Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-02-10


the government. 1t is indispensable also to the
accomplishment of the great constitutional
scheme of its administration. Therefore, OF
direct logical necessity it becomes the constitu-
tional duty of congress to secure it.
But to each OF the enumerated special objects
for which this Union was formed universal
public instruction is an indispensable and
necessary means "to form more perfect union."
The history of the last ten years shows that
wherever ignorance exists there the spirit of
dIsunion exists Wherever light and education
exist there attachment to the Uni n existed.
"To establish justice" How can justice be
established in constitutional way, when every
legal and constitutional question involving hui
man rights is to be determined in the last resort
by jury drawn from the body of the people,
unless that jury is drawn from a body of edu.
Gated and instructed people?
ITO provide for the common defense" Mr..
Speaker, the history of the last year, the history
of the last five years. is full of pregnant ustra-
tons of this truth; that army, navy, cannon,
and fortress are weak compared with the
strength which lies in the brain Of an educated
nation. The people of Switzerland, surrounded
on all their frontiers by the great military pow
ers of Europe, maintain the strongest proper
tionate power on earth at the cheapest expense
of any civilized nation. And it is because, as
the highest authorities declare they educate at
the public charge every child within their limits.
This is not the fancy of an enthusiast or the
hobby of dreamer; it is the Acknowledged and
pronounced Judgment of the greatest authori-
ties existing to-day.
/ will not undertake to develop further the
argument that provision for public education is
properly within the scope of that power which
is charged with providing for the common de-
Tense
Under the other provision, "to provide for the
general welfare" it has been repeatedly adjudg-
ed by the highest judicial tribunals that the
power to raise money by taxing the people was
almost unlimited, being left only to the discre-
ton of congress.
Another great object of public care which has
also been held by all parties as properly within
the dominion Of congress, is the promotion of
manufactures; and the experience of the past
few years is equally pregnant in regard to the
relation of public education to manufactures.
As l stated to the house the other day, England
found in that great comparison of the manu- fac
lures and products of the world, held at London,
the worlds fair of 1851, that out of one hundred
grand departments of mechanical and manufae-
turing industry she exceeded all the other ma
tlons of the world in variety. In 1867, owing to
the increase of public education in Belgium,
Switzerland, and especially in Prussia, England
exceeded in those same departments in but ten +;
and just before the adjournment of this house
last summer, England, as measure of necessa-
~ relief to her depressed manufacturing indus
tries, established her system of universal public
education.
So in agriculture Agriculture has ceased to
be mere toll of human muscle, and has become
a competition of science and intelligence.
Then, again, Mr.. Speaker there is the great
power, unused and neglected so long, which au-
thorizes and requires congress to guaranty to ev-
cry state republican government. How can a
republican government, in the American consti-
tutional sense, exist unless there exists also men,
tai power and intelligence in the people whose
.sart.N -. - IL. =
by the constitution Therefore, say to those
gentlemen on this floor who believe that the idea
of a republican government involves necessarily
the intelligent choice as well as the numerical
count of the whole people that it is incapable of
denial that the security of republican govern
ment in state involves, by logical necessity,
the securing and guarantying of the intelligent
capacity to administer it, You may Just as well
permit the dominant party in a state TO put out
the eyes of voter, so that he cannot see the
way to deposit his ballot at the polls, as to per-
NIT them to blind that intellectual light, more
valuable and as indispensable to enable the vot-
er to cast his ballot intelligently.
Therefore, to sum up this constitutional argu-
ment, | declare that universal education is es-
sential to the national existence. 1t is essential
to the administration of the government of this
nation by those persons whose constitutional
privilege and duty it is to administer it. 1t is
also essential to the accomplishment of the great
cure. 1t is the best cement of "perfect union"
The general welfare is best promoted by it..
1t is the best ans only guarantee to republican
government, and is the only security of the
BLESSINGS of liberty" 1t is strength in war;
it is wealth in peace. By it flourish art, agri-
culture, manu- actures, commerce, all tt at
constitute greatness, all that constitute glory
Surely, then, that law making power which is
charged with the accomplishment of these great
ends may lawfully accomplish them by the
this the surest, the most natural means.
The gentlemen of this house and their imme
diate republican predecessors have undertaken
to secure and peri ct the democratic republican
ism OF this country by enacting two great con.
stitutional amendments, which declare the right
of every citizen to take part in the administra.
ton of the government This exercise of power
imposes upon us the imperative duty of COM
plotting this work by providing for the education
of these masses whom we have enlranchised.
The republican who denies the constitutional
power of congress to provide for the education
of the people is bound by logical necessity to
deny the power of this people to enact those two
great constitutional amendments, which cannot
be carried into effect without this education.
The man who hinches from this duty abaudons
the work he has solemnly pledged himself and
the American people to undertake If this
measure or some better or kindred measure shall
not be adopted the members of the republican
party will go down in history as feeble, timid,
base, blind statesmen, who undertook the work
of emancipation which they were incompetent
to carry on to its final results; as incapable to
understand the needs and unit to mold the des-
TIMES of great and free people.
II this is not true the stakeholder is right. If
this is not true let us send back the two intelli-
gent gentlemen Of downtrodden race whom we
have welcomed at this session to the floor of this
house. Unless they and their kindred are 10
be educated, their place is beneath the lash.
Either the tyrant, the slave-master is right, or
the consistent republican is bound to secure, by
competent education, the capacity to take part
in the administration OF the government to
every man beneath the shadow of its flag.
Mr. Speaker, the purpose of this bill is simply
TO establish by national authority common
school system which shall instruct all children
OF school age in the ordinary knowledge of read.
ing, writing, and arithmetic in those states
which fail or refuse to make such provision by
state authority. 1t does not propose to NEEDLE
with or disturb the existing condition of things
IN any STATE Where competent commOn-schOOl
system now exists, or where, within reasona-
Bile time hereafter, such a school system may be
established by state authority.
The Dill provides, as | suppose it constitu ton.
ally mnst, for system which, in the first in.
stance, apparently covers the entire Union. II
provides for the assessment of a direct tax
amounting TO fifty cents for each inhabitant OF
the Union, which tax, by the constitution. must
be apportloned among the states according to
the population, though of course it is raised in
the state by taxing the property which it affects
chiefly real eastate, with large homestead ex-
emptlon of $1,000. 1t provides further thai
whatever sum is raised, the proportion of each
state shall be expended within the state upon
| which IL is assessed. 1t further provides thai
instead OF raising the tax by national instru.
mentalities, each state may, fit elects, raise ia
its own way the sum which is assessed upon it,
and pay it into the national treasury; thus fol.
lowing exactly the precedents OF ali or nearly
all the national direct tax acts which have been
passed. II is provided further that the act sbal
not take effect until the list of july, 1872; and h
lnI the meantime any state shall engage &c
establish common-school system Tor itself, the
operation Of the act as to that state shall bC
suspended for the further term of twelve
| months.
| If at the expiration of twelve months the
president of the United States is satisfied that