The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1884-04-09
Senators Lamar and George On the
Education Bill

o aS nc Thought II should be considered
Q the logical sequences of those amend
y y ments. 1t was a measure fraught with
Q almost unspeakabIe consequences to the
5 people of the South. Apart from the
: question of money involved. it would
. give to the common school education of
= = that section an impetus il had never be-
0 lore known. 1t would stimulate the
people to grapple with the difficulty in
the presence of which they had stood
appalled,
The war had overthrown all pre- exist
ing conditions, and schools and colleges
suffered with the rest This magnani-
nous measure would infuse new hope
INTO the people of the South, it would
be manifestation of respect and affec-
ton for them, and would dispel what
ever impression past events may have
produced, to show that this government
stood in the attitude Of austere severity
toward them.
The idea that the amount was too
large to be profitabIy applied, Mr.. Lamar
said, was a mistaken one The South
had school houses enough, teache rs
enough, and ample material for making
teachers, because the South did not
afford the same variety of occupation
as did the North; all that was wanted |
was money with which TO employ them |
Mr.. Lamar would very much regret if
any of the suggested amendments |
should be adopted, namely, that which |
provided that the money should be ad-
| ministered by the agents of the Fed
eral government. It would give the
measure barshness unworthy of its
great purpose, and would change its whole
aspect and character, for it would, in a
certain sense, be a rc-enacted color line
The adoption of such an amendment As
he referred to would introduce an ele
ment of discord into the operation of the
act, for there would be conflicting author
tiles. The agencies selected by the bill as
II stood, were agencies having the CON
fidcnce of the people, whereas any other
agency would place the administration
OF the act in the hands of strangers re-
SpOnsible to no restraints of local public {
sentiment-men who would be apt to be
moved by political considerations rather
than by the interests of education. He
was no optimis;; he had no vision of
rapid strides in the education of the
colored race. Dense ignorance, even !
with this measure, had to be met, and /,
whatever trouble the work might entail =
it was one that all the people of the
North and South would take pleasure in +
directing, tie work of guiding that great =
mass in its slow onward ard upward
path. v
Mr. Cullom would not Say that he v
would not vote for the bill in its present I
shape, but thought it ought to be in '
some respects amended The education
of the youth of the country belonged, he :
said, TO the separate States, and the only =
excuse>for the general government inter =
fering was when the State could not OF ;,
would not educate her children. So far
as his State (lllinGis) was Concerned. she
was perfectly able and willing to educate te
all her children. He knew he spoke the O
sentiment of his people when he said Ia
Illinois neither asked nor desired to re l.
ceive a dollar Of educational aid from eI
Tue United States Government. lie fir
would like to sea the appropriation con. SO
lined to the Southern States exclusively, II
md so adjusted as to begin with only m
lbout $4,000. 900 for few years, as the
money could be proftably applied, and tr
hen diminish year by year as the States
themselves became able to carry on the
work. He would make the total apprO-
,riation $40, ,000, 900 instead of $105, 5,000,-
100. u,
Mr.. George favored the BILL As to
he point made by some of the Demo
ratio Senators, that the bill WAS objec-
ionable because it prescribed the
branches to be taught, the o lection was
lot tenable, he said, bee use it was
merely asserting that the pyramid should 10
tand on its base and not OH its apex.
Al. 4 II. E,,,, |
/, a,,taI bropobes sbonId he tauqbt II tn
-, tbot not ii flar ms
ntial calculus or metaphysics, but read
ng, writing and arithmetic should be -.
aught. 1t was a gift by the United
tates on conditions subsequently to be ,w
by the States. The honor of -
he separate States was pledged to TIE an
of the conditions. lie add OF
litted that Congress could not grant
money to State on conditions which no
rould involve the surrender of its fune- va
ions, such as that it should surrender mS
IS representation in Congress or its sep We
rate political existence. Mr. George go
aid he had always opposed and would I
ontinue to oppose Capitalization, but he CIT
ould not shut his eyes to irrevocAble th'
lcts. He had once believed State spl
ad the right to secede from the Union. as
Ie believed now that right had then ex no no
ted, but it had been irrevocably lost Wy
,st amid the clang of arms and horrors rh
{ war. He had once denied that the on,
ederal Government was the judge of va
5 own power, yet that had been firmly bo
,tablished. ''Those opinions said Dir Th
gorge, 81 have surrendered, however DO.
nwillingly. / will rot feed on dry tog
usks and the remains of constitutional ed
leories, which, however respectable hol
lev may have been, now no longer con- jai
.ol or influence the government or its ch'
In this great nation we live the
! the present; we are actors IN the oi
resent; We must meet the demands OF les
le present. The world moves, and we
Iust move With it. / will not pass my OF !,
fe in dreamy contemplation OF the se. M
eauties and excellene;es of obsolete IS, 81
leories, now mere attractions, and in Le' iaa
ieturing the benefits and glories which ~ ~
light hare come from their observance,
is enough to know that they are no us
niger potent for good or evil in this : {
nion. aud while may shed a tear over ha
ieir tomb, viii not spend my life IN
Iinistering ut affairs which have been De
-aakoI 80. fbana - mr.