Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1847-06-10

and more than enough, to think they would act, and
act wisely, vigorously, and promptly, in a matter Of
such magnitude and Immediately concerning tleiI
Interests as men and as citizens Of great common
wealth OF which they the Representatives. Lei
members do their duty in response to the call Of then
Legislature and wisely provide for the steps in thai
important movement, not fearing but that the nex
Legislature will be thankful for the efficient counsel
OF this Convention, and VIII act directly upon the
studied plan and well founded suggestions afforded
them. Give them the material, and they will furnish
the finished instrument Present 20 them the subject
matter, and leave to their care the details and the
Preliminaries.
Rev. Mr.. AlIES thought that in Indiana, as it had
been done before in Pennsylvania, the subject should
first be submitted TO the people, and approved by them
before II passed the sanction and obligation of law.
Members Of the Convention could not fully appreciate
the feelings Of the people; they well ac-
quained with their views Of the matter, most of
them being somewhat removed from The great mass,
were not presumed to enjoy all their sympathies
Even should IL fail to become law before the people
when submitted TO them In their primary capacity, it
would not be without the special merits Of the law be-
ing fully examined-a general interest awakened upon
the subject-the sympathies of the community fully
excited IN behalf Of popul lar education, and thus
would be produced great and permanent good TO the
cause. and the popular mind be prepared for a more
magnificent plan than dare yet hope for.
DR.. COWGlLL, Of Putnam county, promised his
principles IN their most extended forms. He was
not UtOplan, but practical republican He had
unlimited confidence in the capacity Of the people for
self-government. That they fully competent to
determine all questions pertaining TO their gov
ernment and consequently whatever involved the
public interest should be submitted to their considera
ton and control Ii to attend any
prise correct feeling must pervade the people
There must be a spirit of confidence and action
infused into them, strong current formed in its
favor. Miss Martineau, in her account of the man.
ners and customs of our country, had said of the
people of the United States, that whatever they
undertake. whether love or war; they always commence
with a speech. If success attends even an educa-
Ional enterprise, it must be discussed and agitated
before the people. Lectures should be given in every
county, and every district. The people must have
brought before them and made fully acquainted with
Its operations 1t would be hazardous to refuse
reference of the subject to the people, they
Jealous and tenacious of their rights, and were
willing that any should tamper with what peculiarly
belongs to them The people always suspicious
and dlstrusttu when taxes are required to support
any scheme. Ii had heretofore been sufficient to
defeat every enterprise that had appeared before the
people with taxes emblazoned upon It's front. The
people too must fully understand the plan before it
will receive their approval. They must know from
whence it emanated who devised it, and its probable
consequences for fear it should prove be the scheme
OF some sect to extend their influence and power.
In his efforts to promote common school education in
has county he had been repeatedly charged and at
tackled emlssary of particular sect. Those who
undertake the advocacy of such plan the one
before the Convention must expect to encounter many
and strong Prejudices They wolld be assailed by
malicious misrepresentation and the honesty of their
disputed.
MIR. G. here related some of his own experience
He stated that at a meeting of number of the
friends of education in Putnam the county was appor
toned out among them for the purpose Of delivering
lectures the sub ect of education, visiting Schools
&c When he visited tie township allotted to him,
he every where met the unyielding and malignant
hostility of those who professed to be opposed to
union of Church and State. To counteract what
influence he might have, they affected to believe that
he was sent out secret agent of the church TO
which he belonged At all his appointments he had
hTst to reconcile the honest scruples of those that
misled and the false aspersions and defamatory
accusations of those actuated alQne by wickedness
and malice The low-lifed demagogue too would
crawl out from his covering to Pervert what said
to misconstrue all that done, and excite uncOn-
qucrable prejudices against the that advo
Gated merely to advance his mean, selfish, and
contemplate claims to popular favor.
He concluded by saying that public sentiment must
support Legislative enactments, otherwise a law on
the suble would be nuity. His preferences were,
he said for general and uniform system which will
embrace every intelligent being in the whole State
Mr.. BOLTON, Of Marion, in reply TO Mr. Cow
gill; remarked that he felt himself inadequate to the
task OF answering the gentleman who had just ad-
dressed the Convention. But from his knowledge Of
the history of legislation in Indiana, he would say,
that much time had been consumed and money ex-
pended, useeSsy in his opinion, subjects of local
or special legislation, and which the amendment of
DR.. Simpson revived and called upon this Convention
to endorse. 1t was TO this feature Of the amendment,
more particularly, that he objected The gentleman
who first moved for this Convention in the Legisla-
ture in this Hail. and who has been elected repeatedly
by constituency of politics different from himself,
has been for years bending the great powers of his
intellect to avoid special and local legislation, and
he believed the same sentiments entertained BY
the gentleman who first moved fof Common School
Convention in the other end of the Capitol. He
therefore hoped that this feature would not be retained
In the amendment. Indiana should be unit in
the great cause of common school education. He
believed she a unit in sentiment and feeling on
this great question. The gentleman said, that in his
efforts to advance the of education he had been
met by demagogues and gave graphic description
of one who had crossed him in his path. 1t was to
avoid the influence of such demagogues he admit
ted there in Putnam that this Convention was
called together. The members of our Legislature
are but men, and all men had more or less eve to
their individual popularity, and men, of enlarged
views teo might hesitate act in view of misrepre-
sentation or political defeat This Convention it was
supposed by the Legislature would have no such
things TO fear. He sorry to any here,
(Which he did not attribute TO the mover Of the
amendment,) disposed to dodge the question: out Of
fear from the demagogue. He had looked upon those
who composed this Convention, and had the opportu-
nifty of examining their names, and he asked, when
again would the Legislature have the opportunity of
being advised by those who felt greater interest In
the cause of education, felt greater regard for
the fame and glory of Indiana He was Of those