The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1862-03-15
The charter EIectlon.


The Charter Election.
We bnt express the opinion of q large
majority of the voters of our city when we
assert that there was a universal desire that
our7election this Spring should be charac-
terized by no excitement or bitter discus
sions. The unfortunate condition of the
country-one half arrayed against the
other, brother in arms against brother, and
parents weeping over families divided and
sons alain-plead with as to avoid bitter
local controversy in a petty city election,
when such vast interests as the very exist
ence of the institutions under which we
live are at stake, the government our faith
ers framed is in danger Of being over
thrown, and the country they bequeathed
us about to be divided. Our own peculiar
position as citys located on the confines,
as 1t were, of the disputed territories of the
contending parties, and the immunity from
danger which we have enjoyed during the
year that has passed, and the necessity for
watchfnlness and unanimity in preserving
our prosperity-all admonished us of the
propristy of springing no irritating ques-
ton ia the charter election. 1t was our de-
sire-as it was that of four-6fths of the city
residents-that good men, well qualified to
fill the positions to which they aspired,
would present themselves for the snffrages
of their fellow-citizens, who, exercising a
iudicious discrimination, would choose
those best calculated to fill the various
township and cisy Offices, regardless OF
former political associations or present po-
litical predictions. We were in hopes
that but one simple test, added to the old
Jeffersonian requisition, would be required,
and that in voting the only question pro-
pounded would be, is he honest, is he ca
pable, as he loyal"
But these anticipations of charter
election undisturbed by single discordan
question, have been blasted. Some meT
are obtnse to all sense of propriety, anC
reckless of the feelings or wishes of thos'
whose Judgment is far superior to their own
aud it is to men of this class we are in
debted for another harassing aud vexatiou
controversy on the question of schools o.
no schools accordingly as we preserv'
the old or adopt the new charter. 1t is need
less fer US to descant upon the mental &C
complishments, literary abilities or sount
Judgment Of the Councilmen who hav,
gratuitously forced this question upon u
They are known to most of our citizens
and known as men whose thoughts NOV
in SO narrow a circle-whose prejudices 81
override what little Judgment the Almighty
has given them-that they are incapable o
grasping the present and future interests o
the city for which they pretend to legislate
and have 10 hesitsney, IN order to secure
paltry party advantage 70 sacrifice th
prosperity Of the whole community. Gu
language is not too strong. The quietues
of our people as to the city eleetion-grow
ing out OF belief that no question, say
the qualification OF candidates, would b
presented for consiceration-was mistake
by these Councilmen, who are watehful I
take every advantage ain a small way,
for Indifference and apathy, and with th
shortsig htedness Of men of their class, the
concluded the present was the 'golden or
portunity" to strike down the schools, an
accomplish what they have struggled 10
years to attain, but always without success
What motives lie at the bottom of thi
undying hostility to the schools, We are a
a loss TO conceive. It may be from jeal
Gus fear that the children, becoming wise
than their parents, will hold their memo
ries in contempt, but such thing is no
possible unless the parents, by Pursuing |
course so prejudieial to the best interests o
their children, merit their contempt. M
child can ever despise father for failing Z
have those educational requirements which
he possesses, when he remembers that he i
indebted to that father for all the menta
wealth which be enjoys. Bnt may not thu
child, who has been deprived even of tn
ordinary branches of education necessary
to enable him to discharge the common
business relations OF life, justly hold il
contempt the memory of that parent who
too poor to afford him the privileges o
school out of his own private purse, wa