The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-06-17
THE WARvs ISLAND TROUBLE EXPLAINED.
Who Prevents Civil and Religious Lib.
erty on Wards Islands

60 back still further.
During the time the "Ring" power under sweeny
and Tweed controlled this city, and Its maign in
nuences were evidenced in. their gross class and
corrupt legislation, the political power OF the R0-
man Catholic Church was everywhere apparent in
the subserviency with which It's tools obeyed IT,
slightest behest and then It was that these
troubles began.
In September. 1871, resolution was offered In
the Board OF Emigration by Mr.. Lynch, Presidents
OF the Irish Emigration Society," that Roman
Catholic church should be built Wards Island to
the ground that it was an illegal and sectarlan
proposition. On the motion OF Mr. Frear. the sub
Jet was referred 70 Messrs Lynch and
Mr.. Lynch reported substantially as follows:
Resolved That church be built on Wards Island, az
sso and that the architects fees shall be three per
Opposed mainly by Messrs. wallach and Bell, and
lost. On November % Mr.. Frear moved That q
church be built at cost OF $4,000, and this was
carried.
NAYs-aessrs Barr. Waliach and wnlmann-
This resolution was substantially the same as the
previous one, which had been lost. Thus was the
battle your reporter denomlnates Religious
War" begun, through potico-religious influences,
TO force the expenditure OF the public funds, paid
by all classes and creeds alike for the maintenance
Of those who temporarily became charge to
the fund is public fund, and has
not been sufficient to pay the regular expenses for
Separate places OF worship had been assigned the
Protestants and Charlottesville former on the
latter the entire moor q the large Nursery build
ing. December 7, 1872, Mr.. Lynch reported to the
Board that the latter place was overcrowded the
congregation numbering about seven hundred,
while the PrOtestants were about one hundred and
fifteen. He moved that the new church be handed
Board had by this time been changed in part, and
consisted Of Messrs; 0'Gorman, Frear, Hart, For
Hall, Hoguet and Kaudmann.) Mr.. Walach OPP
posed this on grounds of variance with the orig.
ps free e% a snd s @ dae sso
Wslash ), then t -, moved mo- tnas tas church
well as Catholics. The vote being tie the motion
was declared lost; but Mr.. Wallach raised the
point that such proceeding was against the power
OF the Commissioners under the law, which
chapter $50, section 8, Laws Of 1s49l says:-"But
Of this act as Communication money, or upon bonds
given for or ON account OF any persons or pas
sengers landing from vessels at the port Of New
priated to any other purposes or use than to de-
fray the expenses incurred for care, support or
Thereupon it was ordered that the opinion OF the
Counsel to the Board should be obtained. General
adverse to the use Of State moneys Tor the purposes
specified 1t was handed to one OF the Trustees
o op the 1udSe Joan cC er an adyere
opinion which latter presentation to the Board,
was rejected and the counsel's adopted.
On this island other institutions under
charge of the Department OF Charities and Correc-
tion such as the Insane Asylum. Inebriate Asylum,
hospital &C., for the inmates of which no special
place Of worship had been provided. To procure
the stated congregation OF 700, and seemingly be
asserted these institutions were depleted Of their
population, while the matrOn Of the nursery was d.
rected by the priest to send all the children With
out being finished, and the windows without glass,
the new church was taken possession OF by tho
Catholics, the pews having been put in previously
and directed by the priest to put up an altar NOr
which he has never been paid, and painters
State charge-was engaged by the same person to
decorate the walls, &c., also receiving nothing by
way OF remuneration. 1t cannot be that these are
q part OF the fittings for which Father Prachensky
states he has paid $1,000.
1t is also ell-known fact that this same priest
not satisfied with attending to the spiritual wants
OF his flock, has also dabbled in politics. exercising
controlling influences In making and unmaking,
minor officials and granting passes TO and from the
Isand-prerogatives belonging only to the Commits
sioners-
Previous to 1865 the emigrants arriving at this
port were largely Irish, but since then the German
element has so largely increased that the last year
1t doubled the Irish, and as there is very large
emigration from other parts consisting OF all ma
tonalities and creeds, the mind can easily compre-
bend who 1t Is to pay most OF this head money.
Notwithstanding this OF 1Os employees on the Island
last year. fifty nine were Irish and thirteen German
Romanists the remainder being Protestants. one
instance cited by the priest, when the Protestant
tended doubtless to show their insgnifcance, and
on account OF their paucity OF numbers, the
Small amount Of consideration to which they
the miserable stove which helped to warm the
Protestant sanctuary broke down entirely, and
was removed bodily for repairs and, as people 40
not generally care to attend church during In
clement weather, the congregation doubtless In
this case was small. The Professionals that attended
worship at one time numbered as high as $50. In
February, 1873, smallpox broke out In their build
urged the removal OF the congregation to the new
church, but instead, the injected patients only
we're removed, and the congregation left. Whyf
w hp
FtrSt-N0 resolution was ever passed to build q
Romish church, but one TO build church presum-
Second-That the State law specifying exactly
the purposes for which this communication money
was to be paid out was in the nature OF q contract
with the parties paving it, and should be used only
for the purpose named.
Tntrd-That Father Prachensky, in his state.
ments to your reporter has been guilty of prevari-
cation and dupcity, to say the least, and un-
worthy to hold his priestly functions any longer.
F0mth-That the reverend father has usurped
powers that do not belong TO him, and Tor this
reason, II no other, should be removed
FIJth-That on this island State FUNDS and State
laws were mere footballs to be kicked around at
pleasure by such men as composed these trustees
OF the irish Emgrant SOciety.n
Matters had thus sped on. under an unvarying
rule OF wrong, until the spirit OF reform aroused
stern Justice from her long repose to strike down
this congomerated mass OF sectarian imposition
and fraud. Let Reform say to-day VINO Is oppOS-
ing her on Wards Island. 1t cannot be this
priest for his sect, owning more than double the
amount OF all other denominations In the city OF
New YORK, can care but little for this trinng sum
OF p35UOO
The American character Is strictly defensive
one. Yielding by constitution civil and religious lib
erty under all possible circumstances, 1t seldom in
terferes until deception, fraud, and wickedness
have accomplished their designs, and then only to
pronounce Judgment. This is Christian. Why Is
not the Romisn Church In this country American
II 1t Is cxactng, autocratic, Liberal. elsewhere,
here, under the 9gis OF our laws regarding liberty
OF conscience. 1t should be Just. II graspinG IN
Europe, 1t should be yielding here. While Italy
and Germany have seen the danger OF allowing this
powerful sect, the possession OF so much
4
erty belonging to all In common until SO
great mass has been accumulated as will be-
come a bone OF contention, and perhaps civil
war; "Hstory repeats itselr' and Eve can only
Judge the future by the past" But to the point
Why cannot this chapel erected for the worship OF
Almighty Gsd, be used by all sects alikes PROTEST.
ants do not obect theirs y spirit Of liberality.