Litchfield enquirer., 1850-05-09


burtIIens Of laxalIOn, would IN time n'op'r-
t,o,,abl, Iesser the amount Of the tax-7OF 81
An events obyiatR the necessity LOT an increas-
ed tate. The subject will, ! haye no doubt,
receive from you the attention winch u 30
truly deserves. 80
The report of the Quarter Master General
will shows you the expenses ii that depart
ment during the year. The ordinary exlehs-
SEES, embracing the salaries OF the Armoref
and the Quarter Master GRnerai. amount 10
S62s 50. The extra expenses Ol the ONCE
IucIudlug cost OF retuiEing old arms, repairing
and Transportation Of camp equiPsge, 1918 10
repairing aud cleaning aims, winch have
been returned 10 the arsenal, s.s per res luton
Of the General Assembly, 500, making to-
tai expenditure for The past year Of 81 SIS vi,
all of which, together with other mati6iS re-
ferred 10 IA the Tepor! OF the q, IA. General
you viii. have before you tor consideration.
The capital of the School Fund, at the
time Of taking the last invent3Iy, September,
Is49, amounted to the SUN of 81, 076 602 IS,
VIZ: loaned to the State. Ss5S,2l2 AZ debts
ayails. individuals in Connecticut and other
States, 81 .554. 25l, As; in bank stock, Airs
IN Is banks, 1929, 500; cash in treasury and
hands OF agents, SSls ,492 9S; amount IN Gull
tivaied lands aud buildings, $s66,7 % and IN
wild lands, $s49,l2 SO, amounting IN all to
the above sum Of Ss2 ,076, 602 rs.
During the past year, the income from the
School Fund, amonpti1g to $l3GJ05O, has
been distributed among the 1858 school dis
tricts in the STATE. the number Of CHILDREN
remaining under the enumeration # August,
after deduciing 600 on account Of Schools not
kept according TO law, 10 9O,70Q, making the
dividend 81 so on each child enumerated.
The number Of children returned at the last
enumeration. in August lS49. shows an liz
crease over the previous year Of ,7S0.
The Gre alton Of the School Fund is one
of the most gratifying facts in our political
history. The lie ding idea Of the system
is too striking TO be overlooked. No society
can have a firm basis, and no State that
pnjon of freedom with knowledge which
constitutes The best security against the ex-
lremes Of anarchy and oppression, without
the powerful support of general system Of
education.
With the growth of this Fund, system
of common school education has sprung up
AMI spread itself oyer the Stale. For a
long time, koweYer,il may be said that the
system languished on account OF the TOO
great reliance ON the Fund, which had the
effect IL relax individual exei tons.
The present coDdilipn OF our schools at
once the boast and blessing Of the Stale: will
be laid before you in the report Of the SV-
pcrinlendant-a gentleman who has deyoled
bis time and talent 10 this great subject for
many years. Though labor ing often under
the most discouraging circumstances, he
has steadily pursued the lofty purpose which
he has had in view, with an industry and
rpr % OF NO VuhS.sh nnthinU short 0f
founded faith in the justice of the cause
could have inspired. From his report, It
will be seen that while schools in cUnnec-
lion with other institutions OF learning, are
making education the common property Of
every child in our midst, there is still left
room in our system OF public instruction TO
carry out and enlarge what our fathers so
admirably begun. The suggestions of the
Superintendent are many Uflhem worthy Ut
the attention of the Legislature.
The report Of the Trustees OF the State
Normal School will sh Nv the progress
which has been made in locating and or
gaulzine this new institution. To the
credit Of the enterprising village of New
Britain, it should be mentioned that the
citizens of that society have placed the sum
q
OF The State, IN buildings, apparatus and
library. fer the use OF the Normal School
The object Of this School you have had be-
fore You at previous session. Coming
Immediately from the people, in whose
primary assemblies the subjecl Cfour schools
is so utten discussed. you will he allie 10
determine whether anything remains to be
done in fnrtherance Of the great cause OF
public instruction, which has so often COM
manded the attention OF the Legislature.
The militia system comments itself 10
the patriotism OF our fellow citizens. II
ascome downlO rs from period whe n II
was chiefly relied on for achieving the in
dependence Of thisscountry. The right of
the people 10 keep and tear arms, Is the
basis Of an Organization which should
never be abandoned whilst we have liberties
to watch oyer and project
10 our Slale lhe law of lS47 effected
great change in The old system Of organic.
alton. How far Il has answered The pur-
pose ofits creation, lam unable to stale
no reports of any kindfor statistics having
come into my hands TO warrunt any general
conclusions on the subjecl. Some grounds
of complaint have arisen in fegard 10 paw
Communication money and fines, which cali
for Legislative inquiry. Those who perform
military service, and those who do tot,
complain of the new systematic first that
they do not receive in full the per diem
sum allowed them in the law andF those
VINO are permitted to commute for military
service, that the law bears heavily upon
them. The law may, therefore, be consd d.
cred as still open 10 revision aud correction.
No efforts should be spared to place the
~ stem upon just and firm basis, so that
We may conlihQe to hand down TO the latest
generations The means Of defence and the
of our institutions.
The efforts which have been made to
sustain the system, under one form Of or.
gan;zalion and anOther,hy those upon whom
the burthens Of the system mainly falls, /
regard as an evidence of the patriotism
which is ready TO make any sacri6ces for
the common cause-a patriotism which
believe TO have been handed down through
our militia system in greater degree than
10 any other way.
The lamented Major General Francis
nuo No AoN~aeod e:r..o