Arizona citizen., 1875-02-20

ZeTlanu, neSbleQ III LQe SHOW Clau AIDS
 with her compulsory educational laws.
 every man capable of reading and writing, tevery man a freeman, defying mOnarchies
 on all sides. and ready to give up life to
 maintain the independence and freedom | of their own beloved land.
 1 Sir, the line Is so well marked between l those countries that support a general sys- | tenn of education and those which do not, that the traveller need not Ee told when he passes from one Co the other. On the side
 of education, are seen thrift, charity, con tentment and happiness, and on the side Of llliteracy, are seen poverty, intolerance and distress. The question is so plain and
 simple that it does not require argument i;
 all that is necessary is to read history and
 admit facts. It has always been the favor
 ite argument of those who seek to keep
 the people in ignorance so they may rule
 and tyranniZe over them, that they do so
 by divine right. The monarch upon his
 throne, claims to derive his right tO rule
 from above, and that his person is sacred
 and he can do no wrong. He uses the
 cloak of religion to sustain this right, and
 millions of human beings have been
 brought to torture and death, because they
 dared to have and express opinions con
 trary to the ruling power, and all this in
 the name of religion and by power
 claimed to be Divine. Sir, we are endeav-
 bring to raise up a people in our public
 schools, who will have the manliness and courage to oppose this diyine-right hum
 bug. We are endeavoring to raise up people who will be charitable aud kind
 to all, who will prescribe no one on ac- count of their religious belief; who will in the future as in the past, accept and support men for their true worth and not on account of the particular religious creed they may entertain. If there is any re- ligiOuS creed that cannot stand upon this platform of equal fairness and justice to all if it's dogmas cannot be sustained by a broad and liberal system of education of church influence, then l hp which 1t is founded. We do not propose in any manner to interfere with the rel!g- 1ous instruction of the youth; we only seek to give them the rudiments of an so that they can be made use : ful men and women and intend to let them go to the church and home circle for i their religious teaching, In this way we propose to raise up generation of true American citizens who will come upon the stage of action with their religious /: opinions mainly moulded by the mother who has so earnestly watched and prayed | for them and the church influences that have surrounded them but they will be aS liberal and tolerant for the opinions of i others as the schools have been in which they were instructed ; and ill this way we propose to keep in the councils of the na- ton in the future as we have in the past, men of all creeds who will work in har- nony and unison for the honor and glory of our common country.
 Sir, have heard it stated that we were an accidental majority, and It has been asserted that the ballot would be invoked 70 divide our school funds, which aims and means nothing less than utter and com olete destruction of our free school system. Cover the subject with all the sOphistry you please, this Is what it means and this will be the sure and speedy result, if the will of the opposition is carried out. am rec to say thatI depiore such contest. nave fondly hoped that so sacred a public rust as that of educating our little ones, would never be made subject Of sectarian warfare but if come it must, 1 will tell he opposition that we are not an acciden- al majority, and if the issue is forced upon IS, they will find the hardy miner, the farmer and the tOiling me-
 manic marching in one solid phalanX to
 uStain this sacred trust. He who con- eives the idea that the people or Arizona will taIhely give up our free school system, InoWS but very little Ot them. Until re- ently, have not supposed that an un- ,road limits of this Territory to give the ystem an unfriendly blow. The people rave sIumbere in the belief that upon his question, we were all united. But entiemeE of the opposition, raise the issue you desire, and you will see such an up. ising from the mountains and valleys Of AriZOna, as will convince you that we are
 10 accidental majority.
 MT. President, perhaps most of you have cen more fortunate, but have to thank I W | ave, and I am grateful. It is the proudest eriod of my life that am this day privi- , edged to stand before you and the country l nd offer up this just tribute to an in3titu-
 ion which has given me the little pos- ess, and that is to-day doing the same hing for millions of my young country len. My only regret is that do not pos ess greater ability, and have not had more
 me to do full justice to this subject.
 There is no question on earth so dear to ly heart, and hope when I refuse or fail } raise my voice and arm, if necessary, in Y efense of the public schools of America, nat my tongue will cleave to the roof of ly mouth and my arm will fall from it's Ocket. Next to my mother, this school yStem has been my best friend, and it 'ould be as ungrateful in me to tuIn gainst my mother as to give it an un- 1 iendly blow or fail to defend it when one
 struck. MT. President, I am opposed to lis bill on principle It proposes to ap- ropriate money from the public school md for the benefit of a private school. 1t F
 a betrayal of the trust reposed in us to SC one dollar of this money except for the urpose for which it was designed. It is le establishing of a principle that will ,ad to the destruction of our public ,hools. I therefore hope that the bill will ot pass.
 AN exchange truthfully says that daily aNyS na r1arc do not rpcaiya SI1oh a tbOr0uph 70