Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-12-09


I because of my confident belief that that
course is consistent with wiscst econ.
omy. Among the most mcultivatcd
| Indian tribes there is reported to he
n general and urgent desire on the part
of the chief and older members for the
education of their children. 1t is mfor.
umatc, in view of the fact, that during
! the past year the means which have been
at the command of the interior depart
ment for the purpose of Indian instruction
| have proved to he utterly inadequate.
| The success of the schools which are in
operation at Hampton, Carlisle and
| Forest Grove should not only Cncour-
| age a more generous provision for tho
support of these institutions, but should
prompt the establishment of others of a
similar character. They are doubtless
much moro potent for good than the
day-schools upon the reservation, as the
pupils are altogether separated from
! the 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
| cuSscd ably in the reports of the sccre-
tary 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 rs.
pecially in the Territory of Utah. The
existing statute for the punishment Of
this odious crime, so revolving to the
moral and religious sense of Christcn.
dom, has been pcrsistcntly and
contcmptuously violated ever
since it's enactment. Indeed
in spite Of commendablc 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 q cause to which
reference will presently be made i,
practically dead letter. The fact that
adhcrcnts of the Mormon church, which
rests upon polygamy rs its cornerstone,
have recently been pcoplmy in large
numbers Idaho, Arizona and others of
our Weston Territories, is well calcu.
lated to eX'itc the livcliest interest and
apprehension. ltimposos upon Congress
and the Executive the duty of using
against this barbarOuS system all the
power which, under the Constitution and
laws they ran WELD for its destruction.
Reference has been already made to
the obstacles which the United States
officers havn encountered in their cf
forts to punish violations of law. Promi.
nent among the obstacles is the diti.
Guilty of procuring legal evidence sui.
ticicnt to vibrant n conviction, even in
the case of the most notorious offenders.
Your attention is called to n recent
opinion of the supreme court of the
United Sta'es explaining its judgment
of reversal in the case of those who
had been convicted of higamv in Utah
The court refers to the fact that
the seCresy attending the celebra
ton of marriages in that Territory makes
the proof Of polygamy very difficult.
and the propriety is suggested of mody
inc the law of evidence which now
makes a wife incompetent to testify
against her husband. This suggestion
Is approved, | recommend also the
passage of an act that in the Territories
of the United States the fact that
woman has been married to a person
charged with bigamy shall not dis
qualify her rs witness upon his trial
Tor that oilcnse. | further recon-
mend legislation by which any
person solcmnizing marriage in
any Of the Territories shall he required
under stringent penalties for neglect or
refusal, to file a certificate of such mar
riagc in the supreme court of the Ter
rlto!y unless Congress may devise other
practicable measures for obyiating the
difficulties which have hitherto attended
the efforts to suppress this iniqutv. /
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 EQUATION.
Although our system of government
does not contemplate that the nation
should provide or support a 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 so greatly
depends, have ever been regarded witt
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 educa
ton. There is now n special rea
son why, by setting apart the pro
reeds Of its sales of public lands, or by
some other course, the government
should aid tho 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
ly devolved the responsibilities of citi-
zenship in that portion of the country
most Impoverished by war. / have
been pleased to learn from the report
of the commissioner Of education that
there has been lately n commendahlc
increase of interest and effort for
their instruction, but all that can be
done by local legislation and private
generosity should he supplemented by
such aid as can be constiutionally af-
fordcd by the national government. /
would suggest that if any fund be dedi-
called to the purpose it may be wisely
distributed in the different States, ac-
cording to the ratio of illitcracy, ms by
those means those locations which are
most in need of such assistance will reap
its especial benefits.
AGRICULTURE.
The report of the commissioner of
agriculture exhibits results of the ex-
periments in which that department has
been engaged during the past year, and
makes important suggestions in refer
enCe to the agricultural deYelODment of