The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1881-12-13


@ loE tss nsspoE4 81 1ndian schools,
hcaine d NJ e ealek tlas -
0uly. AmcnN he rnagk alllcult
Indian 6ibes eAe h repngeea % d
. general 1nd tlsl sit de1are On the PAR
Is the CHIEF mi oliieE members 6ok khe
eSincn Ion n their chill ren. Ik 8 unfprI
tnnate, in vieW Of tl.e fscEs fkat during
the past year the means v hieh have been
ak tie command az the int6Ea0R depart.
menkfor the puEpoe e of indian Instruction
hmTe proved to Be utterly inadequate.
The encce1s Of the schools which axe IN
operation ct Hampton, Carlisle and
Eoeest Grove should not only encoizE.
age 3 more generous provision for the
support Of these institutions, but should
pfOmpt the establishments Of others Of 1
similar character. They are doubtless
much more potent for good than Inc
day-schools upon the reservation, as the
pupils are altogether separated from
Che SURROUNDINGS OF savage life. and
brought into constant contact with
civilization. There are many other
phases of this subject which are
Of great interest, but which cannot
be included within the becoming limits
Of this communication. They are dis
cussed ably In the reports Of the secte-
tsry Of the interior and commissioner OF
the Indian affairs. For many years the
Executive In his annual message TO
Congress has urged the necessity of
stringent legislation for the suppression
Of pOlygamy IN the Territories, and es.
peciaIly in the Territory of Utah. The
existing statute for the punishment Of
this odious crime, so revolving to the
moral and religious sense Of Christen
dom, has been persistently and
contemptuously violated ever
since its enactment. Indeed
in spite Of commendable efforts
on the part Of the authorities who rep
resent the United States In that Terri
tory, the law has In very rare instances
been enforced. and for cause to which
reference will presently be made d
practically dead letter. The fact thai
adherents IF the Mormon church, which
rests upon pOlygamy as its cornerstone,
have recently been peopling In large
numbers Idaho, Arizona and others OF
our Western Territories, Is well calcu-
lated to ex:ite the liveliest interest and
apprehension. Itimposes upon Congress
and the Executive the duty Of using
against this barbarous system all the
power which, under the Constitution and
laws they can WELD for its destruction.
Reference has been already made to
the Obstacles which the United States
officers have encountered In their ef.
forts to punish violations of law. Promi
nent among the obstacles Is the difil
Guilty Of procuring legal evidence SUIT
dcient to Wtrfant q conviction, even IN
the case Of the most notorious offenders.
Your attention Is called to q. recent
opinion Of the supreme court Of the
United States explaining It's judgment
Of reversal In the case Of those who
had been convicted of bigamy In Utah.
The court refers TO the fact thai
the secresy attending the celebra,
tion Of marriages ia that Territory makes
the proof Of pOlygamy very dinacult,
ing the law of evidence which now
makes 9 wife incompetent to testify
against her husband. This suggestion
Is approved. I recommend also the
passage Of an act that in the Territories
Of the United States the fact that q
woman has been married to person
charged with bigamy shall not dis
qualify her as Q witness upon his trial
for that offense. / further recon-
mend legislation by which any
person sOlemnizing q marriage 10
any Of the Territories shall be required.
under stringent penalties for neglect o.
refusal, to 1ile certificate Of such mar
rage in the supreme court Of the Ter.
ritOry unless Congress may devise other
practicable measures for Obviating the
difficulties which have hitherto attended
the efforts to suppress this iniquity.
assure you Of my determined purpose
to cooperate with you In any lawful and
discreet measures which may be pro
posed to that end.
PUBLIC MUTATION.
Although our system Of government
does not contemplate that the nation
should provide or support system fol
the education Of our people, no meas
ures calculated to promote that general
intelligence and virtue upon which the
perpetuity Of our institutions 90 greatly
depends, have ever been regarded with
indifference by Congress or the Execu
tive. A large portion Of the public
domain has been from time to time
devoted to the promotion Of edneA
ton. There Is now special reai
SON why. by setting apart the pro
seeds Of It's sales Of public lands, or ~
some other course, the government
should cid the work Of education. Many
who now exercise the right Of suffrage
are unable to read the ballot which they
cast. Upon many who had Just emerged
from condition Of slavery were sudden
~ devolved the responsibilities Of Citt
zenship In that portion Of the country
most impoverished by war. I have
been pleased to learn nom the report
Of the commissioner Of education that
there has been lately q commendAblO
increase Of interest and effort for
their instruction, but ALI that can be
done by local legislation and private
generosity should be supplemented BY
such aid as can be constitfti0nally e.
f0rded by the national government. I
would suggest that Il any fund be dedi-
Gated to the purpose Il mag be wisely
distributed ID tie different States, &C.
cordin9 to the ratio q ilIikeEacy, % BY
those means those locations which mxe
most IN need Of such assistance WIN reap
its especial benefits.
A6RxCULTURE.
The report Of The commIssioner 81
agriculture exhibits results q the *
periments IA which that department has
been engaged during the past year, and
makes important suggestions Ia refer.
ence to the agricultural development Of
the country.
The steady increase 81 esn population