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

A year ago OF more considerable stir was
raised throughout this city and State against
''sectarian appropriations. The men Of one
idea both in the press and pulpit denounced
the donating Of the State or city's moneys to
maintain the State or city's poor. The argu-
ments presented had no other or stronger
basis than that of religion. As if man, when
he becomes poor or helpless, has no rights
which the State OF city is bound to respect if
he belongs to the Church. The shallowness
and absurdity of these arguments were made
apparent in the editorial columns of the
HERALD at the time, and our contemporaries
of the one idea after while veered round and
decided that the State, in its corporate char
acter, had certain relations to every citizen
and to every resident in the community, and
these relations do not depend in the least
degree whatever upon the age, color, social or
political condition, circumstances or religious
faith of the citizen. The condemned criminal
has rights as sacred as the highest admins
traitor of the law, and the State is bound to
protect him in those rights until he is lawfully
deprived Of them. The aged pauper and the
infant outcast have claims upon the State for
care, protection and maintenance which can
not be shirked without injury to the indi-
vidual and injustice to the State
These considerations are called for by the
renewal at this time of blind discussion of
the principles involved in what is called 'sec-
tartan appropriations. With the legislation
which, having provided free common school
system of education for every child and youth
in the State, refuses to make special grants
and appropriations for UNCONVENTIONAL schools,
we have no difference at all But let us be
careful how we proceed lest in cutting down
the limb Of the tree we too fall with it. The
charter now before the State Legislature, while
it very properly prohibits State aid to "any re-
ligious or UNCONVENTIONAL school," strikes
crushing blow at institutions which cannot
be said to be sectarian in any strict sense of
that term. There are asylums for the aged,
the orphan and the founding in our midst
that may be ruined and must be greatly Grip
pied by the withdrawal Of the States aid. And
in utter obliviousness Of the obligations of the
State to these classes we see some of our legis-
lative solons resorting to all sorts OF expe-
dients to rush the matter through. Should
they succeed in this mad legislation the State
will lose far more by the withdrawal than it
now grants in aid to these institutions. As
the purpose of this legislation, very thinly
disguised, is evidently to deprive the Catholic
institutions in this city Of the pecuniary aid
they have heretofore received we may refer
more especially to these. And one Of the
latest and best Of them is the Founding Asy-
lum established here about three years ago
last Fall.
This institution was not the result of elabo-
rate plans and schemes prepared months or
years before it was projected It was rather
the spontaneous and almost sudden outgrowth
Of q want deeply felt in the community at the
time. And its benefcent effects have been
fully approved, not only here, by the diminu-