Daily national Republican. (Washington City [D.C.]) 1870-1872, 1870-02-09

ToAANg
wilhelm Austin last WlnterN l was OK
eoedInRly Interested inthe provisions Of the
constitution made % the Interest Of the col
ored populatlon Of that great State. The
wisdom Of that convention in setting aside
all the available resources Of the State to
this high consideration cannot now DO too
highly commended. II will be seen that
section eight Of article ten Of the eonstltu-
ton Just adopted deyotes 100 acres TO the
landleas for houusteads; section seven de-
clares all railroad grants, not allenated In
conformity TO law, forfeited TO the State for
the benefit Of the school fund.- section six
inhiblts the Legislature from granting any
land 10 any person or persons except 10
actual settlers, In lots Of $50 acres; section
two provides for ascertaining the residue Of
vacant lands. Article nine provides for
common school system upon liberal scalej
section sir provides that all funds, lands, or
other property heretofore set apart aud APP
propTlated, or may be hereafter set apart,
shall constitute a school fund, and all sums
Of money from, the sale Of the public do
main, and one fourth 0 the annual revenue,
together With a poll tax Of one dollar on all
males between the ages OF twenty-one and
sixty. iNN' -n''
The thlry.thlrd section of the twelfth
article contains the uoh'elandered ab iHiiio
principle carried throngh, though somewhat
eneumoered, ~ Governor Jaws against the
monoPoilsts o. IeHaa and ~ me ace OF tne
enpr0vokSo ooioquy poured upon u oy us
ioremost oppouent, and the Two presses OF
Austin. The purpose Of this provision In
the constitution OF 90 Is 70 annul the gene
raj law OF Texas granting sixteen sections
to roads, and 70 perfect all lands granted 10
the completed sections OF roads, and so pre-
Herye tue lands not Jet anenated according
70 the laWei also, 70 compel the restoration
Of the lands and uses Of money subsequent
70 the ordinance OF secession, which the db
inti.o clauses In the constitution OF '6g declare
null, saving vested rights OF private loyei per-
TO clear away All rebel laws, Intending, OF
course, the Legislation OF tho Throckmorton
government OF 100, so as 70 leave the residue
Of the public lands, absolutely prohibiting
the Legislature from granting lands to any
person or persons, except as homesteads to
the laudless and by sales Of lots Of 100
acres 70 actual settlers, and setting aside the
public domain and all landa, property and
money as q permanent fund for the educa-
ton Of the colored children aud homes for
the now landless freedmen, and 10 encourage
the growth OF settlers .H....-
In order to understand the sense Of these
proVisions, II may be proper TO state that the
constitution Of 1915 provided for a mlscalled
common school system and set apart pOr-
ton Of the annual tax as permanent fund,
and tho Legislature, from time TO time,
donated large grants Of public land also
by the sale Of the Santa Fe lands, In 1880,
some millions Of the proceeds were appro-
printed for the same purpose In the form OF
which Is known a. the Texas indemnity bonds
By subsequent legislation these bonds were
loaned TO the railroads In amounts not ex-
cecding $1,000 per mile, as the same woro
completed, at the same time donating six-
teen sections per milo as the same should
be completed, requiring the companies to
ALLEVIATE the lands, or portion OF the lands,
10 ten years, &C. a..-
Now, the purpose Of the provision Of the
constitution Of 1859 Ia TO annul the general
law Of Texas granting sixteen sections to
roads and to yorJd All the lands granted 70
the ineompletec sections Of road, and 80 pre-
| serye all not yet Aneuated according 70 law
also TO compel the restoration OF the lands.
Aud all grants Of lands and uses OF money
subsequent TO the secession ordinance, the
aS tHilio claus. S In the constitution declares
IyI,h -. ....,.,... =, an. ro-s,ttr,,o,
or.I,I,iS pS,,aJ 80. ~ SsJ inbtbi,ins
~ S,,,i.s ~ ~ ~ $50. rsiirosS Coz
S ~ l1 .ins' o ~ .slSnr al nj
R aSu oe pshooi go '.Dd IN Rene
s sIeoSs roS ths iandIcs, coiored men tbere
~. 10 ~ ~. ' nS,ionsI csnitaI tosSSy nsrtIsS
SnT,s ,kaS. ,.,,nos, 70 fofr, conbina inns n
eos ni,ssi H. u,.no% ~ snorSh h. nm nm tbs
IaprIsiatT5o ~ Ters. ~ dsprIyo ina moor III
%liu 1sHnDta,ont schooI NINA ana home
stsad. ma narcsi ont The same among Inc
.cban1.r. Ths monnpolisis Are marSbaline
,s.Is sero:. ~ monsS and hogns stoclrs te
s,ern, ~ ,sg,sIstrrs ~ TsTes. and to i'm.
pre,s he incoming government OF that
80, a,.t. thst hsinbibitlon Of land prapts
10 a nsrson or nsrsona does not mean 10 10.
hIblt Vranta 10 atlons--thAt Is, that |