The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1850-07-24
From The AshriRs Messenger.
Common Schools.

We commend 10 Our readers inc pa'fiotic
remarks Of Gov. Manly upon the above sub.
iect, in his speech 10 the late Wing State
Convention. There is moi q man 10 The
whole west, Of whatever politics, who does
not heartily concur with him. He says TAG
public fund is altogether "inad'qaafe to the
rant. of our people" Every body admits
that. How is il to be augmented! why,
If no better plan can be devised, We say by
laying moderate lax upon the people, and
compelling them to educate their Children, at
least TO a limi ed extent. The law for com
pelling parents to contribute to the education
of their children 10 attend some school, for q
limited time, is fundamcn,ul law of political
economy. Society has right 10 detend II.
self against crime e-again,t murder and hei',
and has also an equal right 10 defend Itself
apains, the great cause Of crime, which is
debased ignorance. If it be pro, er to tax
the people, and compel them to build ] iils,
stocks and penifentiarifs, to punish men tor
crime, il is equally proper 10 tax them and
make them build school houses TO elevate
men above the committing of crime. If We
have right to force man into prison and
whip him because he is a thief, we have the
same right to foice him while boy, into a
school house TO prevent him from becoming
thief. In tie name Of humanity we ask, II
We have rgh; to hang and take away te
have We no right TO educate and save life
DISTRIBUTION OF THE SCHOOL FUND
Tho rule of distribution, or the law by
which the public fund is divided among ,h'
counties is idiou. and unjust, and ought AM
must be changed. Ia the year 1928, whe
the fret act was passed to create fund TO
the establishment Of common schools, II wa
expressly provided and enacted that "wher
ever in the opinion of the Legislature, th
said fund shall have accumulated sufficiently
the proceeds thereof, shall be divided anon
the several couaties, in proportion TO the ire
uhite population of each" See Is, vo
Rev. Stat. Chap. 66, Sec. A, page 319. Ye
,, when the time arrived for the contemplate
division. the fluid was distributed, not in pro
: portion to uhife population, Ou, in proporio
! to Federal numbers; thus giving COUNT
. where there are but few white children ar
many slaves large portion, and 10 countl'
having a large white population and fe
; slaves, small proportions. 7his rds mroat
Besides its being a paIpable violation Of tt
! Legislative pledge, made by the represenl'
:, lives of the people, and aoqniesced IN f'
y years, the laws is unequal aud unjust. III
: fund was raised and set apart, not for the e'
y ucalion Of negroes bot of uhits children.
-" should be sent into the count es therefore,
p" proportion 10 the number Of White chl!drt
TO be educated.
p A large portion of the school fund, we
'e aware, was derived from an investment
4 the money which this Stale received fro
j the General Government, as her share
'' proceeds of the sales of The public lands, al
~ as the distribution by Congress OF thai iun
!" was made among the States accordlHg 10 Il
Federal population, the advocates of The pr
! sent system insisted that this fund should
y distributed among ourselves upon the saT
" basis. But the argument Is laiacious.
" distribution Of the public lands WIS ma
y, among the States in proportion to the nul
" =, ber Of members in the House of Represen'
!" ,iycs from each State, which number Is hx
~ ON the basis of Federal population, that
o' white poople and three fiilhs Of the saS
TO- added but North Carolina when she recelv
an ~. here share, could apply i, to any public p'
nv pose she saw fit, as in works OF lner'
q, improvements, or otherwise. Having de
"a ded 10 add it to The Literary fund, she Y
bound to distribute the proceeds among
cb,ld,ea equally, according to the Leg'slat
pledge of 1925. Yet the Legislature
NJ ls4O, decided otherwise, and ordered
he distribution TO he made. according to prop
IN. ty and Federal population ! The law sho
ral be changed SO as to apply the money WI
,ei it is needed, and 10 give equality, tqhGi
exact Justice TO all.
f.. We are by no means done With tbs
,ar impor,an, subject. We wish not TO lo'
,s, but reason with our fg.ends about our re
H. in the west.
aud ---
- FIRE AND WATER.