The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1869-01-11

from an inspection Of this report It
VIII De seen that large appropria.
ton will be required 70 comniete and
furnish the edltiee now in course Of
construction. 1t Is believed how
ever, that the benefits which viii ae-
crue to the cause Of education from
the esta blishment Of the inatitntio,,
will ultimately vindicate the wisdom
of the appropriations, large Al tbev
may appear.
In October last. the late efficient
Superintendent Of Public Instruction
Professor George w. HOss, 10 whose
zeal and fidelity the educational inter
ests of the State are so largely indebt-
ed, resigned his Office, to take effect
on the 18th Of that month and few
days thereafter, / appointed the pres
ent incumbent, Professor Barnabas @.
Hobbs, whose report will be laid be-
fore you, and TO which / respectfully
refer you for information in detail,
containing the various matters appro-
pirate to his department of the pub
lilo service
EDUCATION OF CoLORED~ CHILDREN.
It is time that the illiberal policy
heretofore pursued toward the col
Ored people Of the State, in reference
to the education of their children,
should be abandoned. it will be
seen by the report Of the Suporin-
tendent Of Public Instruction that.
by correspondence with the officials
Of other states, he has collected in-
formation which will enable you to
institute comparison between our
legislation and that Of our sister States
on this subject. This comparison will
show that, with the single exception
Oh one other State, Indiana stands
alone In her adherence to this unWise,
unjust and oppressive policy.
IF there we're no higher motives to
urge us to do justice in this regard,
the letter and spirit of our own Con-
stltution would seem to make the path
OF duty so plain that none need err
therein, The Constitution declares
that knowledge and learning, gen
orally diffused throughout a commu-
nifty, being essential to the preserva-
ton of free Government, it shall DO
the duty Of the General Assembly to
encourage, by all suitable means,
moral, intellectual, scientific and ag-
ricultural improvement, and to pro-
vide by law, for q general and uniform
system Of common schools t0herein
tuition shalt be a0ithoul charge and
equally open 10 all.
Ii a small tax is assessed by a town
ship to prolong the school term, grave
doubts are entertained as to whether
the generality and uniformity OF the
system il not threatened with destruo-
ton; but this plain, uuambiguous
phraseOlogy, which leaves no room for
mlsconstructlon, can not be ignored
with impunity because p.2iudice so de-
crees. 1t is true that a proViso to the
first section of the school law of 1865
exempts colored persons from the
State tax therein assessed for the sup
port OF common schools; but they are
taxed for the building of school
| houses for our children. The ex-
empton in the proviso above alluded
to ia as clearly in oontraventiOn of
the Constitution as is the exclusion
of colored persons from the educa-
tional advantages intended for all.
On the subject of taxation the Con-
stitution is very explicit. Il declares
that the General Assembly shaH
provide by law for q uniform aud
equal rate Of assessment and taxation,
and shall prescribe such regulations
as shall secure a just valuation for
taxation OF ALL PROPERTY, both real
and personal, ercepting such onLg for
munich pal education, literary, scientific,
religious Or charitable purposes as mag
be specifically exempt III Lzl0" The
property OF colored people does not
come within this exception, and the
General Assembly has no power 90
enlarge the exemption. II Is a ques-
ton of justice, and of complying
with the requirements Of our own
Constitution, aud / trust it will be-
fairly met, and decided ia favor OF
justice and Of the observance OF tho
Constitution.
The precise manner In which the
colored people shall be secured ia
their educational rights, is q question
of minor importance, and one on
which we can derive assistance from
the experience Of other States, In
which the question has arisen and
been settled.
AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE.
On the 9th day of April, 1867, The
land scrip which had been issued By
the Secretary Of the Interior to tho
state, under the act OF Congress of
July I'd, 1862, entitled An Act do
mating lands TO the several States and
Territories which may provide col
leges for the benefit Of agriculture aud
the mechanic art, was disposed of
by the Treasurer of the Board of
Trustees of the Indiana Agricultural
College under the direction Of said
Board, in pursuance Of the require
ments Of the fifth section Of the Act
of the General Assembly accepting
the grant approved March 6. 1865.
The Board Of Trustees advertised
for sealed proposals for the purchase
of the scrip ia such quantities or par
cells as seemed most likely to secure
competition. Quite a number Of bids
were received, and the scrip was sold
in five several parcels to the highest
and embraced three hundred
aud ninety thousand acres OF land.
The aggregate of all the sales was two