Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-02-03
BY TELEGRAPH
TO THE
Daily Kennebec Journal.
Fort. Second Congressional Session,
WAsHINGToN, 9.
House.

education in the States. He regarded it as
the opening wedge merely pointing the way
for comprehensive system of national educa-
tin for postal telegraph law and other kim
dred legislation, till every right heretofore
regarded as being vested in the States will be
absorbed by the general government
Mr.. Kerr of Ind, also opposed the bill and
referred to Mr.. Hoar's speech in its support
as being unworthy of him and designed to
make false charges against the democratic
party. In connection with education In
diana had to-day munificient educational fund
of about S6,500,000.
Mr.. Hoar suggested that the funds came
from public lands.
Mr.. kerr-By no means.
Mr.. Hoar-No part of it?
Mr.. kerr-I did not say so.
Mr.. Hoar-No, but | ask you that is all.
Mr.. Kerr stated from what sources the fund
was derived. Three and halle millions
came from bonds issued by the State and
about four millions from public lands.
Mr.. Hoar-Then the gentlemen admits
that the bill is precisely. in the line of demo-
cratic policy in better days.
Mr.. Kerr-This bill is precisely out of lire
with the democratic policy and precisely in
the line with the present and past policy of
the republican party towards States. He dis
cussed the details of the bill and stated his
objections to them. One of the objections
was that it required system, not only of
free public schools but of mixed public
sstools. lie was in favor of giving free and
equal education to all children of the country,
but he was not in favor Of that miserable
system which cursed both races by mixing
them up in common schools. Another OBJ
lection was its practical operation to transfer
the legal control of the educational system
from the rightful keeping of the people of
the States to that Of Congress. Mr.. Bird of
New Jersey also opposed the bill as being the
child of the freedmen's bureau and a revival
of that system of education.
Mr.. Parker of n. H., member of the COM
mittee on education, opposed the bill and re-
PEELED the argument MIR. Hoar made some
weeks ago, SO far as it reflected on the dem
ocratc party. lie claimed that the party had
always been special champions of education,
and referred to the last messages of the Gov
ernor's of New Hampshire and New Jersey
on that point.
Mr.. Townsend of Pa, member of the
committee advocated the BILL and replied to
Mr.. Hanks speech, saying that claim put
forward 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 its enforcement He
made a point as to the illiteracy of democratic
States, singing out especially Delaware. He
denied that the bill required mixed system
of education.
Mr.. Mckee of Miss, made an argument
on the same side.
Mr.. Goodrich of n. Y, offered an amend
ment to distribute the fund for the first ten
years according to the rates of illiteracy in
the several States, as shown by the last CEN
sus.
Mr.. McNeeley of H.. offered an amend
ment admitting printing material free of
duty.
Mr.. Buchard of ILL.,, suggested certain
amendments in detail of the bill. He ex-
pressed great JOY at hearing the democrats
anew themselves in favor of the education
bill. 1t did not enforce the free school sys-
tenn on any State. 1t was simply intended to
pursue the States and establish free school
system, by offering them a portion of the
proceeds of public lands.
Mr.. Shellabarger of o., spoke of the great
Importance of the pending measure as con-
tracted with little amounts paid it by the
House. He was certain that half the men,
bers did not know what was going on. He
advocated the passage of the bill and defend
ed it against the charge of unconstitutional
ty.
Mr. Briggs of Del, defended the ware
house bill from the aspersions of Mr.. Town
send. He remarked as that gentleman lived
near the border of Delaware, it was no won
der that he and persons given to his practices
should be little afraid of the whipping post.
The insinuation against the venerable mem
! Der from Pennsylvania was so ludicrous that
it provoked laughter all over the House.
He next turned his attention to the speech
made by Mr.. Hoar some weeks ago, in which
some illusions were made to the discredit of
Delaware, and said that he would read the
criminal statistic of the sanity State of Mas
sachusetts. He would read the crimes in
alphabetical order. They used up all the
letters of the alphabet except the last four
He found that in the four years of lS6G-67-
6o-69, the number of criminal prosecutions
in Massachusetts was lO,O36. They had in
creased from 1915 in 1866, to 8409 in 1869
And what were these crimes? Arson, adul-
terry, burglary, bigimy, conspiracy to defraud
drunkenness, detacing tombstones, forgery
horse stealing, highway robbery, keeping
hotels without a license, obtaining money
under false pretences, night walking, perjury
polygamy. playing cards on Sunday, cock
fights, refusing to pay railroad fares, selling
liquor, selling diseased meats, threatening to
burn churches, sc.
Mr.. Hoar asked Mr.. Briggs if the source
from which he had obtained his statistics did
not show over so per cent. of these crimes
were committed by persons of foreign birth.
Mr.. Briggs-That will do. Is that rea-
sonable thing to ask me to go into the State
of Massachusetts and ascertain whether a
person committing such crimes as these is an
Englishman or Dutchman?
Mr.. uoar-Eighty per cent. of these crimes
were committed by persons Of foreign birth,
every man of whom votes the democratic
ticket.
Mr.. Briggs-Foreigner who have fed from
their own countries and come over here, are
many of them poor and illiterate, and it is a
shame for the gentleman from Massachusetts,
to undertake to cast such reflection upon the
foreign population of the country.
Mr.. Hoar- 1t is the census Of the United
States that says so.
| Mr.. Briggs-I will now proceed to read
something which think is refreshing. The
gentleman said in his speech the other day
"With what bitter hatred; with what bitter
and relentless hatred has the democratic
party pursued these unhappy States of the
Shouth. How has that party sought to fasten
on that beautiful and unfortunate section
everything that degraded mankind" There
is not man in America to-day, outside Of
an insane asylum, who believes it. The