New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-01-17

crsson j. is unnecessary nov . reopen the grohads
upon which q vas adopted. or 70 ertrr sssu uceN
tie arguments which have 80 sfec,lslig erhpa-
afa Cd lis souncIess. the Legislature, II q ~
ssfstln soleulny and tGfn.ve.V Ia-0-ssr u, ~ =,
tee tasiS OF their enactment r law makfuk Hse-
~ apr opfi-icn ron the egsreslie property "a
'onc, The state. for The Maintenance aac sgoeJrt
! Vi Noun on Schools TINS Appropriation hG ever.
iloeTsi and enlightened = was, aai wJf.hs
: oi ne vast resources ard immense WeaS1 ~
ne STATE, proves inadequate 20 The flil aeon
,HlshLhsnt q the noble OBJECT in vie Ft1s eILca-
ton Of al the children Of the state, turil, ~
whole period ordinarily devoted IN et'i SC s. -
COMMON SchsOi IlS.Tu ZION. A lacJlsitsri1-e
ffsctou Of a mll upon each dollar ot.le ,gcys set
valuation - .c-l ....H PERSONAL e,-a-f Is al tht-Is
isqnIsre IN addition e. the provisions sife tty sis
- secure the lnesllmaoe benefit Oi Free s,lIos e
III coming time. TO every child o.. the sac. L.
We nc re utterly unworthy OF the eni glenea fore
Vnnl u ihe great majority OF our f-ilo sclrLeas 3,
sappost hat they ore no; prepared - make tals
slgnt additional sacrifice FOR the perm ,neat accom-
lsLn ut OF an OoJsc. OF sucn great Importance -
se iiestLt STATE tax - Ssn)tuO, amounting - ,.
&C Nirsr the valuation no iorce AZ the perD y. IFS
adoption 10 considerably more tnan q mill upon ict
f)har. Is insufficient. With tle All OF the annual
.eFenro Of the Common hoOi Id8i, t. provide
cr tie suppsri Of the schools Of tie state f3f Al
rage period exceeding SIX months durlg each
year. 4 Permanent MI tax Oh the exis'Ids va!ul-
ion, capable Of adjusting Itself from time to tineto
te A"Nuatlng valuation OF the property Of the
Stte, ard To the increasing VANS ., the schools,
ii, IN conjunction with the public funds already
applicable to thas obect, provide literally for the
tire year.
In opposition to these views, it NAV probably be
urged mat the action " the bsgslstureat It's last
session, providing for aan lal STATE tax OF $500 030
m addt 90 tothe annual revenue If she school Fund,
/ for the support OF Common Schools, and directing
that any deficiency ithis spect should be supplied
by rate hlll should under the circumstana es De
gdTded az hndl compromise bet the vie OF
the ireuCS and opponents OF An entirely Free school
system ina, Is lnexpe 'ient aud nIu4cOus again
to thro" open 10 legislative and popular discussion
SUBJECT uoon Vhich So considerable d diversity OF
feeling and II opinion j. known TO exist That ne
vey general acqulesceucc % the people n ;he pres
ent GlspOtii or o. the mater Is indicative Of their
satisfaction with The existing leE arI that
wise al tnlS ealy periot 10 disturb these arrange
meiis, 50 recently and with sucn grea. undn,MIW
acop ed, peClaly ~ the absence Of any eXper nee
OF Their practical UOrllrgs ard OF any general de-
msna ior her alteration or modIhcanon
These objections are uuquesu5 na5iy. entitled 10
great WEIGHT III the consideration " this sIo ecs
and. unless they can be ially overcome. the aeces
slty or expedlency oil the proposed Change must be
regarded as doubtful
OnueT tie peculiar circumstances attending Is
passage, the act Of the last session Wa uDq lestl)n
ably The best that could be obtained BY the friends Of
Free Schools. The only alternative presented was
afetmn 10 se system Ia force IN lSi1. and a virtual
a6anconment ot the principle for which the friends
Of Universal Education had 50 long struggled, and
which had 50 repeatedly and signaLy .nGmpAed. IL
Will 30 IeCO! locted that, although popular maOuv
OF more than % coo votes had been secured against
the repeal OF the Act Of 1872 f. of the 81 counties IN
the State had cast teiT votes n0mlnay IN favor OF
such repeal The representatives from those couu-
TIES constituting large ma only u OOin branches
OF the Legislature, while fully aware that the
popular expression OF their respective constit
uencies adverse t. the continuance of the Law
In question, was not 10 be Tegarde, IN opposition
to the frtpcYieo Fee Schools, felt lemsSves bound
by thar expression TO pursue miid course, between
the eLtlTe reectcn oi that principle, and ITS unlim
lted adoption Confident IN the ultl ite settlement
of the question Oh basis IN accOIl ance with the
dictates Of public sentiment, and re riag the IN
tnsic Justice and sogndGeSs OF the priA ;pe involved,
the friends Of Free Schools consented ID the atop-
tlon of the compyoms proposed, without the slight
est understanding on their part or As 1t IS believed
on the part OF those who favored and brought for
ward the amendment that 1t was - be permanent
disposition OF the subject. twas the other hand,
regarded certainly by the former as temporary ar
rangemeni merely.
