The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1868-02-05

Mr. durham SAID ne WOulG not nave driscu
tospeak o-day, hadnot the reported remarks
of debate yesterday left heimpress:on that
Conservative members were opposed to free 4
schools. Now it was scarcely necessary to
e say that they favored free schools, as sooDAs
the people were able to bear taxes IT, sup
port them. But this Convention is c.hea on
to create an Office, to be filled by partisan,
within sainfyu ut perhaps Fa;6es or ~, Oo6.-
1t may be be ten years before tree schools
are established, and if tbi@ salary run there
would.be a useless expense OF S25 600 or
$4,000. The people were now scarcely able
to paw their taxes; and it was now according
TO the old Constitution in the power of the
Legislature at any time to frame system of
compton schools. Still this Convention is
nov required to createla new salarled officer
80 be paid out OF the pockets of the people.
1t was an innovation. The same could be
sad OF the Lieutenant Governor. The gen.
>tleman from Craven should remember that
hels now in North Carolina, and not in
Ohio, We must legislate for this State and
not for Indiana or Ohio. The gentleman
from Perquirhans also had said there were
formerly Superintendent of Public Works.
There might have been for time. but it
9 was also an innovation upon the customs of
North-Carolina He felt it his duty to brand
the creation of these Offices as a partisan
measure for the benefit ofhungry politicians,
who may not be able to live otherwise
Mr.. Fourgee said he was glad the creation
OF these offices was opposed on the ground
ef innovation. There could be no higher
ground for Republicans, or truer ground for
Conservatives. They come here with the
name OF Castor on their lips He made the
greatest innovation in North Carolina, in ia
b vor of the Catholics. He was astonishcd to
hear the cry of innovation from the same
lips that the words : lamented CASTOR" fell
SO often. He stood here for right and not
for precedent Nothing could be more ben
eficial than this.cry of the opposition. They
said they were not opposed to public in
stcruction, but counted the long time before
5 North Carolina could he able to establish
system of free schools. Now North Carolina
needed that at at once, and also an able St,-
peiintendeut of Public Instruction II not
able to have free schools, she WAS not worthy
of 4 place in the Union. But gentlemen say
they were never ont. That cry was forgot
ten for five or six years. And they spoke Of
important legislation and degradation of
these seats by colored men. But if these
new delegates came up to the standard of
doug right, because it is right. they would
have reached proud standpoint. He trusted
the gentlemen would carry their opposition
to innovation to its logical conclusion. Let
them 60 back to state of nature. Let
them 20 back to Adam and Eve, for it was
all innovation since that time. This Con-
vention was an innovation, and free Con-
stitution would be an innovation also. Inter
nal improvements were an innovation since
the days of their grandmothers. If they fol-
lowed out their argument, they would also
go back to the old coach and four of their
grandmOthers, and not ride on railroads,
which were innovations. There were many
things since the day oftheir old grandmoth-
ers in petticoats and out of pettcoats, that
were Innovations, and to which the dele
gates, according to their arguments would
now return.
Mr.. Ashley said the State would be obi
ged to have system of Public Schools in
1t at some time. He thanked the gentle
men for the avowal that they were in
favor of it. 1t relieved many Of much ankle.
ty. He looked for their cooperation in the
future. But Superintendent of Public In
struction should be appointed prior to the
formation Of the system in any contingent
cy. The State must be canvassed, and
statistical information gathered This duty
should be placed in responsible hands. Re-
sources must be created. The people are
now heavily taxed, and need relief. No man
. would do more for them than he would
But he did hope that this office would be
created. 1t was scarcely less important
than the office of Governor. Besides
other duties would be thrown on him for
time and the State relieved from expense
in that way.
Mr. Marer said the minds of the members
were made up. He called for vote
Mr. French, of Chowan, said the delegate
from Cleveland complained of the remarks
of some one, that left the impression that he
did not favor education. But he tells us
that he does, while he is not ready to take
action now on the matter for five or ten
years. Such friends of education are like
one of the friends of the Maine liquor law,
who was in favor OF it, but opposed to its
enforcement.
Mr. Durham said one gentleman brings up
Maine another Ohio, and another Indiana.
They allude to innovations and speak of the
grandmothers of Maine, Ohio, and Massachu-
sets. Individually he was in favor of hand
ing down North Carolina in all her ancient
glory as he had received her, but the other
gentlemen were N favor of handing her
down from their grandmothers in Maine,
Ohio and Indiana. He was in favor of the
wisdom of North Carolina and her grand
mothers, and opposed to Maine Ohio and
Indianas grandmothers
Mr. French, of Chowan. said it was not a
Maine grandmother to whom he alluded,
but Maine granny.
Mr.. Graham, of Orange, said he was in
favor of public schools. But gentlemen
need not thank him for the svowal. 1t had
been stated that one-third ef iii: the people OF
this State were unable to read and write.
Now before the war, North-Carolina was
but little behind any other State of the
Union in the number of children, which she
had at her schools. OF course the slaves
werenot educated and should not be coun-
ted To educate them was inconsistent
with the constitution.
Mr.. Abbott said that the statistics show
ed that one in eight of all the white people
could not read and write. In Maine, one
in seventy could not read and in New Hamp-
shire one in three hundred.
Mr. Graham, of o., said that he did not
have the statistics here. But there were near
ly as many children at school in North Caro-
lima in 1860 rs any other State in the Union
II the men could not read, the children were
not ignorant And the idea of saying that
one third of the people of North Carolina
could not read and write then! But the
gentleman cannot throw US in opposition to
free schools. He was IN favor of liberal
system for white and colored people-the
taxes from each to be appropriated for theil
education respectively. By the Constitution