The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-07-11

a country such as ours, where the
humblest citizen, if worthy and well
qualified. may aspire to the station of
Che highest. and where the hard
handed child Of poverty and toll may
become the chief magistrate of the
republic, the diffusion Of intelligence
among the masses is not only nnea-
sure Of public Justice, but vitality
concerns the public safety.
The Government of the United
States has been so mindful of the
importance of popular education,
that it has already given 70. 600, 900 of
acres of public lands, worth at least
$50, 900, 900, for the establishment of
schools and colleges in the States and
Territories of the Union. L would,
therefore, earnestly recommend that
the provision of our Constitution
upon this subject, be carried out in
its fullest extent, and that as
thorough O system of free schools
shall be established as is consistent
with the present taxable resources OF
the State.
I deem If proper to add, that salts
factory assurances are given that
Congress will, within brief period,
make liberal grant of public lands
to this State, for the creation of q
permanent school fund; thus, in o
great measure, relieving our people
from the burden of taxation for that
special object. Respectfully suggest
that you will memorialize the Con-
gEess OF tie United States upon this
subject, and solicit the grant referred
to at the earliest possible day.
Article 10, section 3, of the Con-
stitution, provides that "there shall
be kept open at least six months in
each year, one or more schools in
each school district"
I respectfully recommend that the
General Assembly will provide by
law for the establishment of at least
two schools in each school district
when necessary, and that one of said
schools shall be set apart and desig-
mated as school for oolored chill
dren, and the other for white chill
dren, the school fund to be distributed
equally to each class, in proper
tion to the number of children in
each, between the ages of six and
sixteen years. L deem this separa-
tion of the two races in the public
schools matter of the greatest i'm
portance to all classes of our people.
While tho moralist and the philan-
thropist cheerfully recognizes the
fact that "God hath made of one
blood all nations of men," yet the
statesman, in legislating for politi-
cal society that embraces two dis
tinct, and, in some measure, antago-
nistic races, in the great body of its
electors, must, as far as the law of
equal rights will permit, take cogni-
zance of existing prejudices among
both. In school districts, where the
white children may preponderate in
numbers, the colored children may
be oppressed, or partially excluded
from the schools, while the same re-
suit may accrue to the whites in those
districts where colored children are in
the majority, unless they shall be
separated by law, as herein recon-
u1ChuCu. uolCoNCls ~ ID CuC oC-
clared design of the Constitution,
that all classes of our people shall be
educated, but not to provide for this
separation of the two races, will be
to repel the masses of the whites
from the educational training that
they SO much need, and virtually to
give to our colored population the
exclusive benefit of our public schools.
Let us, therefore, recognize facts as
they are, and rely upon time, and
the elevating influence Of popular
education, to dispel any unjust pre-
judiccs that may exist among the two
races of our fellow citizens.
AGRICULTURE.
The concentration of labor and
capital upon one product, and that,
too, extremely liable to the varying
hazards of the seasons and the worm,
has retarded the agricultural prospe-
rity of South Carolina. and of the
entire South. The true safety of the
farmer lies in the cultivation of seve-
raj products, so that, although the
season may be unpropitious for one,
he may preserve the other. He
should not initiate the unwise mer-
chant, who embarks his all, though
uninsured, in single ship.
The impolicy of concentrating so
large portion of labor upon cotton,
instead of dividing it among mixed
cyOnS Of corn What pototOaa 60