South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1876-07-28

hve years the whole amount OF such net
proceeds is TO be thus apportioned; FOR
the succeeding Ave years, one-half the
other half, and after ten years the
whole amount, to be invested in United
States bonds, only the interest on which
shall be thus apportioncd and the In.
vestments thus made to remain "a a
perpetual fund for the benefit OF free
education throughout our entire country.
During the first ten years the apportion.
ments are TO be made on the basis Of
illiteracy, but forever afterward on that
of the whole population. While the bill
leaves Il optional with each State to
accept or reject its distributive share,
yet when once accepted il must be faith.
fully and honestly applied to the pur-
poses therein indicated under the penal.
ty of forieiting all right to any other
apportionments until full compliance
I've made with the conditions prescribed.
No interference with the existing laws
( for the disposition of the public lands is
contemplated, and the percentages re.
served to certain States remain undis.
turbed. These are substantially the
main provisions of the bill under con-
sideration, and trust they may meet
with the cordial appreciation OF every
member Of this House. No patent is
claimed for them ns for All original
discovery, for the principal ideas involv.
cd have been brought to the attention
OF Congress and the country at different
times and in various forms during al.
most the entire period Of our national
existence.
a
"Sir. this Government has never own.
ell n foot Of soil that she did not hold
| for the common use and benefit Of all
her people. And how has this trust
been administered? Has equal and ex-
net justice been melted out to all the
members OF the Union? Has each re-
ceived its just and equal proportion of
this common fund Of all or of the bene-
! fits flowing therefrom? In fact. until
1862, has one of the original grantors
or one of the original thirteen States
received one particle of direct benefit
from this great trust fund in accordance
with the trust, except generally, from
the amounts paid into the Federal
Treasury Yet nearly eighty millions
of acres have been given to the New
States and Territories for educational
! purposes and 222 ,469.337 acres to rail
roads and for other purposes within the
same limits. Really the enormous u
mount Of sol ,796,l3 acres Of the pub.
lie domain, the common treasure Of the
whole Union, has been disposed Of in
violation of the nations trust.
"The pressing need of the South to.
day is for educational aid. She has
/ not yet recupcrated from the terrible
devastations and losses of the war, and
while most of the States have Inaugural
ted AMI maintained good systems of
free schools, and have largely reduced
the sum total Of illiteracy in their midst,
/ yet their means are still too limited
and the burdens too great for them to
maintain their schools for a sufficient
/ period In each year. They need assis-
lance now. Educate the present gener
alton, and those which succeed it will
take care Of themselves. Once lift the
dark pail of ignorance which overshad-
ows the land and tho light OF universal
| intelligence will never again be obscur-
| ed. The history of education in this
country shows that IL has never turned
backward. Its course has been uni.
iormly upward and onward, constantly
increasing in strength and expanding in
/ beuehcence. The constitution of the
human mind itself is such that the &C.
4 QUESTION Of knowledge begets thirst
for more and the cultivation and enlarge
ment OF its faculties urges it forward TO
new attainments and new conquests.
I Has not intelligence ever been the pa.
rent OF prosperity and the handmade OF
viriueI Does not all history teach that
n peoples productive power and force
depends upon its degree Of advance
ment ia knowledge, and that crime
everywhere recedes as education sdyan-
ccs.
Assuming that 100000 will be
the average annual net income. the dis.
tributive share Of each State. Territory.
and the District OF Columbia for each
Z year until the next census will be AS
follows:
,fl''a'"A. -..s' ...-...-s SlDls53f %
- NhiHhs ..s.s. ..-....... oJ,54I 90
ChilioThla. .............. b,4O7 "a
I Fft"Wtit ssssssss b.lLJ %