Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1868-03-05

HE II Dill II Hull > \ S1EM.
! The Public School System 5 one Of such
vast Importance 10 ,ae present and futur,
interests Il The Safe that il j the duty
Of every citizen 10 examine into. and ex,
erci>e his judgment freely. in reference tt
il. Il IS agitation and discussion tha
forms. natures. and gives expression :,
pubic opinion The discussion. i'll YOU,
columns, has hal the good effect u At,
tracing ana exciting puttIc attention I,
the subject The discussion. on the orr
-iaaI rights of society and o; -diferen
forms q government generally 70 lev,
and assess taxes, seems 10 ; II e'eyan:
this time. The Constitution oi the Sat,
Of Maryland i the supreme law ana i ],
Al un4uestional constitutional right ans
the duty OF the l. 5is.a1ure To levy. col
loct ana appropriate money for ciu-
cational purposes. Ii Illegally applied
or Objectionable in It's features, the udi
ciary and the ballot b,1N can eorrec; 1t =
The right arises out Of, and is foun-
ded il compact, and by 4 dissolution o
the compact only CT change III form o
government can 1t he dissolved, In re-
speet 10 the equitable distribution Of the
tax funds, there can lie no just cause O
comp amt. Baltimore city owes all OF he.
prosperity to the counties of Maryland =
Her bricks and mortar, her fine buildings,
her great trade, wealth and capital, as
veil rs population, have arts from the
mudsitls OF the State-the farmers For
years, We have been heavily burdened with
taxation for internal inpros,m Mt t1at
have created a great city, but made us
poor indeed She has lost lit;le by the
abolition Of slavery, whilst q large portion
OF the real property of the State Is being
transferred to her merchants. but let Us
view il also in another light. Zach one
is taxed according to his actual worth IN
read and personal property. From the
Aileganies to the sea. city and country,
all contribute in proportion 10 their means.
The widows dime and the rich man dol
lars all 20 into one common fund to be
kept insioiate and appropriated only to
the purposes OF education. No dlstmc-
ton, no partial legislation, no locAl on
geographical limits, are recog lzed by the
constitution 1t must be, "tAroug bout
the State, a thorough and efficient Sys-
tenn. Local and partial legislation are
the fruitful sources OF diseord, injustice
and jealousy. They have built up Baltl-
more at the expense Of the State, opened
avenues Of trade for Western produce in
cUmpetiton with our own. and entallea
upon US i debt Of millions The present
Constitution mas very wisely prohibited 1t.
The Convention OF l>o1, comroseI OF
some OF the most. euii htculd men in the
State, AM fully repres@ ntng pubic opln-
ion, passed condemnation on the present
School system AID made it obligatory on
the present Legislature to establish a new
one. Notnit lotauuiug ehs. there is a clam
circus cutlery, RAISED ty interested parties,
to retain it, The general superintendent of
the :, h 0 Syst N Of St tie is an Of :
Ger Of great responsibility. Tue selection
and appointment OF a proper person to I'LL
i; should be made with great clrtumspec-
ton and judgment He should be Meth
er ! clergyman, Yankee. politician or
biE0t. buta gentleman and scholar Of the
strictsst integrity and efficiency and ma
tive Of the State. Churchmcn huuld con
inc themselves solely to their religious
Ju,iys. Their tealty CATER selt) is to
tn II ecclesiastical suporior>, their services
to their il3e'ls, and they thsn nave very
ht,le time or charity left for outsiders
Instead 81 tcina the fountains Of purity,
peace and charity, when let loose out of
their sphere ubon society. they cause u
sea Of troubles Oi the effects OF bigotrv,
fsua.icien aud iatelcruuee we need only
Glance back 1T the Puritan Fathers Of
\ew England, organizing aud pcr,tctinc
their peculiar religion, school ana book
systems, and, prjori, survey the pres
eut sid condition Of our country. produc-
ed by this germ. Of Satan. In investigate
ing the INSTRUMENTATION and impeTiec-
tons Of the present system, CHARGES OF We
nality and corruption should not lightly
be made without facts to sustain them,
but. when the door is open for abuse,
prudence would suggest It's being safely
secured
"Monopolies are odious," and this fea-
tare in the pr s mt system Is excessively
50. Lead Us not into temptation, for
human nature is wcak-cv ~ III a clergy
man. The books used should no long r
lie tolerated. The laws OF Good and ma
turc teach us to shield our children from
mental 20 sons. Let us have new sys-
TEN and a new set Of men Tn f'rmer
report of the present superintendent was
uuyrammatical and discrediJable to the
State. Not having seen the recent one,
no opinion can be expressed.
\ just and proper system, IN accordance
with the letter and spirit Of our form Of gov
eminent and confined strictly within its
legitimate bounds, will BE a pillar Of light
and blessing to unborn generations. but
if used as political machine to be handled
about by all parties, or as sectarlan IN
stitution for the support of any religious
denomination, it will sow diseord and
strife. engender hatred and i'll will, be a
scourge and pest to society and fire
brand of He'll 1t is to be hoped that q
liberal and enlightened spirit and a wise
foresight will efectually guard against
these evils.
RUSTICUS