The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1858-01-30
THE spPRBME COURT DECISION.

bATURDAf, .............. ."... JAN. oo
THE suPRBME COURT DECISION.
The recent decision of the Supreme
Court against the right Of the people OF
the towns to levy tax to support their
own schools, has given q sudden shock
to public feeling, and created a profound
sensation throughout the State. 1t closes
ND at once all the free schools that have
been brought into existence under The
improved system of graded instruction,
in nearly every large town in the State.
The papers Of New Albany, Indianapo-
lis, Lafayette, Terre Haute, and other
cities, announce that al their public
schools are to be Immediately closed.
In several places the trustees have anti
cipated the receipts Of taxes, and incur
red heavy liabilities; in others, the pay
of the teachers is in arrears, and the de-
plorable decision cuts off in an instant
all resources for the payment OF either.
In Indianapolis and some other places,
the citizens propose to raise funds by
voluntary contributions to sustain the
schools. 1t is estimated that the cost Of
tuition of each scholar will be S. per an
mum under the present organization Of the
public schools, which is cheaper than the
most inferior private tuition can be had
for. 1t is urged that the present free
schools had better be continued on volun-
tary contributions than to allow them to
be dissolved, and afterwards resort to
private seminaries. To the poor labor
ing man with a house full Of children,
the S. tuition for each is tax he cannot
pay in these hard times; and his chill
dren must inevitably be turned into the
streets to imbibe vicious habits, and grow
up in ignorance. But can this volunta
~ system of taxation be maintained
more than the municipal tax for thu
same purpose? The latter is but volun
tary agreement on the part Of the citi
zens Of town to assess themselves 70
certain sum for the instruction Of thei
children. Would private agreemen
among the same citizens to pay the sam
sum for the same purpose, be more lie
gally valid and constitutional? Unles
all the money was paid in advance
would the trustees have any right :
collect it upon an agreement to do wha
the State has undertaken to perform, an
what the Supreme Court say no othe
authority has right to interfere will
or attempt to improve? A peries
equality of instruction, il it result in th
spread Of universal ignorance, is TO b
maintained, rather than one town shout
have better school by its own enter
prise and liberality than others, VIII
have neither intelligence to appreciate th
benefits of education, nor the public spir
to pay for it.
1t is most remarkable with what stric
technical construction the constitutio
is rendered in all matters affecting Ii
moral, intellectual and social welfare
the people. But under the same instrr
ment the Demagogues and Office holder
find latitude for all their iniquities. "
have q Governor nominated, elected an
installed into Office in violation Of i
plainest provisions-we have two me
holding the Office Of United State Ser
ator from this State without the shaG
dow Of Constitutional right. Money
daily appropriated from the Treasury
total disregard of the most stringent pr
hibition Of the same great fundament
law; yet who doubts that on an appeal
the same tribunal, expediency and publ
necessity would be decreed suficiel
warrant for these latter usurpatior
while the virtue and intelligence Of Il
people-the only basis of our institution
and freedom-sre destroyed BY tee
nical construction of the same instr
ment.