Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-01-28

munds IS agitating in Washington, provides
for the establishment Of fund to be divided
between the States and Territories according
to their population of children Of school age.
Certain condi tons are laid down, the non
fulflment of which will dehar the State from
receiving it, share. The fund Is TO be sup
ported by appropriating one half OF the net
cash proceeds, from the sale, entry or loca-
ton. or other disposition OF public lands.
This will be invested in United States i've
per cent. bonds, and viii he held in trust
by the Treasurer Of the United States. the
interest to he divided as above described.
The bill wa presented last January in
substantially the same form as now.
The bill to provide for the appointment Of
a commission to investigate alcoholic liquor
traffic. wa. taken up in the Senate on Tues
day. and after some discussion was passed ::
ayes p, nays 20.
The bill to confirm the presumption and
homestead settlers on public lands within
railroad grants, being taken up, on Tues
dav. Mr.. Morrill,, Of Vermont. said it was a
very wide-sweeping bill. His colleague,
Mr.. Eimunds, now absent, had taken some
interest in it, and he (Morrill would like
that No action be taken on it till the return
Of his colleague. The bill was discussed
but no action taken on it.
Mr.. Morrill, Of Vermont, submitted res
o!ution directing the Secretary of War to
communicate to the Senate the aggregate
number Of the organized militia Of TIE
several States. Agreed to.
Mr.. Morrill,, also introduced bill
to establish an educational fund, and
apply q portion Of the proceeds o. the
public lands to public education. and to
provide for the more complete endowment
and support Of national colleges Tor the ai-
vancement Of scientific and Industrial eiuca-
ton. Referred to the Committee on Eluca-
ton and Labor
In the House on Thursday Mr. Townsend,
Of New York, spoke in support Of the cen
tennial appropriation bill. lie said that
he had been for the declaration and that he
was now for celebration. \ hundred years
ago this was feeble folk, scattered over a
vast extent Of country, less than 5000, 900
in number A hundred years had made
them nation of more than 10000, 000-
a nation made up of material second 10
none now on the face of the cart b, and sec
ond TO none that ever existed. If there
ever had been a nation that had reason to
be proud of its achievements it was the
American nation 1t had Just expended
50 900 600 900 to render it certain that the
nation should exist and should have 4 cen
tennial. The money had been expended,
and 500 900 lives sacrificed that The nation
might have a centennial He therefore
put it to his side of the House whether
pitiful 81 500 900 was begrudgeI 10 the
work of showing to the nations Of the
earth the quality Of this people and its
progress in arts, in agriculture and manu-
features. That was the way he felt IN re
gard to it, and when the constitutional
question presents itself he would say that
if a nation had right to exist it had a
right to show that it existed. That was
all there was in the constitutional question
His emaeiated friend from New York (Mr
Willis had pleaded very clog uently for the
poor. That was not a new question. There
had been those who looked after the poor in all
ages. Two thousand years ago there had been
a woman vile enough to waste box Of ONT
ment, and one looking on, whose name was
lscariot. found fault with her, and said that
the box might have been sold for 900 pence
and the money given to the poor. There
was another verse in that connection about
the motive which prompted the interfer-
epce in behalf of the poor Shut ont of re-
gard for his colleague (Mr. Willis he
would not read it. Laughter lie (Nr.
Townsend) sympathized with the poor, and
it was because he sYmpathizsd with the poor
that he wanted this nation to flourish and
be honored. The poor Of this country occu-
pied position such a. the poor ui no
other country had ever occupied since
Adam and his wife went on on a farming
from Eden Laughter
He alluded, in reply to Mr.. Reagans re-
marks OF yesterday, TO the great wealth OF
Texas, TO the growing prosperity of the
cotton growing States and to the sgricul- |
tural prosperity of the Northern States, and |
could see nothing in all these evidences of |
progress that should interfere with the Cen
ennial. lie then proceeded to criticise in
| ocular manner the strict cOnstructionists |
If the South as represented in the speech |
OF Mr.. Tucker, Of Virginia, and |
it all up by defining strict con
tructiOnist to he one who. if he wants a
Measure, considers il constitutional, and. if |
lie does not want it, considers it unc0nstitu-
ional. A strict eOnstructiOnist reminded
lin Of an lrishman in his district who had
horse, and who, when a neighbOr asked
lin whether his horse had the glanders, re-
,lied, - If he has the CHAMBERS, and if he is
he worse for the CHAMBERS, ne has not the
flanders at all. " RoarS of laughter The
Gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Tucker had
'ut forth a proposition yesterday in sub
lance that this was not nation but a con-
ederacy of States. Bat his more expe-
fenced neighbOr from Indiana (Mr. Hol-
lan) begged of him not to open that ques-
ion. From 1880 and earlier up to 1850
hat question had been debated in every
ssembly, in every meeting of Congress, on
be hastings and in the State Legislatures.
n 1850 a constitutional majority of the peo-
lie of the country elected Abraham Lincoln
the presidency and Congress, which
ED, with Mr.. Lincoln, that it was nation.
N appeal had been taken from the forum
discussion to the field of iron war. and
ON 1861 to 1865 brave men on both sides
let in the terrible arbitrament OF steel to
title the question whether this was nation
: not. The question had been brought up
a appeal, and had been argued on many a
ED. from Gettysburg to the gulf and.
nally, Judgment had been rendered in that
own district (Mr. Tucker's),
Appomattox. He wished that that gen
eman had gone and read up the record be-
re be came to the House with view to
-open that discussion and to throw the
'untrv into new turmoil.
Mr.. Townsend's speech, which was de
Tered in humorous, conversational, story
ling style, was thoroughly enjoyed by his
ldience, members gathering around him
ID laughing heartily at his jokes.
The following dialogue took place in the
ouse, on Wednesday, when Mr.. Tucker, of
rginia, arguing against the constitution
ity of the Centennial appropriation, said,
reply to questions by Messrs. Hoar, of
and Lawrence, of Ohio, and
hers, that the word national was not in
e constitution
Mr.. Lawrence-It was in the minds of the
en- who made the constitution.
Mr.. Tuckcr-The men did not make it. q