New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1845-01-08

To-, from the voluntary contributions of phi
lie citizens and of our incorporated villages
snd towns and their collection and application
sv;pce, in gratifying manner, the lively interest
taken by our people in the great cause oil educa-
t;on. Tie annual report OF the Regents OF the
ITnvorsi;v will place before you the condition OF
these Institutions for the past year.
The capitslof the unitcd States deposite fund
sSl,Ol4 $50 II, the proportion received by this
State of the surplus moneys IN the treasury OF
tho United States, deposited with tie state. for
safe Keeping by the act Of Congress OF ie55-
rms money was loaned by The State 10 The sew
oval counties, as the safest mode of investment,
,bs faith of the State being pledged for tue re-
,n,,, of the principal, without interest, whenever
,bs United States shall demand the repayment
If the same The interest has been approprial-
+, adalnost exclusively 10 the purpose OF education,
s;nglc thousand dollars per annum to the New
York Eve Intlrnary being, as believe, the only
exception.
The opinion IS entertained in some quarters
that loo LARGE proportion Of this fund has
been appropriated TO the use OF the colleges and
Academies of the State, and that Gn invld!ous
distinction is mace IN thei, favor as compared
with he appropriation 10 ste common schools.
This conclusion appears to icSt upon the Iact
said to be asccrtained, that The dividend per
scholar, from the public funds is greater 10 tncse
institutions tran 30 the common schools. | have
ntt ascertained how this fact may be, nor occs II
strike me as very satisfactory foundation icr the
conclusion if lt be Us stated. These institutions
are entitled 10 the public patronage and bounty so
far, $40 only so lar, IS HEY axe valuable and use
tul sayiIiafi.s III The great cause OF education
generally, and especially III supplying The common
schools with conpetenl and qualItiea teachers, and
a H. ~.
sustaining and tisvallug the STANDARD 81 Iosruc
lion in those schools. These, as it appears 20
me, sbou be the Great object OF legislative grants
tothem, aud the measure Of such grants. The
institutions must be sustained IN healthful and
Furnishing condition, or the accomplishment of
these objects cannot DC expected from them. They
must be supplied with competent teachers, or
they Cannot send forth those competent 10 teach.
TIE value OF useful and proper ciass.b1Ohs must
be known ana appreciated III them, gr theg can
not commend such books for Other schools. The
standard of education in them must be sound and
elevated or they vii moi contribute 10 maintain
such standard III The common schools. Their
heathuness, therefore, Or their need, In a pecu-
mary sense, would seem TO me TO be more safe
and more Just guide 20 the Legislature than any
rule OF distribution per scholar. The common
schools should never be suffered to laDguish for
the want of The means granted to these ins,i!u-
tons; nor should the colleges and academies be
permitted TO decline and suffer, that t5c means
which would sustain them may be granted 10
well supplied and heaithiui common schools.
Either extreme would be equally unwise, impoi-
tic ard hurtful. All are parts, and essential parts,
Of ono great and valuable and essential plan Of
education, and sickness in any branch must
soon be felt throughout tic whole systen. The
common schools are the principal and these insa
tutions are the auxiliaras, essential auxilaries,
and that legislation which shall preserve the most
equal and Uniform soundness and activity and
yieor, Throughout: the whole, will he The mos. 20.
lltic, the most wise, snd the most jus:
Having no information iii regard to tie con.
dton and wants Of thesc various institutions,
am unable to pronounce an opinion upon The pro-
pnety of the present appropriations from the rev.
cnues of this fund. / can only, therefore, re-
commend the rule have laid down upon this
subject for your consideration, being well con-
vinced that, if your examinations shall satisfy
you that these appropriations are IN conformity
with it. you will fad cause 10 charge them;
while, il you shall find any essential departure
from il, that you will make the changes which
the healthfu action CT our whole system OF cd
ucaticn shall seem to require.
By a law passed on the 10th day of April, 1888,
principal moneys of the United States Deposite
Funds paid were directed to be transmitted TO
the State Treasury and not re-oancd, that they
might be applied in eXtnguishmcnt OF the debt
standing against that fund, due to the canal lnnd
Payments of principal money have been made 10
an amount sufficient to cXilngush that debt, and
il is submitted for your consideration whether the
this law ought not TO be repealed and The author
ity OF the commissioners OF loans TO &c loan The
Of fbn I,nd liz
by the 2Stn section OF ,he act OF tic 4!h oil April
1887, b. thus restored. y is important that these
principal moneys be made constantly productive,
that the appropriations Of the revenue from them
10 the objects before named may be regularly uct
and no other mode of Investment appears TO me
to offer the sa.ic security with an equal rate ol
interest AS a mere financial question, there fore,
separate from the consideration OF accommod@-
ton to the inhabitants Of the respective counties,
l!appears 10 me that the authority to reioan these
moneys should be restored.
Our penitentiary system has been subject OF
primary solicitude and deep legislative Gaze, Tor
long series OF years In rs carly stages, next 10
the prevention and panlShmentoi crime, the beavy
burden upon the pucl,c treasury, aud TIE removal
OF that burden, by making the labor oi 'he con-
victs pay the expenses OF their punishment, was
the object most anXoasly sought. II was hhai!y
reached through radical caehScs III TIC oons'i "'
hon oil our prisors, and the Improvement IN PRISON
discipline which those changes rendered pract'-
cable entertain the impression that out State
was The frs, TO bring about the accomplishment
Of these great Improvements IN the construction
and police of prlsoas, and with then, The equally
important result Of MAKING them support them
sslyes Various acciteats, since that desirable
pom, was Il 81 reached such as the construction
Of new buildings, additions 10, AID Improvements
Of, the old, and It necessity or changing the labor
OF the convicts from employment TO which they
hadbec9me accustomed, Ia that which ihey wore
TO !ean, have created calls upon the treasury Tor
aia to support the slate prisons; but, as an oTdi-
nary RUE, when the labor of the convicls HIS
been directed 10 support alone, It is believed thai
1t has July me, that charge and, for soinc years,
1t has yic!ded very considerable surplus.
The reports made TO me by The inspectors Of