The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1875-12-09
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President Grant opens his seventh
annual message with a reference to
thisa the Centennial year Of our
national existence as 4 free and indie
pendent peopleito our growth in pop
ulhat Il on frona people numbering only
three millions to one numbering over
forty mil lions; thirteen States have
become thirty-eight, and there arc
eight territories. including Alaska.
The development of the akih and ~
sources Of the people and Of tie
country has hs0& squaily
ble,s}%. f''i4 t.ss~ ;. ''t~> u IS
What the President says concern.
ing our public schools W s,ii III,
entire:' "a We. are now about
70 enter upon our second: oen !,
tennial, COMMUNICATING our manhood
q nation, it is we'll 70 look back
upon the past and study what will be
best to preserve and advance our flu.
ture greatness. From tho fall of
Adam for his transgression to the
present day, no nation has ever been
free from threatened danger to it,
prosperity and happiness- Weshould
look to the dangers threatening u,
and remedy them 80 far ~ lies IN our
power: We are . republic in which
one man is Is good ss another before
tho law. Under such . form Of
government it is Of the greatest i'm
portance that all should be possessed
Of education and intelligence enough
to cast = vote. with = right under
standing Of it, meaning. A largo ~.
sociation Of ignorant men cannot for
any considerable period oppose ! sue.
ceesfdl rtsistance 70 tyranny md OPP
preston from education: Few but
viii inevitably sink into acquiesoenoe
70 the viii of intelligence, whether
directed by the demsgoeue or tho
priest-claft. Hsnce'th education Of
the masses becomes Of the first, nsces-
'ity for the preservation Of our inst.
tutions They are worth preserving
because they have secured the great
est good to the greatest proportion Of
the population Of any 4orm,, of gov:
eminent Of which I am advised. All
other forms Of government .pproach
1t just in proportion to the diffusion
Of education and independence of
thought and'action. Al the primary
step, therefore, to our advancement
in all that has marked our progress
IN the last century, l suggest for your
consideration, and most earnestly rec
ommend it, that a constitutional
amendment be submitted to the legis-
iatures of the several statesfor ratifica.
ton, making 1.-THE duty Of each of the
several states to establish and forever
maintain free public schools, adequate
to the education of all the children
in the rudimentary branches within
their respective limits, irrespective Of
rex, color, birthplace or religion, for
bidding the teaching in said schools
ofreligious, atheistic or pagan belief,
and prohibiting tho granting of any
school taxes, or any part thereof, eth
er BY legislative; municipal or other
methods, for the'benefit of any Other
object Of any nature or kind what.
ever:s linz :. E.:.,,>s. ;: !, {
He ne4tcalls attention to the in.
creasing evil Of >untaxed church prop:
erty, In 1850 It amounted to 383,:
00o; 900: in 1875 70 $1,000, 900; 900:
He believes that BY 1900. without
check, it will reach the enormous: to.
tai Of $4,000, 100000. He suggests
the taxation Of all property equally;
whether a church or corporation, e.
empting only the last resting place Of
the dead, if possible, with the proper
restriction Of church edifces.
Our relations with most Of the for
eign powers continue in a satisfactory
and friendly feeling. Spanish and
Cuban affair, are discussed IT. great
length. The past year, he s.ys, has
furnished no evidence Of an approach
ing close Of the ruinous conflicts
which have been raging for seven
years in tho neighboring island Of
Cuba. The same disregard Of Ii,
claims Of civilized warfare, and of
the just demands of humanity, which
have heretofore called forth expres-
sions Of condemnation from the. na-
lions Of ehristendom, have continued
to blacken the sd scene. The ,inter-
est' Of th y y United States and Tie
property Of their citizena in Cabs
are seriously affected. and the hope
that Spain would be able to establiih
peace in her colony la. not in tho
slightest degree been realized. There
has been no improvement in the atu.
alton. While the -insurfect;oa has
shown such strength and. enduur;a.n.oe
that it il doubtful whether Spain has