The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1852-03-03
State Superintendent of Common Schools.

State Superintendent Of Common Schools.
1t will be recollecIed that, at the cons
mencement Of tie late session of the Gen.
eral Assembly, "a bill was introduced inio The
House by Mr. Bradley Barlow, Of Fairfield,
for the repeal OF the Act which authorizes
the election Of State Superintendent of
Common Schools. This BILL we believe,
was referred 10 the General Committee,
which Committee oughtto be styled The
Committee for the promotion of barbarism,) }
who did not make rrport on it, until near
The close Of the session. The bill iniro-
duced by Mr. Barlow was all stricken out
by the Committee, except the title, and
new one supplied by the Committee. Mr.
r ose, Of Waltham, reported the bill from
the Committee, and TO him, or some other
one Df the Committee belongs the credit of
the report, The following is an exact copy
of the Report that was made to the House
by Mr. Rose -
"SEc. l. So mulch of an act Approved
november 5th lS45 as Relates TO The ap,
pointment and Duiys of State Superinend-
ent of Common Schools lie hereby Repeal>
ed.
SEc. 2. So much Of an act Approved
November 12 ls49 as Relates 10 the Dulys
and compensation Of the State Superln-
tendant Of the Common Schools and the
third Section Of said act is hereby Re-
pealed.'
We notice in a laie number of the Au-
rora Of the Valley. a paper published at
Newbury, an attempt 10 castigate Mr. Bar
low for beng the author of Inc above bill.
The writer in the aurora finds fault with
the Autobiography" o. the bill, and speaks
in no gentle iefms of Mr. Barlow.
Every one, who is acquainted with this
gentlemen, knows that he is mol The dolt
and ignoramous that composed the above
bill. lie may he opposed to the existence
Of The Surcrntendenl's Office but he is not
such a deadly enemy 10 the Queens Eng
lisb. Ii is, however, matter of regret
that one who knows SO well The benefit of
Common Schools, should see fit to favor
the repeal of these laws which show wish
and encourage efforts, for the improve
ment Of the schools.
This bill passed the House, but was
wisely defeated in the Senate. Some Ia'e
paper published in This stale says. that the
Assembly did not refuse, but neglected 10
appoint Il Superintendent. This is mis-.
take after the return OF The bill from the
Senate, the House again and again refused
TO 90 into joint assembly for The election Of
this officer. They failed 10 elect SUPER
intendent by wilful design, and knew iull
well that they were violating an express
statute which commands The assembly 10
elect such funclonary. The Assembly
enacted laws establishing n system of su>
perintendency of Common Schools. Each
town is ordered TO elect town Superin-
iendeni. The Assembly made Itself the
executive of the law by which State Su-
periniendenr is appointed and in refusing
TO elect, the Lawmakers openly and know
ingly became the viola,ors Of their own
laws, and like all who sanction their acts by
an appeal 10 n" higher law they choose
10 crafty their own whims or prejudices,
rather than 10 obey the Law. Would the
Assembly uphold the Governor of the State
in refusing 10 fulfil his executive Office 1t
is equally in violation OF oath, and of duty,
for the Assembly TO refuse TO obey these
laws making them the executive,as it is for
the Governor. the chief xecnlve.
When the Assembly gave notice TO the
Gov. that they had performed the business
of the session, and asked TO know of him il
he had any further communication 10 make
to the Legislature, it became the duty,
knowing that no SUPERINTENDENT had been
elected, aud knowing also that il was not
in his power TO appoint one, 10 inform the
Legislature ol the omission. But he gave
no such notice. The refusal of The Assem-.
bly, 10 appoint Superintendent was, 10 say
the least, very discreditab;e to that body.
II the Office of Superintendent is unneces>
sary, then abolish il. But so long as the
law is in force the duty of the Assembly
was plain, Ind they could no more violate
it, than they, could violate any other law,
and still act up to their sworn obligations.
ST. Adams Mess.