The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1860-01-16

"a IVA db44 - VWVVOs
FELLOW Citizens Of fae Senate and Hose Of Repre-.
senfatires.
The people of Iowa have placed in your
hands, for the time being, the law-makipg
power Of the State, and therefore they look
to you that, during the time you hold this
trust, such course of policy shall be pursued
and such laws enacted ~ will tend to PRO.
mote the honor and welfare of the State.
The ONCE to which have been elected, and
the responsibilities which / have inst a. .
sumed, associate me with You to . certain
extent, Tin this work., BY imposing upon me,
among other duties, that Of communicating
to you such information as will aid you ID
the performance OF your duties, and OF
recommending to you such measures q, in
my Judgment, will, if adopted by you, ad-
vance the public welfare.
Under government like ours, where the
people are the source of all political power,
the laws are necessarily presumed TO be .
fair reflex Of the intelligence and morals of
the people, and therefore it becomes Of the
first Importance that the standard of intelli-
gence and morality should be raised 40 high
~ possible. In this view, it has been the
settled policy Of the State to foster and en-
courage, in oil suitable ways, the education
OF the youth of the State, so that when, at
more advanced period Of life, they take
part in the direction and control Of public
affairs, they can do SO understandingly, and
With an intelligent regard to the public well
fare.
Under our Constitution, the subject Of ed
ucation has been almost wholly withdrawn
from you, and placed in the hands OF q
Board specially constituted for that purpose,
leaving with you, however, the power OF re-
vising and amending their action. This
Board has just closed a session, at which
they have made such changes in, and amend
ments to, the school law as they deemed ex-
pedient and proper, and in my opinion it
would be prudent for you to interfere with
their action only in case you shall find. upon
examination. an empowering necessity for
90 doing.
Not only is it highly important that the
voice OF our people, a. expressed through
the ballot-box, should be enlightened and
intelligent, but II 10 imperatively necessary
that the utterings Of that voice be correctly
and honestly reported. In government
like ours, without privileged classes, and
where the laws AFFECT all alike, we need not
fear that majority Of our people deIiber-
ately pursue policy intended to operate in
jurionsly upon the public welfsre, becau sc,
by 80 doing, they would be acting contrary
feel, at oil times, safe In submitting quietly
and cheerfully to the will Of the majority
fairly and constitusionally expressed, conf
dent thst, il at any time, from any cause,
the people are led into error, they have the
promptly 70 correct the error. But il through
frn spA ~ - thn nj knw -
to report to 10 correctly and honestly the
viii q the majority, il corrupt and interest
cd men are enabled TO substitute their will
for that OF the people, then tho assurance OF
safety derived to MS from the honesty, the
intelligence and the int OF the people no
longer exists confidence in our government
is lost, and We feel that We are at the mercy
OF dishonest men, who seek the control Of
our affairs for the purpose Of promoting
their own private interests, rather than the
public good. We cannot, therefore, guard
with too mnch care re ssssa:ii:y and purity
OF the ballot-box. In my judgment there is
no measure 70 we'll calculated to effect this
object - carefully prepared and we'll
guarded Registry law, and respectfully
recommend that measure to your considers
ton. 1t may be objected by some that the
operation OF such law 10 burdensome to
the electors. am satisfied that the sup
posed difficulty 10 this respect il much over
estimated, and even were ii not, | cannot
conceive that any oleotor, who properly ap-
preciates the value OF the privilege he en-
joys a. such, will deem burdensoms any rea-
sonable amount Of time and attention necss-
sary for him to bestow In order TO prevent
bis honest vote from being destroyed by .
fraudulent one.
The institutions for the care Of the insane
and the education Of the mute and the blind
will, doubt not, receive your prompt and
cheerful attention and support. Established
~ they have been, in answer 10 the require
menta OF thnaa hattar faAlinra az ons M An.a