Pointe Coupee Democrat. [volume] (False River [i.e. New Roads], Parish of Pointe Coupee [La.]) 1858-1862, 1860-01-21

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greater moment can claim your atten
ton.
REPORT OF The SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC
EDUCATION.
This elaborate document will give al
the information necessary to a full I'm
Outstanding Of the condition of our pub
lie schools. The entire system of public
education requires remodeling.
STATE SEMINARY OF LEARNING.
Earnestly recommend to your favor
able consideration the State Seminary
Of Learning, established and now under
military organization near Alexandria.
The State of Louisiana has been most
fortunate in the selection of the corps of
professors, who now have charge of this
Institution. An annual appropriation
from the General School Fund of TWEEN
ty-fve thousand dollars, would endow
this Institution and place it upon a last
ing and solid foundation. Tn considera-
ton of which the Institution could edu-
cate forty-eight young men annually
Gone from each parish of the State who
should bind themselves after the COM
pletlon of their education, to teach a
common school for two years. By this
arrangement we world have ten Iea
born and raised in our midst, i;nst;tn-
in feeling and interest with nnw DE-
tons, and not be, as VS. far nnblic
pendent upon other S.
school teachers. ,ro tho n.s.
urge upon the 'g's'atnre It'll the pas
sage of a law fy:s, a' o'.e' ''e a 10
nv character cs'hls Institution, n re-
commend .e necessary appropriation
toan."hI.n and build in connectionthere
w;th depot for arms and munitions of
VIZ.
TRIAL OF LAvEs
| have heretofore called the attention
of the Legislature to the law in relation
to the trial of slaves charged with CAPT
tai otfenses. This subject, which deem
of great Importance, has failed to attract
the attention of your predecessors. 1t
now earnestly demands and should re-
ceive your attention. The manner in
which slaves are now tried, by a special
tribunal established for that purpose, re-
in sending many of them to the
State Prison for o~flenses slight and
whereas if the administration of
was, in these cases, confined to
the District Courts and .%juries, punish
ment would be as certain. l would re-
commend the repeal Of the law which
upon a slave the punishment
of confinement in the State Pcniteutia-
~
FREE NEGROES, AND SLAVES H HIRE THEIR
OWN TINE.
Act No. 81, passed by the last Gen
eral Assembly to prevent the migration
IF free negroes from other States into
his, though thus far zealously enforced,
las not accomplished its object. The
means Of avoiding the provisions
this act, by the designing and cum
aing, will readily present themselves,
lpon even q casual examination Of the
Iaw.
There is another subject to which l
would here call your attention. With
the best intentions, certainly without
the evil tendency of the
practice, many Of our slave holders have
fallen into the pernicious custom of al
/, wing them to hire their own time, OF
in other words, extending to them lib
and privileges totally inconsist-
ent with their proper condition and good
government The influence Of such ex-
on our slave population is most
.ruinous, and should be checked by the
most stringent laws, made to reach both
and slave.
HAsrY LEGISLATION.
/ would most respectfully impress up
on the consideration of the Legislature
the evils attending hasty Legislation. 1t
may, with perfect safety be said, that
Of the Acts of the General
Assembly which are presented to the
for his signature, are passed
the last ten days Of each session,
forcing upon him the duty of APP
proving OF withholding his signature to {
Acts it is physically impossible for him
to read with the care and attention
judicious legislation requires;
this suggestion is forced upon me by
the experience of the last four years; it
IS not just that this responsibility should
be thrown upon the Executive.
That part of the message treating ON
Federal relations is very lengthy. He
suggests that the ponds of union be-
tween the Southern States should be
strengthened, and to show to the world
what they would do in case Of another
Of the SoutllcrD territory, that
The Legislature do pass an act appro-
$4,000 as the quota Of this