The New York herald., 1874-12-04
THE STATE CHARITY COMMISSIONERS.

Meeting OF the Board at the Firth Ave-
nue. Hotel Yestsrday-The Work OF Re-
construction and Correction Progress
ing.
In compliance wish an act passed by the State
Legislature at Albany In May last providing sY0r
the support and care OF State paupers, and au-
thorzing the State Board OF Charities, rom time
70 time, on behalf Of the State to contract for the
reception and support OF sucn paupers as may be
committed to poorhOuses or similar institutions,
known rs State almshouses the Board Of State
Charity Commissioners held meeting yesterday
In one OF the parlors Of the Filth Avenue Hotel.
The Board consisted OF the following gentlemen,
namely:-John v. l. Pruyn, President Of
the Board; william p. Letchworth, Vice Prest-
dent; Samuel F. Miller, Harvey q. Eastman, John
G. Devereaux, Commissioners; DR.. Charles s.
Hoyt Secretary James 0. Tanning, Assistant Sec-
retary, and James A. Degraw. Lieurenanr Gov
ernor Robinson was not present, having to at
tend to some family business OF importance. Re-
ports OF visiting committees OF several counties
were read and referred to the Executive Commit
tee in connection with the Board OF Charities and
Correction for further consideration.
Dr.. H0yt reported progress IN the work Of the
examination now going on In tine Po0rhouses
and Almshouses. stating that the work had been
completed in rs many as nfty-three counties and
was everywhere satisfactorily.
The Executive Committee OF the Prison Assocta-
t1on consisted OF DR.. E. Harris, Tneo dore W.. Nor
ris, s. Bratnerd, stephen Cutter, R. E. DRgdale
and Sinclair Tousey. The necessity Of trans
ferring children from the county nurseryto the
different asylums OF the county was the main
topic under consideration. II was agreed that the
asyums established under the different denom1na-
ttOns for the care OF orphans can DO the work
cheaper and with better results than the political
inms provide the orphans with @ desirabis homes, 2
and give them 9 framing nKeV to result
IN aaditlon to removing rom The pJlSs cndren ths
stigma that attaches to any one brought up in Q
pauper institution. The Board will urge upon the
local CommissionerYt the prOpriety Of making the
change here indicated as early as possible. The
objection urged to the charge that the institu-
be obviated by sending each child to an instttu.
tiOn under the care OF the denomination to which
parentage is Unknown, may he averaged. "A'"'
DR.. Hoyt emphatically stated that psuperism
was positively hereditary. Once q person crosses
the threshold OF q pOOrhouSe or charitable asylum
there Is no further hope for that individual, un.
less the person Is very young. In this case lew
win be SUFFICIENT to bring him or her to sense OF
honorable living; but he (Dr. Hoyt) knew cases
love Of pauperism, were transferred from pare Mt
to child, down to the third generation. He also
knew cases where the Impoverished or INDECENT
husband had sent his wife and children INTO
poorhouses during the winter when ne found
ae could anS mot tsen sra s
came around he took them out again
and did his best for their sustenance during the
spring and summer seasons. All these irreguiari-
ties had TO be corrected, and 1t was for this pur-
pose that the committee were making their pres
In connection with these facts it was stated tnat
at meeting Of the Board OL MANAGERS OF the West
week ago. at which DR.. Hoyt also acted I'M in his
O1lcial position secretary, the question Of the
religious instruction Of the juvenile delnqueDts
cOnhned In that institution Came up for consider.
alton. question had been long before the Board
Involving the right OF Catholic ministers to visit
the House and AFFORD spiritual consolation to In
The Rochester managers applied to ex-Judge
Selden for an opinion on the subject matter This
eminent jurisI, after considering all the facts in
the case, which are similar to the existing state
OF things on Randa's Island, stated, substan ITALY,
persons the right TO worship God according TO the
dictates or their oonsclences and that all attempts
re ssss seS
or regulated worship contrary to the religion in
which they were educated, was . violation OF the
fundamental law. The managers Of the Rochester
Refuge accordingly decided tnat Catnolo and all
other ministers should have free access 10 the
duct religious exercises &c. Furthermore, that
CathoAc children should not be forced to
% Conducted T By Methodist cnapian and tiIes that no
obstacles should be placed in the way OF the
administration OF sacraments, the visiting OF the
young in Christian doctrine. with this action
on the part OF the managers Of the Western House
Charity Commissioners viii, no doubt recognize
some grounds for introducing reform in this re.
spect In the House Of Refuge on Randalls Island.
1t tS the object OF the present Board Of State
Charity Commissioners to see to the correction OF
all snch abuses as have been here mentioned ire
purpose they Will visit, during the coming week,
all the New York and Brooklyn (Kings county In.
@ n TINS nne aS 9rHcs @ they VIII
during the day IN the visitation Of the Brooklyn
Institutions