Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1870-02-15

coed with caution. Let IA take our
bearings. If we affirm a general
principle in morals or in law, or Law
down q general rule of practice. /
Jake IL, we are held TO the mainte
nance OF all the consequences which
may legitimately flow from our no.
sition and, as Legislators, It becomes
our duty to enforce tho rule AGAINST
all things which may appear in oppo-
sition. Thus, il we affirm the right
in question, we necessarily throw
wide open the door Of legislative in
terference in domestic matters,
through which the misguided and ia
natical may enter to usuTp authori-
ty, and to tear down and build up
household gods as their win or ca
price may direct - Vandals in the
Senate Chamber OF Rome.
Now, assert, that giving mere book-edu-
cation TO children, is vastly subordinate in i'm
portance to them and to the State to other mat
tiers for which parents are mainly responsible.
II 10 OF more consequence to give child ga
BOUND mind in sound hody,'' than to apply
mere external varnish of garish learning to
defective organization; for, given the for
mer, child when grown to manhood will in
eyitably have acquired sound attainments in
| education. Well, then, here we are here is
the long arm OF the law laid upon the various
processes, from Alpha TO Omega, which have
to do with incipent American citizenship.
The State then becomes directing force in
the marriage contract, in the marriage bed. in
| what the child shall eat, drink and in what
| manner be clothed, its moral training, its as
sociations and examples. All this, as before
| observed, implies, TO ensure efficiency, ga
| mouchard in every house - or public smell
ing committee always on hand.
Look my dear compulsory friends, at the
various maliormed, outre, idiotic and morally
perVerse results OF ill-assorted marriages
coined so from birth and by the operation of
natural laws-all around you Does this
| spectacle not excite your commisseration, and
call upon you loudly for compulsory legislation
to correct the evil of ill-asso-ted mar riages =?
race OF moral and intellectual giants may be
reared lew generations removed by compel
ling, under heavy pains and penalties, proper
parent selections, and enforcing proper condi-
IONS OF culture and is not this a field broad
enough Tor the exercise Of your patriotic con-
Germ as well as general philanthropy? Let
me advise you, ii you are disposed to put the
AK to pestiterous tree, to put il to the root,
and not to amuse yourself by topping its
branches, which may grow again.
We have discovered by this time | trust,
that there are many and very serious evils in
society, vitality affecting the welfare of the
State, which may possibly be reached and cor
rected In time, by proper application of the
moral and intellectual forces, but which are
from their nature beyond the reach of com
pulsory legislation. As to the matter in pres
ent controversy, 1 am yet persuaded that a re-
sort by the State to criminal legislation and
extreme measures to correct the evil com
planned of, if not altogether without authori.
", certainly is of doubtful authority anC
certainly inexpedient If there are schoo
districts In this State that will not supper
their schools, they unquestionably have
right so to act. 1t is bad case, and there i
no help for it, except through parental en-
lightenment. Let our State Superintendent o
Schools see TO it that such benighted localitie
are enlightened. 1t is his duty to do so. An,
if an individual in any district, for any cause
keeps his children out of the public school,
has he not.a right to do so? 1t also is ba,
case; but is not the remedy in the individ
ual as in the general, in parental enlightment
The State may encourage full and long con
tinued attendance by apportionlng the schoo
fund income upon the basis of attendance, a.
proposed by the Bill before alluded to and
think il ought TO restrict itself to measures o
enlightenment and pecuniary aid. No com
puslon without full authority and urgent ne
cessity.
l can discover very serious if not insur
mountsbe obstacles in the way of executing
a compulsory law of this nature /; and of TIN
branch OF the subject propose TO speak if
venture to write again. have not seen
copy OF the proposed ompusory law, but on
may come TO hand in time for the next artic e
This article is already too long. 1t contain
some eXtraneous matter which had better per
haps have been omitted, but beg indulgence
and hope no offence viii be taken by my gen
tlemanly and quite complimentary opponents
G. x. y.