The New York herald., 1874-12-29
CRUELTY TO CHILDREN.

MEETING OF THE SOCIETY FOR THE pREvKNs
TIoN OF CRUELTY 10 CHILDREN.
meeting OF the Executive Committee OF the
Society Tor the Prevention OF Cruelty TO Children
was held yesterday afternoon at the rooms OF Mr..
Bergh, No. 100 East Twenty second street, for she
purpose OF getting the association IN WORKING or
der. Mr.. E Fellows jenkins was appointed SUPER
intendent, and requisite steps were taken 70 pro
vide q proper ONCE for the soclety's of1cias. AZ
the conclusion OF the commttee's proceedings
general meeting oi those interested IN the object
and purposes OF the society was held. The attend
ance was quite large the majority being ladies.
and the interest manifested was intense. After
few preliminary remarks by the Presi-
dent, the counsel OF the society, Mr.. Ebridge
I. Gerry, stated It's object The want OF such
an association had long been felt; an association
when should compel q recognition OF the fact that
children have some rights. He emphaticany
denied that the society had any sectarian purpose,
and stated that the children rescued through Its
lnstrumentality would be sent, as the law pro-
y1des. to those charitable institutions conducted
according to the faith IN which such children were
born near as could be ascertained. The inten-
ton was to enforce the law for the protection OF
the little ones, which has heretofore been
neglected, as IL has been the especial business Of
no one. He recired several cases OF heArtrendtng
cruelty TO children, to put stop to which and
the like was to be the business o. Jhe society. Az
the suggestion OF Mr.. Bergh the ladies were called
upon ior lew remarks IN response to which Mrs.
Martha Davis, VINO announced herself as grand
mother made feeling speech. lauding the pur-
poses OF the meeting
Mr.. Bergh wished to correct the impression that
had gos abroad that the society was likely to in
terfere between the parent and the child. Nothing
was further from It's lntenuon. He was an ad.
hnln ,t had
fetal effects from It when ne was . boy. He. also
quoted .'Mr. Solomon" as an authority for his
position. he objected to the term ..brute," ap.
Piled by previous speaker TO drunken, cruel
parents ana SAID MS Clients M S never got drunk ana
efforts 70 enforce the law.
THE ..rARMING our'' SYSTEM
was referred to, In which, as he stated, infants
were placed IN families living in cellars and damp
places, and money pad TO get shem out OF the way.
Ing out only Tor the more striking and outrageous
samples OF cruelty at FIRST and until It's aims and
purposes were known aud 1t became understood
that no impertinent interference between pa
rents or guardians and children was intended.
member OF the Executive Committee, being called
upon, referred to the employment OF Italian chill
happily broken up. since his arrival here in 1867.
TINS subject had attracted his atten Elon, and
through his represen ntatlonsa law had passed the
Italian Parliament TO prevent the sale OF children
ior such purpose. The enforcement OF the law
passed last winter by the New York Legislature
had cleared the streets Of Italian children under
sixteen years OF age.
Mr.. W. S. Andrews, formerly member OF the
Assembly, called attenton TO a bill intended to
remedy the very evils for which this society had
been formed. which he had introduced into the
Lower House In 1858, and which had passed that
body. but mad been laughed out OF the senate. At
the suggestion OF Mr.. Gerry he promised 70 furnish
the society with copy o. the bill. On motion OF
MIR. Bergh Mr.. Andrews was made member OF
the society, and a large numoer OF names OF those
present, mostly ladies, was alter rward handed to
the secretary and the owners admitted TO men,
bership.
Mr.. Swlnton being present was called on, ana
in responding hoped the regeneratve principle
which science does not affurd might De round In
TINS movement He painted irightu picture OF
the 100000 children to be found in tne tenement
houses OF this city, brought up under the most de-
moraiizng influences. There are 5000 children In
the city, from four to twelve years old, lAbOring
from early morn until late at night In close rooms,
sne fetld atmosphere OF which Is deadly. Only q
society ike this could apply the remedy. other
speecnes we're made. IN which almost every form
cruelty TO children, as practised was depleted,
and the meeting adjourned.
Inc Executive Committee IS energetically at
work putting the machinery OF she sOclety In
operation, and II Will doubtless soon be heard OF
before the courts. II s thought that the very ex-
istence OF the society, when once Is becomes
known, VIII 20 far toward putting q stop to many
or the crueties practlsed on children.