Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1855-02-22
Appropriations to Academies,

House OF representatives upon Tue question OF
appropriation of the Public Lands to acade-
mics and sectarian schools. As the State is
in debt to the amount Of near million of dol
! lars, and the Lands are all we have to pay,
without resorting to taxation, the question is
one in which the people cannot but feel deep
interest. The Legislature of 1850 passed a
resolve holding the lands for the specific pur-
pose Of paying the State debt. But that has
been rescinded. and the Senate has already
appropriated schole township, worth some
SIS, 900, to Kents Hill Seminary.
During the House debate upon the resolve
in favor of the Maine State Seminary, Mr..
Hill, of Bangor, coalition leader, but who
cannot stomach the despoiling of the state,
said =
This was not the first time that appropria-
tions from the public lands were asked in be-
half of literary institutions. Some twenty
academies petitioned last year, and all made
out good case But the legislature refused
to aid them, and the refusal sienced them SO
that we had heard again from but few of them
The inference from this fact was, that their
wants were Fictitious. Mr.. H. opposed this
endowment particularly, because it was asked
for in behalf of religious denomination as
such. In his judgment the constitution set
its face against legislative favors to religious
denominations. Its language was, that &c no
subordination nor preference of any one sect
or denomination TO another, shall ever be es-
tablished by law To endow religious de-
nomination was to establish preference for the
same; he. should for this reason vote against
the bill. If we were to extend aid to any re-
ligious denomination, he would as soon favor
this as any, for he liked the people. Thirty
years ago, when he began to lecture for the
suppression of intemperance, the members Of
this determination were the foremost to lend
him helping hand and their influence had
always been on the side of temperance, re-
form and good morals. But suppose it were
a Roman Catholic denomination that asked
this endowment would man here vote for
itl Not one. And yet it was practicable to
get up petitions for it as numerous and re-
spectacle as these. Pass this bill, and the
next thing will be to call for division of school
money.
Mr.. H. denied that any popular expression
existed in.favor of this bill, except what grew
out of the log rolling connected with it. The
petitions purported 10 come from the people,
but reading would show that they all origi-
mated from one centre, from which they were
sent out for signatures. That centre was
state convention of the Free Will Baptist de-
nomination, composed mainly of elergymen.
Now'clergymen were usually bad legislators
They were not in the habit of being contro-
verted they usually speak in an authoritative
and ex cathedra manner they were not used
to discussion; they generally meet no reply
Accustomed to have things all their own way,
they are but specifically educated in common
sense. Mr.. H. therefore expected little good
from their interference in matters of legisa-
tien. He believed that in exchanging off the
old custom house drive for one made Of clergy
men, the people had not made a very great
step in advance. He thought he saw behind
these applications for endowments of land, the
spectators in land, grown hungry by reason
of not having lately had an opportunity to dip
their hands into the land office. The law Of
1853 put them off from buying lands at less
than a fair price. 1t worked well. The
Massachusetts, lands were not bought to be
given away until paid for, at the least. Per
haps, indeed, the arrangements were all made
for carrying these projects though-perhaps
we were all sold to make fortunes for land
operators and easy places for literary loafers
But he would resist these schemes. MIR. I'll
took exceptions to various provisions of the
bill, that, particularly, which gave away land
equal 10 three half townships OF the best land
when the friends of the bill asked for three
half townships only.
Mr. Pike of Topsfeld, democrat, said il
there was any one subject more than another
on which the people of Maine felt a deep in,
:. rolatiya tbo ~,
disposing of the public lands.
thought at first, said Mr.. Pike, that Maine
acted wisely in purchasing the Massachusett:
luuds, but foar ,.,as naistaEon- 1t appear,
a large portion of our domain is to be squan
dered or given away before the St1te receive:
a sufficient sum of money from sales to liqui-
date the State debt.
was in hope, Mr., Speaker, the State had
friends enough in this Legislature to vote fol
her interest, but now, sir, have my fears.
| Coming events plainly cast their shadows
before. Church and State, it appears, Mr.
Speaker, have united al this Capitol, both in.
tent upon one point, to rob the public treasury
Petitions are pouring in from all directions
for aid for some society, school or organiza-
ton these petitioners really seem 10 think
this Legislature met here for no other purpose
than to give away the public lands.
Three half townships of land, Mr.. Speaker
are reported by the committee to aid the
Maine State Seminary; and although | have
great sympathy for the society under whose
auspices this school is TO be established yet
cannot allow my sympathy TO lead me astray
from the duty owe the State.
II this was the only petition asking aid Of
the State, even then | could not consent fol
the peoples property TO be taken for such a
4 purpose.
But, Mr. Speaker, this is not all. Petition
after petition is sent in here asking aid for
different purposes, and unless the Legislature
meets the question full in the face, and gives
these petitioners decided negative, there is
no end to giving away the public lands.
for one, am prepared to meet it, and vote
| against all these appropriations.
! believe the public lands can be appropri-
ated to better purpose than giving them tc
those institutions. | believe after the State
debt is paid, the proceeds of the public lands
had better be put into State school fund, the
interest of which should be expended annually
to aid the public schools.
A large portion of the people of this State
feel no interest in creating larger number o
those higher schools, or in bestowing land:
upon these already created they do not oper
ate equally upon the people. But, Mr.
Speaker, give US the common schools, al
feel or should feel deep interest in them
then let US sustain the foundation schools o
of our republican government, and let The