The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1873-08-09

our public schools. They are doing
much, but not half what they may do'
We must 1ecollect that education
does not consist. simply in going
through textbooks and committing
to memory q few dry abstrast princi-
pies and facts, but that properly con-
sidered 1t is = large portion Of the
business Of life. We should be con-
stantly learning, ever progressing,
always acquiring more Of truth.
Now, the love Of education u the
great want in early youth. The cul-
tivation Of this must begin at home
and be carried On throughout life.
Everybody il teacher whether he
knows it or not, aud SO sure as- each
atom Of matter exerts power in the
universe, 20 sure it is that each indt-
vidual is a power either for good or
bod in this world. We shall do we'll
then to remember that reform 10 not
to be expected from such special
movements as small party conventions
and platforms. Reform must begin
lat home, and when we eau get men to
be honest in their private dealings,
when we can get our little village,
township, county, city and state gov
ernments to work l.armoniously and
satisfactorily, then may we look for
such results upon D larger scale, and
not before.
"A subject was agitated during tho
last session Of Congress which bids
fair to be the theme Of much discus
| sion in the immediate future. refer
to the proposed amendment Of the
Constitution altering the mode Of
electing the President and Vice Pres
ident. 1t will he remembered that
last winter Senator Morton presented
a bill embodying a plan which obyi-
ated many Of the objections to the
present system, and supported it by
n long and able argument. After
some discussion the subject was re-
ferred to the Senate Committee on
Privileges and Elections, of which he
is chairman. The Senator will give
much time and thought to thSmatter
during the vacation, and will endeavor
to give it close thorough investiga-
ton. For this purpose he came to
Washington the other day, that he
might have access to the Congressional
Library and to some imprinted re-
cords Of Congress-. Since the adjourn
ment he has spent some time at the
hot springs Of Arkansas, where his
health has been greatly benefited.
Those who visited the Senate galleries
last winter and noted the pallid coun-
tcnonoc aud fcobio movements Of the
Senator from Indiana would hardly
recognize him now. The beamine
face, flashing eyes, and. vigorous mo-
tons betoken q return to health,
which will crafty not only his friend.
but the country generally.
Mr.. Morton intends to make a COM
plete and extended report, going back
to the very beginning, when our gov
ernment was organized. 'He will re-
view the debates that took place in
the constitutional convention in 1887,
and show that the imperfections Of
the present method were pointed out
at that time by some of the best minds
then present. Among others Frank
lin urged that 80 important a ques-
ton should he submitted directly t.
the people, and deprecated the dis
trust that led the conservative mem
bers of the convention to fear that thev
had already given too much political
power to the people.
The Senator's own plan is to divide
the States into districts having az
equal population and contiguous to
each other, and give to each distric,
one vote for President and Vice Pres.
ident. This plan he prefers to the