Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-02-03

bill.
Mr. Hib5erd, of New Hampshire, OPP
posed the bill saying he regarded it as an
opening wedge, merely paving the way foI
a comprehensive system of national educa-
ton, for a postal telegraph law, and for
other kindred legislation until every right
heretofore regarded as being vested in the
States be absorbed by the general govern
ment.
Mr.. Kerr also opposed the bill and re-
ferred to Mr.. Hoar's speech in support OF
it as being unworthy of him, and as being
designed to make false charge against the
Democratic party in connection with edu-
cation. He characterized that speech as
extremely discreditable to MIR. Hoar, and
unjust towards the Democratic party,
whose record in connection with education
was i ustrious and glorious. The State of
Indiana had to-day munificent education
fund of about eight and half millions.
Mr.. Hoar suggested that that fund came
from the public lands.
Mr.. Kerr-By no means.
Mr.. Hoar-NO part of it?
Mr.. Kerr did not say so.
Mr.. HOar-No, but l ask, that is all.
Mr.. Kerr stated from what sources the
fund was derived, three and half millions
being from bonds issued by the State and
about four millions from the public lands.
Mr. Hoar-Then the gentleman admits
that the bill is precisely in the line Of the
Democratic policy in better days.
Mr.. Kerr-This bill is precisely out of
line with the Democratic policy and is pre-
cisely in the line of the present and past
policy of the Republican party towards Il
States of the Union. He proceeded to dis
cuss the details of the bill and to state his
objections TO them. One of the objections
which he had TO the bill was that it required
a system not only of free public schools but
| Of mixed public schools. He was in favor
of giving free and equal education TO all
the children of the country, but was not in
favor of that miserable system which did
curse both races by mixing them up in com
mon schools. Another objection was that
It's practical operation would be to transfer
| the legal control of the educational systems
from the rightful keeping of the people of
! the State to that Of the Congress Of the
United States.
Mr.. Bird oppose the bill as being
Child Of the Freedmen's Bureau
and a revival of that system of legislation.
Mr. Parker, of New Hampshire, opposed
! the bill, and claimed that the Democratic
party had always been the special champi-
! on of education, and he referred to the last
messages of the Governors of New Hamp-
! shire and New Jersey On that point.
! Mr.. Townsend, of Pennsylvania, advO-
waited the bill and replied to Parker's
speech, saying the claim put forward by him
| for the Democratic party reminded him Of
! that very earnest temperance man down
east who was in favor Of the Maine liquor
! law but opposed to its enforcement, laugh
teri. He made point as to the illiteracy
of the Democratic States, singing out es-
| pecally Delaware. He [denied?l that the
bill required a mixed system education.
IIIiteracy as a Basis.
| Mr.. Goodrich offered an amendment to
! distribute the fund for the first ten years
according to the States of illiteracy in the
several state as shown by the last census.
Mr.. McNeely offered an amendment ad-
hitting printing material free of duty.
Mr.. Burchard suggested certain amend
ments in the details Of the bill. He eX-
pressed his Joy at hearing the Democrats
| avow themselves in favor Of education, and
| that their only opposition to the measure
was that it would interfere with State
| rights, but they had failed to show any in
vasion of State rights. The bill did not
! compel or infOrce the school system in any
State. 1t was simply intended to persuade
! the States to establish free school system
by offering them portion of the proceeds
Of the public lands.
! Mr.. Shellabarger advocated the passage
! of the bill, and defended it against the
! charge of uncOnstitutiOnality. He cited
various acts of legislation which formed
precedents for the provisions of this bill.
Mr.. Biggs defended his State Delaware)
! from the aspersions Of Mr.. Townsend, of
| Penn, and remarked that as that gentle
| man lived near the border line of Delaware
| it was no wonder that he and persons who
were given to his practices should be little
afraid of the whipping post. The insinua-
! ton against the member from Pennsylvania
was so ludiciOus as to provoke laughter all
| over the House,
! He next turned his attention to the
! speech made by Mr.. HoaT some weeks ago,
! in which some illusions were made to the
! discredit of Delaware and said that he
would read the criminal statistics of the
SANITY State of Massachusetts.
He would read the crimes in their alpha
betical order. They used up all the letters
! of the alphabet except the last four.
! TLaughter.1 He found that in four years,
! lS66-7-8 and 1869, the number of criminal
prosecutions in Massachusetts were 10,036.
! They had increased from 1,945 in 1866, to
! 3,459 in 1869, and what were these crimes
Arson, adultery, burglary, bigamy laughter
conspiring to defraud, drunkenness, defac-
ing tombstones laughter, forgery, horse
stealing Tlaughterl, highway robbery, keep
ing hotels without a license laughter
night walking laughter, obtaining money
] IL
polgamy Tlaughter1, playing cards on Sun
day, attending cock fighting, refusing to
nav railroad fairs, selling liquor, selling OBJ
scene prints, selling diseased meat, threat
ening to burn churches [laughterl. When
the honorable gentleman fiom Massachu-
sets talked about the illiteracy of Della
ware he should tell the House how Massa-
chusetts presented such a black record of
crime. [Laughterl.
MIR. Hoar asked Mr.. Biggs if the source
from which he had obtained his statistics
did not show that over SO per cent of those
crimes were committed by persons Of for
eign birth.
Mr.. Biggs interrupting-"That viii do.
Is not that a reasonable thing to ask me to
90 into the State Of Massachusetts and as
certain whether the persons committing
such crimes as these is an Englishman or
a Dutchman?" [RCars oflaughter.l
Mr.. Hoar-Eighty per cent and more of
these crimes were committed by persons of
foreign birth. Every man of them votes the
Democratic ticket. Laughter. Applause
on the Republican side
Mr.. Biggs-The foreigners who have fed
from their own countries and come over
here, are many of them, poor and illiterate,
and it is shame for the gentleman from
Massachusetts to undertake to cast such a
reflection on the foreign population Of the
country.
Mr.. Hoar-It is the census of the United
States that says so, not |.