Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1857-01-15

General Assembly does not, in any manner,
impair or lessen, the power of the Coust-
tuition. as to the necessity of having and
sustaining State Legislature. Surely the
neglect Of one branch of the government to
perform its duty, will not, Of itself, work a
revolution, or destroy the functions of gov
eminent. Its, in forming Constitutions.
an essential principle that the government
should contain, within itself, the power Of
sef-preservalion
The Executive Department is invested
with no authority to exercise the legislative
powers OF t;.and, in this Instance
no legislative power was exercised. The
Proclamation. from the necessity of the
case, took the existing apportionment. as
1t stood at the last election, of members TO
Ill the number necessary to make consti-
tutional Senate and House Of Representa-
iives' upon precisely the same ratio and
apporilonment which existed when the
General Assembly adjourned. In the same
number, representing the same territory
and population as when you adjourned, You
have assembled at the present time.
Convened under the Cons itu.ion, cloth
ed by the people, with the sovereign power
that belongs to General Assembly, il is
your duty to fix. by law. tie humber of
Senators and Representatives that shall
compose the future. Legislatures, and TO
apportion such Senators and Representa-
tlves among the several counties, according
TO the number of white male inhabitants,
above tweniy-one years of age. in each.
The cause of Education is second TO no
other claiming legislative atitenion and ac
ton. Mental development invariably pre-
cedes physical improvement. Enlightened
mind is the real so-rce of all agricultural
science, mechanical invention, and poll cal
progress. and, therefore, the educationa. In
.terests of the State will merit and receive a
share Of your attention.
The report of the Superintendent of pub
lie Instruction., for the. last year. which
has been laid on the table, will present the
results of tie operation of the school sys
tenn, during ire first year of its revision
The wisdom of many of the changes, In
troduced by your predecessors into our
Educational code, has developed itself more
and more. during the two years which
have transpired since the rev Sion. Though
not perfect, il has fully justified all reason.
able expectation, and confirms the belief
that 1t res.s on a basis of sound PRINCIPLES
and reliable experience. Suggestions con-
tanned in the aforesaid document and the
forthcoming report, will, doubtless receive
due consideration. The Library system has
more than realized the expectations Of Is
friends. AMI fully redeemed the pledges of
lis most earnest advocates. The extent tn
which it has been used in r.aay townships
in various parts of the State, see MS almost
without parallel, demonstrating its pow
err as an educational instrumenialiv. !
would. most earnestly, recommend that i,
pc made a permanen. feature of the system
A reduction Of the tax for is support, q
three fif,hs would be no dc:riment ut ieas
to lis healthy progress.
The peculiar acquisitions Of the Cons.i
tuition, as defined by the Supreme Judicia
ryof tie SAFE. compel the Legislature le
consider the claims flour youth TO a peri
cd of tuition adequate to their wants, and
equal 10 their necessities. The township:
have, TO grea. extent, nobly entered on
the discharge of their duty. BY the erect
ion of school houses; having levied. with
in two years. more than three qua tiers Of :
million Of dollars Oh the property and polls
for that purpose. Being deprived of The
Statutory authority to assess tax for tut
ton, they look to the Legislature. and de.
mand retention Of the Constitutions
pledge to furnish the requisite amount o.
funds for this purpose. Is not this claim
reasonable? Is it not unqueslionable? Is
it not just? Then, /. should be promptly,
and fully met No consideration of economv
should induce the Legislature 10 postpone
the redemption of the educational pledge oil
the Constitution. Such Claims are para
mount TO all others. and should be SO con
siderc1. Cfequal urgency and necessity,
is the wan. -of competent instructors
Teachers Institutes, or Normal Schools, are
the appropriate remedies for this evil As
the State has not appropriated dollar for
this purpose. heretofore, the questions nat
uralIy exisis-what does economy demand?
What does justice claim? When the town
ships erect school houses, the State cannot
honorably evada postpone, or repudiate,
the obligation to provide the appropriate
means for six months tuition annually for
her five hundred thousand children.
T,s establishment and successful opera
ton of a Tcacnv,r' 5 Association. for the last
two years. is al encouraging sign Of prog
ress; and the publication of a monthly Ed
vocational Journal, by the same Associa-
ton. is. also. significant sign. of the same
general character.
The important service that this educa-
tional periodical might render to the State
suggests the propriety of enlisting it. as an
auxiliary to the Department of Public In
strucsion. in communicating with the town
ship boards and county AUDITORS.
You will perceive, from the report OF
the Superintendent. that our colleges are
in flourishing condition; nobly competing
with each other in the race of usefulness
in the higher department. of education. A
condensed report of their history and prog
ress. will be found in the report for this
year-showing what our citizens have
done in. their associate capacity for collie
giate education.
Patents have been received for the addi-
tional grants of land to the State Universe