New-York tribune., 1883-03-15
FREEDOM OF WORSHIP.
MR.. JOHN JAY EXPOSES THE BILL NOW
PENDING.
| A MEASURE DESIGNED To SUBJECT THE STATE TO
| THE ROMAN HIERARCHY.

| THE ROMAN HIERARCHY.
| 10 the Rdttor or the Trf0une.
SIR: The bill now pending in the Legsla-
ture entitled can to secure foe inmates Of nsttu
tons for the care of the poor freedom Of worship.
aimed especially at the NewYork House Of Refuge, but
extending its provisions throughout the state ia virtually
the came bin which Governor Corn II vetoed in 1881.
II is perhaps s aims aud its methods the bpdest
attempt to subject the American State to the Roman
| Hierarchy that has yet been made 1t deserves
the instant attention OF people OF all parties
| and creeds who value American principles aud
| traditions OF civil aud religious freedom
The pretcnces and methods OF its supporters will recall
the remark of Dr. Brownson who exp rssed the views OF
the enlightened OF his faith when he said
that the fore which Roman Catholics bring with
them and perpetuate their foreign colony s uncahoc
and aDtagonistic 20 the American idea and has done
injury the American idea of civilization than the
Catholcity they also bring with them has done good
We wish to say" The Catholic Rertep. February
o. 1888, that there enough men interested In the
passage OF this the political damnaon
any any party that will not do us Justice We
have already marred the political future OF more than
bigot, advise all others to note the fact
Such language viii probably suggeat 10 the reader that
bill really intended TO secure freedom OF worship as
cherished Americans and declared In their cousttu-
tons would call forth and not the commenda
tions Of the Vatican, and that the present bill which
American legislators are be dragoOned into support
ing as a matter of justice Rome. aud by threats Of
political damnston must be in fact intended to destroy
| freedom OF worship aud not TO secure it,
The institution known the House Of Refuge is one
Of which New-Yorkers have been Justly proud for ts
admirable management, untainted by either fanatcism
or corruption From its foundation In the early part OF
century it's Managers embracing gOoo men OF varI-
| GUS ereeds-including the Roman CathOc-wae accom-
pshing great object Of the institution hal
fully observed the constitutional provision securing the
rights Of conscience that denomination found fsult
fri
they could by threats Of political damnaton. induce the
Legislature so to construe freedom Of worship as to
| allow them to enter at will our charitable
| institutions and subject the management and
| inmates 10 their control While keeping the
disc pine strictly their hands the managers open
the chapel 10 all denominations without discrimination,
welcoming their moral aud religious teachers at appro-
pirate times The sick and all other inmates at
tended by clergynen they desire but attempts
to proselytize the inmates and disparaging speech In
presence with respect to any church or creed are
prohibited So far therefore the introduction of bill
TO secure freedom of worship 10 imply that
the mana the House OF Refuge have violated their
constitutional duty IN this regard, such an
implication finds justification in the fact
The bill. should it become law. would nee
essarly change the non-sectarian character of the
instruction given in the institution and compel the in
structon OF the inmates according the tenets and
upon espOnsibty OF a variety Of sects leading TO
efforts at prOssytizing, strife and dssension The
conflict OF authority and teaching" said Governor Cor
nell "that would inevitably arise from the enactment of
this could only lead to injurious results alike
TO the inmates and the institution"
This view which applies also the other institutions
whcb bill would make places for proselytizng and
the battle ground Of religious controversy will commend
itself the judgment OF every liberal and enlightened
American Catholic who scouts the idea that devotion to
his faith must lake him submit to the will Of priest
oassively as corpse to the knife OF the surgeon to
cept clerical dctation in civil matters aud surrender
his constitutional rights and duties and his right or pr
vate Judgment and independent action. Abuse OF
course awaits all who Will not lend themselves TO the de-
sign OF subectng the civil the ecclesiastical author
ity Perhaps naturally enough, The Oathoie Reriec.
which threatens legislators who stand by the Constitu
ton with political dsmnstiOn." deDounces the Hon.
Charles p DAILY and Mr. Nathaniel Jarvis, the Catholic
managers OF House of Refuge precious pair OF
representatives"
Another objection presented by the counsel OF the
managers ia that the pretence Of the bill embodied in its
title that il to freedom Of worship is baseess
pretence and that the contrary Its aim 10 80 over
throw abolish the freedom guaranteed by the Con-
stitution Mark how all the minors in the various inst-
tutons embraced by the bhrsty, institutions for the
reformation Of ofjuvene delnqrens and then those for
the support of the poor the blind foundlngs orphans
and fallen women-are be deprived Of this right gusr
anteed 10 them by Constitution. The second section
directs the managers "to permit at reasonable hours
| the inmates thereof to be visited by clergymen
/
| their parents, belong; and the religious services
of such denominations TO be mad according to its rules
ard discipline and to afford all proper facilities for such
visits and services" Now apart from this interference
by the Legislature with the discipline OF the House OF
Refuge IN order to arrange the inmates IN seelarian
| with their rues and discipline, on what ground as
the managers aptv asked should the state interfere TO
force upon minor children supposed religious tenets
OF the very parents have by neglect or evil example
led them into lives Of crime f Ii is not easy 10 mag
ioe more monstrOus and wifu violation by the state
or the right OF each chid to exercise ms
of the state accept the teachings rules and discipline
OF particular denomination because bis parents had be
lopged 10 it, Were possible that this bill, under the
threat of political damnation could pass the Legss
ture and receive the signature OF Governor
which friends not really to believe; and were IL
still further possible, whcn 10 Ia not mat 10 snoud De
held Constitutional by tue courts. its consequences
wo1d extend beyond the institutions to wnc1 by its
terms Il is limited. IL the parents or chld VINO nave
LOST their rol Of him by conviction for crime
s dictate TO The sta e faith winch the state, by
It's agents shall Instruct him. If the State should In such
a case subject the ofsprins 10 the teaching rules and
discipline the faith which the errng parents be-
longed why may not the rignt to sucn dctafion be
claimed with equal reason oy parents whose ohldren
in prison for crime but III public schools Tor ner
educ alton And why may not the state be called upon
by the promoters C TINS Dill TO propagate tDe rehgoh Of
| the Vatican in our public schoolsi ,.,
The expression 10 thls BILL tine denomination to when
the parents belong" is reminder the late PoDe
Plus TX in letter to the Emperor William claimed as
| been baptized no matter by whom the ceremony had
been Performed and ths rule, could 1t be enforced IN
whose education the Jesu mir ht claim TO exercise con
troll No provision seems TO be made by the Di or me
nation and the another but the framers may
have Thought that IN they would folio" the
example Institution erred 10 by the mana
gers where sectarian teaching allowed ana Where
the uncasshed children were allotted IN turn 10 the
! rlyal ssctaries who claimed them. .
| The simple answer that the Roman Catholic HER
archy and tue clerical political force In Its interest
who are endeavOrng by whatever TO secure the
passage OF bill do believe IN the freedom OF WOr
shiD IL would unnecessary 10 quote au uor1ty on
So plaln a point but The Catholic Reuiep now pro
fesses deep devotion freedom Of Torsnlp and as
Father Hecker discussing the relations OF ms Cnurcn
| with the Republic. has deemed II expedeDt TO
declare that tine (ROman) Catholic Church mas
bafted her whole lifetime for those rights OF man and
that liberty Whcn confers the greatest glory on the
American Republic, II may nOt be amlgs TO quote some
more aut ortatve utterances: Take for instance the
Paua Enc, ecal of the POnf Plus TX in 1864 HIS