Year: 1867

In our columns this morning we present a
very curious and interesting statistical ac-
count Of. some Of the expenditures of the
State and city Of New York for the support Of
sectarian institutions. This little peper should
startle our taxpayers, who, it appears, have
been bled, since 1850, over two millions Of
dollars. Protestant and Catholic alike have
shared in the spols Of this sectarian warfare
against the pockets Of the community.


The appropriation Of such immense amounts
to sectarian purposes is in direct opposition 10
he spirit Of our institutions, and should at
once be cut short. If the republicsnism exist
ing in our people is not sufficient to control
this evil, then let clause DO inserted in the
constitution of the State forbidding any such
expenditure OF the public funds. Let each
sect take care of itself, and not fatten upon US
who have no interest In selecting any one reli-
gion for especial favor. The whole tendency
is towards the greatest evil that can bcfall
people-lhe Union of Church and State. When
we, In the fundamental law of the land, pro-
claimed freedom Of religious worship, we never
intended that persons Of every creed should be
bled for the support Of any exclusive institu-
tion. 1t Is enough that the great religious
domains existing throughout this city have
their taxes yearly remitted, thus throwing upon
the whole mass Of the public the burden Of .
taxation which all property should bear
equally; for when property, for any purpose.
has not in itself sufficient value to contribute
its share to the general expenditures, then it
becomes q curse to the public, and as such
should be thrown int, channels that will make
| it public benefit. Such, indeed, are the great
| Protestant and Catholic Church estates which
are growing up around US, and to the extent
| Of hundreds Of millions Of dollars, throwing
] landed properly into mortmain and opposing
the progress Of the republic. Priest-ridden
Mexico has been taught to insert in her consIi-
tuition that no religious society shall possess


more real estate than Ia absolutely required for


purposes Of worship II our legislators keep


on with their Wholesale appropriations II will


soon be found necessary to adopt the sam law.


The effect Of the donations Of which We CON-


plain Is, moreover. TO raise up enormous mono


poles which, banding under single manage


ment many millions Of dollars, At length lose


all the really religious elements for which


Christian societies are originally established,


and they then go into the markets as vaat


moncyed corporations. doing regular bank


ing ard real estate business. With wealth


they pile Up the corruptions incident to il


with the cosruptions come political aspirations,


and with these come a forgefu'nsss Of he orig


inal principles Of Chris.iaSiiy aud the desire to


link Church asd sEsts, that tht. may dominate
in secular matters rs well as spiritual Thus the
rJilgous orders lay aside all their high


morality. become seized Of the uncomfortable


desire to force their political creeds into the


government Of the State, and dictate to the


community what road they must lake ,c


Heaven This desire appears to increase in a


gcomctrical ratio, with the accumulation Of ths


means to crafty it and in MORE than one O


our Churches the effort is being boldly shaped


and boldly pyesShed, that It is necessary to


have Sate Church. II matters moi wha


creed may possess the power all are alike


domnecring in its exercise, aud all equally to


be feared, II once the power be placed in
their hands for VIC well know by the history


OF the world that religious fanaticism is the
! Huvot rnCcpHb dnu tfuNuiuk W al iuc


passions, and the one which. up to the present


time, has rocked the world in hundreds Of
years Of warfare. 1t il time We took in hand
these great fabrics which appear 10 estimate


their morality by the number Of their dollars


no more Of the wealth OF our overtaxed


people should 60 to swell their pride and, by


its weight, crush all moral precepl Let Us


have the very ancient Christian principle put


in practice, Of the rich giving TO the poor


instead Of the modern habit Of the poor giving
to the rich.


We attack no moral principles, but the per
, version OF the high religious maxims whicl
our Saviour gave to us as guide while OF
earth. He never intended that the Ten Com
, mandmsut should serve ~ o code OF bsnkin'