Excerpt from Speech of the Right Rev. Dr. Hughes: Delivered on the 16th, 17th and 21st Days of June, 1841, Being a Review and Refutation of the Remonstrance of the Public School Society, and the Argument of Hiram Ketchum, Esq., Their Counsel, Before a Committee of the Senate of the State of New York, Aga

It has been thought advisable, for the information of those not conversant with the history of the matter, to accompany the annexed Report of Bishop Hughes' lane speech at Carroll Hall, with a brief statement of the course which the agitation of the question of Common School Education in the city of New-York, has taken during the past eighteen months.

Differing from the rest of the state, the city of New-York, or rather, the Common Council of that city, to whom a discretionary power on the subject was given by the Legislature, has for more than fifteen years past confided to a private corporation, styled "The Public School Society of New-York, " almost the entire charge and business of Common School education, together with the management, disposition, and control of the public fund raised by taxation and otherwise for that purpose.

Much dissatisfaction had been felt with the system and the exclusive privileges of this society, especially among that portion of the community professing the Catholic faith, whose religious feelings and conscientious convictions were, not only not regarded, but violated, in so serious a manner by the teachings, and the irreligious or adverse influences brought to bear on the minds of the pupils, that they, almost without exception, withheld their children from the schools of the Society. In these circumstances they established such free schools for the education of their children, as their limited means enabled them to provide, and they repeatedly petitioned the Common Council of the city, that a portion of the School Fund should be appropriated to the support of those schools, under such regulations as the Council might prescribe. The prayer of the petitioners was, however, invariably denied. But the petitioners still persevered. - Numerous and crowded public meetings were held on this subject in the city of New-York, during the past year, by those who were aggrieved, and who were interested in promoting the cause of universal education. A determined spirit was manifested by all to effect a reform, and break down the monopoly, which secured the management of this most important interest of education in the hands of an irresponsible few. A petition for relief was again presented to the Common Council by the Catholics, and they prayed to be heard in its support before the Board, by counsel, or otherwise. The Public School Society remonstrated, and prayed to be heard in opposition.

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