The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1856-04-16

is releraDle directly TO the neglect oil du-
ty on the part of our Legislature may
be doubted This mag be doubted but
is it douJtfni-a matter on which a
doubt can be reasonably entertained +?
The writer replies, without hesitation, in
tho negative, and promises to convince
every candid reader. who will carefully
examine his reasoning, of the correctness
of his position. Whatever may be cor
rectly affirmed, concerning the RESPONSE
bility Of the people, whom the Legisla
ture represents, the legislative authority
of Commonwealth is justly held respon-
sible for the character and condition Of
popular education within its jurisdiction.
1t is questionable, whether this remark,
as positive as it is admits Of exception
or qualification. 1t is true in its gen.
eral application, and in tho sequel, it
may be seen to be prominently true in
its application to the Legislature of Yer
mont.
The Legislature of this state, for the
last 62 years. has sa, and legislated IN.
der the following oath, administ cred BY
the presiding officer, at the opening of
each session, y0u io Solemnly saOcar,
that as members Of this assembly, you
aciH IN all things, conduct yourSeireS
aStaihful, honest representatives anil
guardians ofthe people, according to
tie test Of gour judgment and ab,li-
ties" The Legislature is not only the
representative but the guardian of the
people, 1t is under the solemn aud i'm
peiious obligation Of an oath, faithfully
and under standihgly to look aft er and pro.
vide whatever the best interests of the
people demand. This is their only and
exclusive Office They are elected by
the people for this purpose and for this
purpose alone No other business is
confded to them. Therefore to the dis
charge of the duties of thi, momentous
trust, they are to devote themselves with
assiduity patience. perseverance,, fidelity
and intelligence. They arc to ascertain
what the best good of the people requires
and to enact the requisite laws to secure
and augment that good. If previously
enacted laws are defective. they are to
be amended,if fundamentally objectiona-
ble,tncy are to be repealed and superseded
by enactmcnts wisely adapted to answer
the Intended design-promote in the
wiscst and most comprehensive manner,
the lest interests of the people. The
legislature, that fails to do all this, at
each session, aud especially during long
series of years. is justly chargeabc with
great delinquency in duty, and for the
consequences Of this delinquency, what
ever they may be, the Legislature is
justly held responsible. Nor can they
escape this responsibility, however fear
full it may be. by falling back upon the
ignorance, prejudice, caprice, or the sell
fish or party bias of constituency nor
by a plea of their own destitution of
competency, or Of the requisite knowl-
edge and intelligence to discover what
are the first aud best interests of the
people, and wisely to lcgislate, SO as to
secure those interests. They have been
elected and they have taken the oath Of
Office as the faithful and honest ,guardi-
ans of the people. AS guardians they
have undertaken to be faithful to the in.
terests of their ward.
Now what are the first, the most pre-
cious interests of the state? They arc
not its highways, Railroads banks, Sc.
curities to property and life protection
against fraud and crime, or any or every
thing Of a mere physical material nature,
relating exclusively to man as an animal
or as being of phys cal necessities on.
ly. Toy are its educational interests:
the discipline and illumination of its
miud--in other worGs, the intellectual,
and moral education of it's children a,d
youth, of its Juvenile and rising tens IF
thousands. And the obligation to dis.
charge the duty contemplated here, is as
much stronger than the obligation to
take care o: merely physical interests of
the state, as mind is more precious than
gold-as spirit in its capOcious. noble
and everlasting elements, is superior to
perlshablc, ephemeral matters, This
doctrine, SO rational. SO elementary in
the structure and fuucliuus of Govern
mcnt and IN the stability and prosperity
of the state, is fast becoming the doctrine
Of the civilized world. 1t was that Of
the great Reformer, Luther,in 1925. and
led to the framing Of the system of pop
ular education in Germany. in 1869 1t
gave rise soon after to the Prussiau sys-
ten oe laws for primary or common
schools. 1t originated aud has so per.
fccted the excellent common school laws
Of Massachusetts, New York, aud
Of every state in the Union. which is
aiming at the education Of all the people
at free popular education. 1t i, doc
trine SO reasonable, So ffaught with good
to all, and SO self-evident, in its claims
upon every enlightened people. that it is
exceedingly popular Whenever it is we'll
understood Its relation to the welfare of
the state, has led to the enactment of
the excellent school laxs and tho forma-
tion of the excellent systems of public
instruction, in Austria and France, and
some other countries, subjected to dcspot-
c rulo. 1t is fact becoming popular
with mouarchical and dospotic govern
ments Now who,in contemplation of this
aspect of the subject, can examine the
history of legislation in Vermont, with
respect to popular education,and not find
abundant proof that the Legislature has
uniformly been delinquent in the prem
isesY lis school laws prope this. The