Daily Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1854-1855, 1854-12-14

zens, il becomes my duty, under the toitstl'
tuition, to call your attention to sneh sub
iccts as believe demand your coaa;defa-
ticn.
i No one, how ever connected with legisla.
ton can too highly estimate the RESPONSE.
bilities of his position. He canuot fee
too deeply the delicacy of his labors, ane
/ his ignorance Of the complicated structure
and conflicting interests OF society, over
which he lie called to exercise control. Te
/ legisla,e is the noblsst EN- ploymcntin which
he can be engaged, and the most difficult Of
satisfactory execution.
/ h is so everywhere, but it is peculiarly
so in a new and growing State, where the
population is drawn from all parts OF the
civilized globe, where public policy and pub
lie institutions are just being established
and where different portions OF the State
are in different conditions of progress and
DEVELOPMENT. 1t is difficult task to pro-
tect and advance the pioneer interests OF
our western settlements, and also encour-
age, and establish on substantial basis
the commercial and manufacturing interests
of the old counties. by general laws, that
shall operate equally and benelicialiy upon
all. 1t is not an easy matter TO lay strong
and deep the foundations of the educational
/ institutions Of new State, and torear there
on superstructures, that shall honor the
State and bless mankind. The duty of re-
storing reason to those who are berett OF 1t,
OF giving sight to the blind and hearing to
1 the deaf. by the establishment and proper
/ endowment of charitable institutions; OF
depressing evil OF Furnishing crime OF
stimulating industry: of protecting pubic
virtue and Of maintaining the integrity OF
the State sovereignty, cannot be1eXercIs-
ed without incurring grave resPons.blii-
| ties.
Government is established for the protec-
ton OF the governed. But that protection
does not consist merely in the enforcement
Of laws against injury to the person and
property Men do net make voluntary
abnegation OF their natural rights. simply
that those rights may be protected by the
body polite 1t reaches more vital inter-
ests than those of property. Its greatest
object is to elevate and ennoble the citizen.
II would fall far short Of its design if it did
not disseminate intelligence and build up
the moral energies Of the people. 1t is or
ganized ito establish justice, promote the
public welfare and secure the blessings OF
liberty" II is designed to foster the ms
tincts of truth, justice and philanthropy,
that are implanted in our very natures. and
from which all constitutions and all laws
derive t heir validity and value. 1t should
afford mental as well as physical protection,
By educsting the rising generation; By en-
couraging industry and sobriety: by stead
tasty adhering to the right and by being
ever trne to the instinct of freedom and hu-
mainly.
To accomplish these high aims Of govern
ment. the frs. requisite is ample provision
for the education of the youth of the State.
The common school fund Of the State should
be scrupulously preserved, and more eff
Gent system OF common schools than we
now have should be adopted. The State
should see to it that the elements If educa-
ton, like the elements of universal nature,
are above, around, and beneath all.
1t is agreed that the safety ard perpetu-
~ of our republican institutions depend
upon the diffusion of intelligence among the
masses Of the people. The statistics OF the
penitentia.es and aims houses throughout
the country, abundantly show, that educa-
ton is the best preventive of pauperism and
crime. They sho n, also, that the proven
ton of those evils is much less expensive
than the punishment of the one, and the
relief Of the other. Education, too, is the
great equalizer Of human conditions. II
places the poor on an equality with the rich
Itsubjects the appetites and passions of the
rich TO the restraints OF reason and con-
science, and thus prepares each for a career
Of usefulness and honor. Every considcra-
ton, therefore, of duty and policy, iinpels
us to sustain the common schools Of the
State in the highest possible efficiency.
| am convinced that the public schools
should be supported by taxation of property.
and that the present rate system should be
abolished. Under the present system of a
per capita tax upon the scholars, the children
of the poor are in measure excluded from
the benefit of the schools. whilst the chill
dren OF the opulent are withdrawn from them
to be educated in private institutions.
Property is the only legitimate subject Of
taxation. 1t has its duties, as well as its
rights It needs the conservative infu-
ences Of education, and should be made TO
paw for its own protection.
| suggest the propritty of establishing in
each school district in the State, a district
school library. | believe that an act ap-
proprating to each district small sum Of
money for this purpose, provided the district
would appropriate an equal amount, would
be received by the people with the highest
satisfaction. 1t would establish in each dis
trict complying with the provisions of the
act, a nucleus, around which in few wears
would be gathered respectable libraries that
would be accessible to all. These libraries
would be great aids in the diffusion of gener-
al intelligence.
am not informed Of the amount or con-
dition of the University fund of the State
II is known, however. that munifcent
grant ofland was made by Congress for the
es Establishment of a seminary Of learning;