Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1858-01-08

r
ence, and destroy private and public conf
| dence and character.
The public schools are represented to be in
| prosperous condition. The aggregate expen
ses. exclusive of buildings. for educational
| purposes amount to $I.4lO, $3.50. All expenses
included, about twelve dollars is paid for each
: pupil The number of children between five
and fifteen years in the State is two hundred
and twenty-one thousand four hundred and
seventy. eight. Of this number two hundred
and three thousand and thirty one have been
in attendance upon the schools.
The importance of our system of education
isshown in the fact that one-htth OF our en-
| tire population is of that age, marked by stat
ute,as the proper period for receiving element.
| airy instruction. 1t is impossible to overstate
the demands which it makes upon our atten-
ton, and it has contributed as much as any
other to the moral and material prosperity of
the Commonwealth. Being. in virtue of the
Office hold, officially connected with this i'm
| portant interest. l cherish the hope that l
shall be able during the current year, to give
| it personal attention.
| The beneficial public charities are in con-
| dition of fattering prosperity institutions
| for instruction of the blind, the deaf and the
| dumb, of idiotic and feeble. minded persons;
the asylums for the insane and the Industrial
! Schools for boys and girls, are not only for
| purposes Of individual relief but of security
to the public, and of solace to those in full
mental and physical vigor Such interesting
and surprising results have been obtained in
| their treatment, as indicate the possibility of
attaining through educational influences,
| success that approaches almost creative power.
Within few years new system for the
| support of paupers has been adopted. How
| ever opinion may have been divided up to this
ume the events Of the past year may so far
change its results as to lead us still to regard
1t as an experiment. The expense of sup
| porting the four almshouses for the last year
is $l66,OOO. 1t is manifest that present &C
| commodatons are insufficient for the wants of
the future; but 1 hesitate to advise further
investments in this charity until the success
OF the principle is fully established. And in
the meantime l recommend vigorous and
searching examination of the whole system,
both on economic and philanthropc grounds.
The Commissioners appointed for the revis.
ION OF the statutes have nearly completed
their labors, and will be ready to make their
report in printed form in July next.
The Constitution of the United States con.
ters upon Congress the power to invest per-
sons with the attributes of citizenship, but it
leaves to each State the right to determine
what persons shall become voters. Recent
constitutional amendments, and legislative
opinions, repeatedly expressed, which have
not yet rlpened into statutory or constitution
al enaetments, indicate that the qualifications
of voters is subject of deep and general in
terest. There can be no ect of higher i'm
portance than that of determining upon what
conditions the right of suffrage shall be con-
ferred, and what legislative safeguards are
necessary to maintain the purity of elections,
and to protect the rights of American citizens.
shall cheerfully concur with you in such
measures as you may judge expedient for this
purpose.
The recent sad history of Kanzas challenges
our attention. The repeal of the Missouri
Compromise in 1854, and the creation of ter
ritorial governments opened to settlement a
country occupied chiefly BY Indians, and in
which slavery had been prohibited by South
ern men as condition of the admission of
Missouri. The repeal was effected under til
pretext OF establishing the right Of self. gov
eminent, which is now for the first time de-
MED, and the ealamities that have occurred
since, have resulted from that act of inetfable
wrong
AT the first election in Kanzas, an invasion
was made by armed men, who usurped the
legislative power. 1t is shown, by unim-
peachable testimony, that of 62lS votes given
IN 1885, there were 49OS given by men not
citizens or residents The Governor of the
Territory denounced the invasion and the
fraud, and refused certificates of election.
He was removed, and the first act of his suc-
cessor was to acknowledge the validity of the
election, and to declare his intention to en-
torce the lawsrof the Legislature, admitted to
be unconstitutional and barbarous The peo-
pie thus deprived of their rights, assembled
by delegates at Topeka, formed State consti-
tuition, and petitioned for admission into the
onlon' This action, though irregular, was
not without precedent but neither the gov
eminent of the United States, nor the parties
Invading, who had deprived them of their
rights, could, upon any Just ground, take
advantage of their own wrong, to defeat this
hrst act of the people, upon pIetext of irreg-
ularlty. The constitution failed to obtain the
assent of the Senate, and the State was not
admitted. The violence and crime that have
since ravaged the Territory, under the Legis-
lature, which denied to the people the right
OF electlns local or county officers, are well
known.
During the past year another constitution has
been formed at Lecompton. The convention
did not represent the people, nor were its dele
gates elected by them 1t has been Off
clally reported to the President by the late Gov
ernor OF the Territory, that ''the delegates who
signed the constitution represented scarcely one
tenth oil the peoples" that "neary one. half Of
the counties OF the Territory were DISTINGUISHED,
and, by no fault of theirs, did not and could not
give single vote in the election for delegates
The convention refused to submit to the people
the constitution, which recognizes slavery, for an
affirmative or negative vote. With an additional
pro-slavery clause, adopted by the parties who
made the constitution, it is now sent to Congress,
and your senators and representatives are called
upon TO vote upon the admission of the State
under that constitution
It is not now Question of slavery alone, but
to that is superadded the question Of the right Of
the people TO vote either IN election of delegate,
or upon the constitution ITSELF Many citizens
nave sustained the government in its Kanzas pol.
ICY upon Its solemn pledges that the constitution
should be submitted to the people. To sustain
now the denial of this right is to repel in the
most decisive manner the doctrine Of popular
sovereignty.
Nothing but the direct Intervention of federal
influence can force through Congress the Lecomp-
ton constitution; aud if the government with the
sanction of the people, can force upon Kanzas
constitution conceived in fraud and violence. j,
VIII be The weshlest blow ever given against
free governments.
Violence and fraud, if successful in this in
stance, will be repeated whenever occasion de-
mands It, 1t will not be limited to Territories or
States No shrine will be held sacred. The
Senate Chamber of the United States has been
already invaded, and this State was for time
bere't Of part OF Its representative power by an
acI OF fearful wrong, committed upon the most