Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1865-11-17


of depriving the grand juries of juris-
diction over misdemeanors, has been
fully and fairly tested, and i respect
fully submit, that the lesson taught has
not confirmed the wisdom of this change,
in the administration of our penal code.
Experience, think, has clearly demon
strated that where it is not made the
sworn duty of some properly constituted
tribunal to make diligent inquiry and
true presentment, as to the minor offences
against the penal code, these offences
will go UNPUBLISHED, and thereby beget a
disregard of law and result in the in
crease of crime.
The General Assembly has already
found it necessary to restore the juris-
diction of grand juries over one class of
misdemeanors, and it is not perceived
why the same considerations which III.
duced this partial return to the old
system, do. not require a complete
restoration of the jurisdiction so long
exercised by the Grand Inquesss of the
several counties l therefore respect
fully recommend the restoration of this
jurisdiction.
EMIGRATION.
The return of peace will increase the
tide of emigration from Europe to the
United States, whilst many of the brave
soldiers of Indiana, who have been cam.
paigning in the Southern States will
doubtless seek new homes in the regions
through which they have marched
These considerations render it of the
highest Importance that steps should be
taken to attract to this State the largest
possible number of foreign emigrants
To this end, / repeat the recommen-
dalton for the establishment of Blu
reau Of. Emigration, contained in my
last regular message.
WORLD FAIR
In this connection, | call your atten-
ton to the subject of the Worlds Fair,
or universal Exposition" to b. open
ed at Paris, France, on the LIST of April,
1857 1t is eminently desirable that
specimens of the agricultural produc-
tons, manufactures, mechanical i'm
provements and mineral wealth o. In.
diana should be there exhibited. They
would constitute the best advertisement
to the people of the Old World, of the
great resources, progress, and wealth Of
the State, the energy, intelligence, and
refinement of her people, and the sups.
rior inducements and advantages pre-
sented to immigration.
recommend to your consideration
the propriety of making provision for
such exhibition, and herewith lay before
you certain documents in regard to the
Fair which l have received from the
Secretary of State of the United States.
EDUCATION.
The subject of Education will doubt
less have your early and careful con-
sideration. l cannot refrain from again
recommending the speedy establishment
of State Normal School. Competent
and skillful teachers are essential to a
good system of education, and these
cannot be supplied in sufficient numbers
to meet the increasing wants of our peo-
pie, without an institution whose bust
ness it shall be to train teachers for their
profession.
MORGAN RAID.
/ again respectfully invite the atten-
ton of the General Assembly to the
damages oecasioned to some of our citi,
zens, by the invasion of the State by
John Morgan, in 1868. have seen NO
cause for changing the views expressed
on this subject in my regular message
delivered at the commencement of your
last session, and therefore repeat the re
commentator therein made
SCHOOL FUND.
The FIRST section of Article Eight OF
our State Constitution provides as
follows knowledge and learning
generally difused throughout a com
munity. being essential TO the preseEVs-
ton of o free government, it shall be the
duty of the General Assembly to encour-
age by all suitable means, moral,
intellectual, scientific, and agricultural
Improvement; and to provide by law for
a general and uniform system of com
mon schools, wherein tuition shall be
without charge, and equally open TO ALL"
The language of this provision is very
broad, and would seem, in letter aud in
spirit, to embrace all the children in the
State without regard to cotOr. Surely it
cannot be denied that as we have a
colored population in our midst, it is
our interest independent OF those con-
siderations of natural justice and human
ity which plead so strongly, to ed lcate
and elevate that population. An ignorant
and degraded element is a burden and
injury to society, whatever may be its
color. 1t therefore becomes amatter of
sound political economy, swell as
absolute Justice, that whatever colored
population we may have should be edu-
Gated, and enabled to become intelligent,
industrious and useful members of the
community. 1t is also especially i'm
portant at this time, when the President
of the United States and the people of
the North are requiring the people of
the South to make provision for educat-
Jog their colored population, aud pro-
tee ling them in the injoyment of civil
rights, that tue Northern States should
set the example, and practice what they
preach, by extending to their smaller
colored population the rights aud bene-
fits which they demand for them from
others.
The laws of Indiana exclude eolored
children from the common schools, and
make no provision whatever for their
education I would therefore recon-
mend that the laws be so amended as
to require an enumeration to be made
of the colored children of the State, and
such portion of the School Fund as
may be in proportion to their number,
be set apart and applied to their educa-
ton by the establishment of separate
schools, under such suitable provisions
and regulations as may be deemed prop
er. l would not recommend that white
and colored children be placed together
in the same schools, believing, as | do
in the present state of Lublic opinion,
that to do so, would create dissatisfac-
ton and conflict, and impair the use
fitness of the schools. / am informed
that a system can be devised, by which
separate schools for the education of
colored children can be successfully
maintained in various parts of the
State, and believe that justice, humani
ty, and sound policy require that it
should be done.
By the school law of 1865, negroes
and mulattoes are not taxed for the
support of common schools, but if col
ored schools should be established tnis
law should be so amended as to sub
iect them to like taxation with white
persons for educational purposes.
TESTIMONY OF CoLoRED PERSONS +
In my Message to the Legislature at
the last session, / held the following
language in regard to the admission of
the testimony of colored persons in ca
ses in which white persons are parties:
/. tCTha afafnfa which nxnlndan nnnrnaa