and
most helpless portion of the community to
fate that cannot be thought of without shud.
der. For the States sake, and for the sake OF
the thirteen hundred foundlings now safely
housed here, we protest against this indis.
criminate legislation. Messrs. Legislators,
don't let your anti-sectarianism drive you to
the other extreme. Take the middle ground,
in which alone can peace and safety be found.