If be conceded that the public sentiment has
unequlVOcay declared ltseit III favor OF the adOp-
ton OF the Free School pnnciple-and on this point
there cannot, III the judgment OF the unders gned,
be the sllehtes! room to doubL-theD any action OF
the Legislature, III eontraventiOn Of or falling short
OF that principle cannot justly be regarded AS mn Al
or conclusive However desirable It may be, undo,
ordinary circumstances, 10 avoid reagltatiGn OF
questions fairly settled by leg AlatIve action,
ana especially where those questions affect an IA
teIest OF such extent and importance as that unser
consideration, the viii OF the people, iarly aud
clearly expressed, entitled 10 be carried into
fun effect and If for any reason their representa-
tives nave failed to embody that will IN their iegis
lauon, there can be such binding efficacy a
compromise measure at variance IN any essential
respect with the declared verdict OF the popular
practicable period IN conformity with sucn ver-
dict. The act Of the last session clearly IN
contravention Of the popular Will, repeatedly
and distinctly expressed, 50 far as the provision 10
meeting any portion Of the expense Of instruction IN
our Common Schools, by ra,ebill, was concerned
and although after a long. animated and finally sue
cessful struggle at the baloboxes for the complete
recognition Of the Free School system, the people
were disposed, IN view of the manifold tt;ulhes
attendant upon the full emoodimeu. OF that prlnci-
pie by the Legislature, 10 rest satisfied with the lm
4 n. :
a. that period, be accomplished, II is manifest thai
their compulsory acqulescence In this respect can
net preclude them from insisting, at any subsequent
period, upon a complete and practical legislative
recognition of the right of ever child IN The state
to free admission to the Common Schools, during
the period IN which they may be open for instruc-
tion HuamInelIed By any pecuniary RESTRICTION,
however 81 CHIT
There is another consideration connected with
this subject which cannot fail 20 address itself with
great lOrce to the statesmen and legislators OF our
Slate. Either the Free School system III accord
with the popular will, Is not. Either the
principles upon which II Is based are IN conformity
with the dictates OF sound and enlightened public
policy or they at rreconclable variance with IT,
In erher there then should be no medium course
between the full recognition and adoption of the
system, and It's practical Incorpo ration az portion
OF institutions and Its rejection altogether, and
return to the system as 1t previously existed. IL
is utterly incompatible with all sound principles Of
leg,slatlon to declare III one breath that Common
Schools throughout the State shall De free 70 every
chic between the ages VI five and twenty one years,
ard IN another to provide for the compulsory impo
sltiOn Of rate-bN for the expenses OF such tuition
beyond period embracing portion only OF the or
binary term OF instruction. IL Is emlnenty unhOr-
thy OF the representatives Of the Empire State, thus
to hold the word Of promise 10 the ear, and break
II 70 the hope" Nearly two hundred and ti:y thou
sand OF the ciIizens and legal voIeis OF the safe
consliiutIIg a majority Of ore hundred and nIty
thousaI OF all the votes cast, declared IN 1872 lhelr
desire that the Common Schools OF the state should
be entirely free and not wlthsian1lng the obvious
AID universally conceded defects Of the iw enacted
with the view Of caTrying their wishes into ehect
they refused by majority OF more than twenty
thousand to sanction It's repeal lest they should even
seem 10 endanger the great principle they haa so
succe ssfuy yindcated and asserted. Having mus
repeatedly and deliberately placed themselves upon
The record in this respect they confled in their
REPRESENTATIVES TO remove all the Objectionable Yea
lures OF the law without affecting The vital prnc
pie at stake. Had 1t been their desire 70 restore