Arizona citizen., 1872-08-17

have heretofore received large grants
 of the public land, I think the measure
 step in the right direction and one
 that should be gladly accepted by all
 friends of education. Itis surprising,
 as gentlemen have already remarked,
 that subject so important as the en-
 couragement of national education
 should have been so long and so en-
 tirely neglected by the Government of
 the United States.
 The Territories have been and are particularly destitute of educational
 advantages. Their situation is a pc culiar one. The people are scattered over an immense area ill small set dement's and many of them are very poor. This is especially true of the two Territories with which I am most familiar, namely: New Mexico and Arizona. In a speech delivered two years since by MT. Prosser, of Ten nessee, then a member of the House, he thus referred to the state of affairs in the first named of these Territories:
 I have yet to speak of still more signal instance of bad policy which might perhaps be characterized as bad faith on the part of the General Government. About 22 years ago we acquired from Mexico territory possessing one of the most healthy climates in the world, beautiful and picturesque in its capped mountains, plains, valleys, and streams, with exhaustless min eral, agricultural, and pastural resources, two hundred and seven thousand square miles in extent, and having some one hun dred thousand people clustered in villages, thus being admirably situated for schools. The people spoke foreign language, were poor and very ignorant, yet, for poverty stricken population abounding in excellent traits of character.
 More than two generations of school children have now grown up since they have been under the jurisdiction of Con- gress; they yet speak foreign language and they are still poor and ignorant. Had Congress performed its duty in esta blishing schools among them twenty years ago, New Mexico might to-day have been flourish ing State in this Union, 8 source of wealth to the nation, and jewel in the ational crown.
 Apart from what has been done in that Territory through the earnest ef- forts of the Roman Catholic church, little progress has been made in the establishment of schools I do not know that 8 system of free education would have made the Territory State by this time, but 1t can hardly be doubted that it would have been of great benefit to the people and to all their best interests.
 In speech on education by father Truchard delivered i'll Santa Fe, in August last, that prelate attributed the state of affairs ill New Mexico, first, to deplorable indifference on the part of many parents to the instruction of their children, and secondly to the want of resources and he spoke even 1f the church schools as of an inferior and exclaimed:
 And is the case utterly hopeless? Shall t be said that the people of New Mexico Ire condemned to live forever in the dark ness of ignorance Can no remedy Do ound for this lamentable evil?
 Ladies and gentlemen, under the present I see no hope of remedy, ex- ept in the Government of the United States. It is altogether necessary that Congress make an appropriation of money or educational purposes. It is the only lope, the only remedy for ameliorating the ,oor condition of our schools.
 Governor Giddings, in his message o the last Legislative Assembly, (De- ember, 1871, dwells at much length md with much feeling upon the sub ect. He urges local legislation, in- that the people must first how disposition to do something for themselves before expecting congress- onal aid, and says:
 Now, if this first step could be taken nd then the Legislature memorabilia Con- ress setting forth the absolute needs of UT people-the fact that nearly ono , undred thousand people by war and reaty arran gements twenty five years since sll into the hands of the United States in he most wretched condition conceivable as /, 3 obtaining knowledge through the en- ghtened processes of .ucatiOn by books, le whole population in the most indigent ! and humanity required then ( nd at once that their education should be f rovided for, but it was not. Twenty-Five c ears have passed away and the people of . lis Territory are, educationally speaking, l a darker condition than when first 6 rought into our nation. Now, notwith. anding the financial resources of the peo- [ le are so small, they are yet willing to tax e lemselves annually to the amount named. 1 nd that Congress and the Territory pro- =