The New York herald., 1873-11-26

the undersigned unjust towards the eontrbuors wass
religion 'aSss Ssssp & And an nrry
At The resan m aSs a o. and intended for blow
Is 1t not consderng all the circumstances wiser and
81 20 and
arean a1eM a,rig a. Guan vea9ek Edwin D.
Hunt Gregory bon FFederes s. wstas wnnat cSass. @sSa
fse sssnss sss nS s4eses
Which has 80 oe 70 peyed and h r
which can only produce dssGrd and trouble where har
The total immigration to the port o. New York from
calculation shows that over we're 81 tie casboa
religion These Catholic immigrants contributed 10 the
S s money
and property & t9 the wealth eel and prosperity OF this city
The UNDERSIGNED respectfully offers for adoption the
RESOLVED, That, The Wards Island Committee be dis;
The Religious department. on Wards Island and of The
matter o. The chapel and that this Board adhere to The
inmates, JAMES LYNCH.
Commissioner STEVENSON thought it was an out
rage TO build a chapel on land belonging to the
A considerable part of the Indebtedness of the
Board was owing to the cost OF this chapel, which
gorgeous % chapel showed that the spiritual Wants Of
the emigrants were good deal better attended 20
than their temporal wants. Commissioner Freer,
built for the use OF the emigrants in Wards Island.
The words Roman Catholic" did not appear in
that the chapel should be used "for Catholics as
well as for Protestants,u and then Commissioner
creed the exclusive use OF the chapel by the Ca
tholic emigrants. The Catholic chaplain held pos
session OF the chapel since the sth OF December,
1872. without any authority from the Commis-
sioners OF Emigration.
Commissioner SIGIsMUND KAUFMAN said the
Board never had any shadow OF right to erect any
church for any or all denominations Was this
policy not an aggressive one when they tried to
stretch point and was there a necessity for in
a
church
FOR THE CATHOLIC EMIGRANrss
The chapel should be open to all denominations,
and at the very moment 1t was SHOWN that 1t was
not sufficiently large for this purpose additional
missioner kaufman moved that resolution to
this effect be passed as a substitute OF the resou-
tlons offered by Messrs. Lynch aud Stevenson.
Commissioner LYNCH said If the Jews were in the
same proportion in Wards Island that the Catho-
gogue for them The proceedings against the
Catholic chaplain were irregular and unfairly con-
Quoted. case was made out against the priest
and he was put on trial without being furnished
with copies OF the charges against him, or even
without being allowed to be present 1t was
worse than the old Star Chamber. There was no
one sworn, ana there was, therefore, no testimony
in the matter. The questions were all written
They were evidently prompted by BY designing
only newly in office, was grossly imposed upon.
The proceedings were little better than a rehash
tenance OF two chaplains and two chapes was
frequently referred to in the annual reports from
III.
mssloners regarded 1t as their duty to provide at
all times all practicable facilities for the people in
their charge to worship God according 70 the dlc.
tates of their conscience They recognized and
acted up the grand principles OF religious liberty
The emigrants were always satisfied with two
NOT BE SATISFIED WITH LESS.
The number OF destitute and sick emigrants who
annually availed themselves of the refuge and hos
pitfalls on Wards Island would average 1900.
Nearly all were Christians; about two-thirds of
them were Roman Catholics. The Communication
foY nj W nl n
emigrant landed at this port the ships agent acts
as the broker in paving IN the funds. funds;
care, support and maintenance for the sick
and destitute for four years after their arrival the
money. Not one cent had the State ever con-
tributed to this fund, nor had any county in the
state The 100 acres OF land and the splendid build
ings thereon were all paid Tor with the emIgrants'
money.
stance in any public institution in the United
States where one denomination was favored as
against Others
Commissioner LYNCH thought this was not the
case. Every ship that left port OF the United
States had chaplain on board and he
NEVER WAS ROMAN CATHOLIC.
He called for the reading OF the petition OF the
| German citizens on this subject
! Commissioner STEVENSON hoped that the petition
| OF the American citizens would be also read
Both petitions were placed on file without being
| read.
that the chapel be used by all denominations.
Commissioner LYNCH hoped that the vote would
not be taken until the return OF Mr.. Qulntard who
took his view OF the case.
Commissioner STEVENSON said Mr.. Quintard had
told him he would vote for his (Steyenson's) reso-
luton.
Commissioner LYNCH said every man had right
to change his opinion, and Mr.. Quintard had told
him he would vote for his (Lynch's) resolution.
QLaughter.)
Commissioner KAUFMAN then read his substitute
again. 1t was as foows:-
Whereas the church erected OH Wards Island has
been built with The funds contributed by emigrant OF all
denominations and whereas no one denomination has
therefore right to consider said edce as built for
their own exclusive use; therefore,
Resolved That the said church shall at all times be
considered place of worship where all creeds shall
be at liberty TO hold religious services and that suitable
provision shall be made by the Superintendent OF Wards
Island the holding of such service whenever il
appear necessary to afford more room to the Worship
than is at present allotted to them upon the Island
This resolution was adopted by the following
vote
YEAs-Forrest, Hurburt Kaufman, Maujer and Starr.
NAYs-Ly nch and stevenson
The Commissioners then adjourned. One OF
them, who had voted for Mr. Kaufman's substitute,
said sWel, the Protestants won't hold any service
,,Sh C,t thnIsa ham attnr ali