The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1874-12-04

\
In the recent decision of the Indiani
supreme court as to the right of negro
children to be educated in the public
schools, will be found the following valuable
statement Of sound doctrine:
"All the privileges If the school system Of thi,
state are derived solely from the constitution anC
| laws Of this st t."
Beyond question this statement is true,
and the doctrine expressed is one which
cannot be set forth with too much publ
city just now. From the earliest colonial
history, the free school has been an insti-
tute OF special favor with the American
people The Puritans declared that the
establishment Of educational institutions
was one of the reasons which brought
them to the bleak shores of New England,
aud they justified this declaration by es-
tabishing free schools as soon as they
were able to establish anything. When
the colonies became Independent states,
they continued the free school system, each
tor itself, aud as new states were admitted
they too, made such provision for public
schools as seemed best Some OF the
states made more liberal and extended
provision than did others, and it is alleged
that some wholly neglected the subject,
but all the facts, every law passed, every
constitutional provision adopted by any
state on the question, goes to affirm the
truth stated by the supreme court of In
diana The necessity for the assertion of
a doctrine, which, like this, is In strict ac
cord with our system of government, only
shows how far we have dIifted away from
that system as originally formed
1t is only since the Republican party
came into power that this doctrine has
been opposed and it has onl, en- within the
last few years that even that party has
had the audacity TO assault this doctrine,
by proposing to pass statute law in oppo-
stion to it, The public schools of every
state in the Union have been supported by
the proceeds of lands donated by the Unit
ed States, and by the funds from taxes le-
We'd by the people or their representatives.
The donations of lands were made for a
specific purpose, and were to be used in
specific way-that is to say, they were TO
be used for the support of public schools,
under direction of the states Individually.
The taxes levied were such as the people
chose to levy. either by states, by counties,
cities, or school districts. thus every dol
lar was carefully secured to the use of the
people OF such state, for use in public
schools, OF course, in this state of affairs
AL the privileges of the school system OF
this state Indiana, Illinois or any other
state, are derived solely from the consii-
tuition and laws of that state.
Congress has no power to pass any law
as to the conduct of the schools. 1t may,
perhaps, make further donations to the
states, to use for public schools, but those
donations must be expended under the au
thority of the states, and subject to no re-
stric;ions The whole subject of education
is one of those whereof the power Is re
served to the states or to the people, and
no law which congress can pass is of any 4
binding force or effect Let the people 1
preserve this essential doctrine carefully, /
for the Republican congress this winter
will seek to abrogate it-Sp1Hafeld Reg
Iasr.