The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1870-07-14

school wihh.
Mr.. Duncan said
Mr. PRnsTDEHT -
Ideprecate the attempt make by Senators
here 70 make 10 appear that we Southern
members are opposed 70 the education OF the
people am as much in favor Of a general
system Of education, on economical princi-
Piles, as any member of this Senate But
am opposed 10 the lavish expenditures pro-
posed In this bill. Hence / insist that arm
not inconsistent when / declare myself the
friend Of popular education aud cast my
vote against this bill, which will require
millions of money 20 start and run its ex-
pensive system. Why, sir the friends Of
this measure are attempting 20 force on our
people In the impoverished condition Of the
COUNTRY a system which has required mill
lions of money and many long years 70 per-
feet In other States. The bin Is such as
might suit our people ten years hence, but
does not suit them now.
Why, sir, IL is because / am the friend Of
general system OF education--it is because
of my strong desire to see such a system put
In successful operation In our own stale
that am so determined aud uncompromi-
sing in my opposition 10 this bill. For / be-
lieve that time will prove II 10 be one OF the
most effectual barriers 70 the general educa-
tional interests Of the State.
The fatal mistake OF those who have con-
cocted this measure consists In the extrava-
CANT oQstlineSs of IL provisions. l cannot
zee now Tic pCODAC Ndh chHAAln the heavy
burden of taxation which it imposes on
them. Why, sir, the honorable Senator
from the twelfth district (COl. Warner) who
glories in having received instruction ia
the common schools Of his own State-Con-
necticut-says, '.that he Is surprised 70 hear
a Senator Mississippian, acknowledge
that the State is too poor TO carry out the
provisions of this act" He then asks. what
made you poor? And answers his own
question by telling us ''that II was the repu-
-.
the vaults of Liverpool that destroyed your
credit and made you poor. Your people
were ignorant and led by designing politl-
clans. Your state Is rich In everything but
intelligence" 1 answer, however wealthy
we may be in the rich, undeveloped resour-
ces of our State, we are too poor TO carry
out the speculative provisions Of this bill
And will tell the honorable Senator what
made us poor. IL was your father and grand,
fathers who stole the negroes from Africa
and sold them TO our people, and after grow
ing rich by the netarious traffic you came
with your bayonets, backed by the most in
fernal government the world ever saw, and
robbed our people OF the property for which
your ancestors had received their gold. You
ravaged our country-laid waste our fields
-pillaged, sacked and burned our towns
murdered our citiZens-and transformed our
prosperous land into "A waste bowling will
deTness. The marks of your vandalism
may still be seen on every hand. This Is
what made us poor. As for your charge of
Ignorance, our Representatives In Congress
and in our own State proudly maintained
their positions as the Peers of any other
state. And our educated, intelligent aud
accomplished citizens believing ia the rights
of the States as they believed in their God.
met and hurled back again and again the
surging pillows of Northern fanaticism un-
til the intelligence of the South was heaped
in piles on hundreds of bloody battle-fieids
The average Of intelligence, to-day, Is also
greatly reduced because of the very large
proportion OF newly made colored citizens.
but such was not the case when our proud
ship of State careered triumphantly on the
sea of prosperity. You may ask, why has
not our State recuperated more rapidly
since the war? / answer, because we have
been under the military despOtism of bull
let-heads and bayonet points. You ask why
we become excited when we hear such
speeches as you have made to-day ! an
swer, because Almighty God never made
Mississippians to sit and quietly acquiesce Ia
the wholesale SANDER OF the citizens of our
State. l had hoped that the Ratchet was
buried with its edge down." But such, 4
find is not the case, for 10 Is used TO hack the
true Mississippian on every occasion. MIR. /
President | have never used it unless as
have never mentioned It'll have
cautiously avoided adverting 20 anything of
this kind. Then you need not wonder why |
| hate such principles. 1 90 despise them IN |
would take him, like old Hamilcar did Ham
nibal, TO the altar, and make him swea eter- /
nal enmity 60 the slanderers of our State \
and If he refused to take the oath, / would /
him. And, if after taking IL he /
lid not keep it TO the strictest letter, I /
would swear that he was Legitimate, and /
;purn him from my presence.