New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-02-10

during the preceding year, WINE tue SCHOOLS hai
beep kept open during an average period Of eight
months We'll might the philan,hropist point
with admiration 20 a system productive OF such
results and the skeptc In the science OF free GO
vernment Danish his doubts in view OF such uni
yersal difl0sio of knowledge.
Notwithstanding these grand results, the sys
ten wes not perfect. Aifstal defect was inherent
therein, which if foreseen had not been deemea
of sufficient importance 10 excite attention, -
large and gradually increasing number Oh Sli... me;
In the State, were without any kind OF Snuo ~"
Whatever and though the school noeso I" a.
open and teachers ready to lmPa5s JUS .ruo..ou'
they entered not 70 receive u. Inc oUsS 1850. -
sn1srert tbev were the children oil poverty
and their nsre1,s with the inborn pride oil iree-
dom could not brook the favor OF an exemption
from the rate bill, though sUch eqemptoh couiotOe
had II would naturally be supposed tina. this
cause could have bat a limited operation in de-
terring children from the school, but facts prove
otherwise. From reports made TO the State So
periutendent IN ls46, the startling discovery was
made that over 10000 children were deprived OF
the advantages Of education, either through the
remissness Of the Trustees Of School Districts
in exempting them from the rate bill, or from the
pride Of the parents in refusing 70 claim such eX
emption.
IL is mmateral to inquire if such pride was
Unsuitable Ii is sufficient 70 know that the evil
existed and it behOoved the friends oil education
and the friends Of free government 10 devise some
aDPpdV
suffrage was ar iversal, that education should be
free system Of Free Schools had already been
established in many of the cities and large towns
of the State where the evil had become wide
spread, and the time seemed suspicious for the
extension of the system over the whole state
Petitions to that effect were presented to the
Legislature of l849 and in accordance Herewith
an act was passed March 90 ls49, establishing
" Free Schools throughout the State AS this
act would effect a radical change in the school
system of the State, it was deemed proper by che
Legislature to submit IL TO the people Tor their
consideration. The act was sanctioned AZ the en-
suing election by majority of over $4,000 votes
but three counties in the State, ChenGngo, Tomp-
kins and OtsegO, having cast a ma Orty against
it, To say that the deed was rash'y done, that
the people acted without due reflection, Is libel
on the intelligence and virtue of the peoples
libel on the great principle of free government.
More than seven months bad elapsed since the
passage Of the act and it's main feetUre-the Free
School principe-had been discussed in every
quarter Of the State at county and town assem-
blages, in village gatherings, and at roadside inns
1t had been the theme of conversation in the
houses of the rich and in the homes of the poor.
The learned had commended it in their ardent de-
sire for the diffusion of knowledge and the IN
learned looked to its adoption for their childrens
release from the bondage of ignorance.
The conviction is irresistby forced upon the
minds of your Committee, that the principle Of
the " Free School bill was the main feature
sidered, and that it was sanctioned by the people
upon mature deberaton. The practical opera.
tion of the act was matter that could be tested
only by time. brief period sufiiced to show
that the act was defective IN its details. In less
than four months after it's adoption the Legisla
ture was flooded by petitions for the repeal or
amendment of the law. Action, early action was
needed, for discord and confusion bad crept into
the school districts throughout the State, and ami
mosities were being engendered among all classes
of he IN
upon the cause OF education. Yet its friends,
though disheartened, did not despair The ex-
pertinent of free education had been tried and its
partial failure was attributable to causes easily
obviated But the remedy was not applied. The
people urged action upon their representatives,
yet action was delayed, until, at the close of the
session of 1850, it was resolved 10 submit the
question again to the people, to decide either
for or against the repeal of the act" The wis
dom and policy of this resolution it is not the
province of your Committee to question. They
may be pardoned, however, for expressing the
opinion that it afforded the opponents of the Free
School system opportunity to destroy the prin-
cple, through the agency of the obnoxious details
that accompanied it, while the advocates of the
principle were obliged to oppose the act to re-
move those obnoxious details or throw their inlu-
ence in its favor and trust 10 the wisdom and JUS
tice of succeeding Legislature to adopt such
amendments as would render 1t perfect. The
latter alternative was adopted, and already they
are applying to this House for the remedy.
At the annual election of 1850, the Free School
Act was second time sustained by a popular
majority Of over $4,000 votes, although at this
election a msjority of the counties Of the State
81 in number-voted forrepea in majorities vary
ing from so to $500. Notwithstanding this sPpa.
rently great opposition, it is the deliberate con
viction entertained by the majority of your Com
mttee, that the large vote cast in those counties
against the act did not proceed from an opposition
20 ha Sol inrip butxx g Cau cd ~
obnoxious and defective details OF the act. This
conviction is founded upon the representations
made TO your Committee by Members OF this
House from various sections OF the State, and
who, coming directly as the representatives from
the people, are, it is TO be presumed, informed as
II has been urged, srith much pertinacitv BY
some of your petitioners, that the City of New
York had preponderating influence upon the
question; that her majority of more than $4,000
votes in favor of the act fastened the system upon
the State and that as she had an educational
system Of her own, separate and distinct from the
State at large, she was not equitably entitled to
vote upon the question. The plausbilty of this
objection is conceded but, in the opinion of ma
jority of your Committee, its ground is wholly
untenable. If IL can be shown that the City of
New.York is separate in interest and policy, and
is in no way dependent on or advantageous to
the other sections of the State, then might some
weight be attached to the objection.
But such is not the case New York is the
heart of the State, receiving aud giving back
wealth to every portion thereof. Her greatness
as the commercial emporium Of the Union is re-
fected upon every part of the State. But for her
agency the abundant haryests of the farmer might
rot in his fields but for the industry and thrift of
the farmer the city might fall from her greatness.
The interests Of both are homogeneous. What.
ever conduces to the prosperity and glory Of the
one, appertains in proportionste degree to the
other II it is admitted, land who in this State
will deny the assertion y that republican form
of government is the best adapted to the hAppi-
ness Of the people, and most conducive to their
prosperity, the question then recurs az to the
best method to continue that government 1t will
DC conceded by every one, that the perpetuity OF