The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-03-21
PROCEEDINGS OF CONGRESS-.
THE SENATE.
Debate the Bill TO Extend Aid to the
Common Schools.

Debate Oh the Bill to Extend Aid to the
Common Schools.
WASHINGTON March 20.-A resolution was
introduced by Mr.. Van Wyck, and agreed to,
calling upon the Secretary of the Treasury to
furnish the Senate copies of accounts and
vouchers of the discussing agents of the De
partment of Justice for miscellaneous expenses
relating to starroute cases during the last three
years.
Mr.. Hoar then called up and the Senate
sumed consideration of the bill increasing the
salaries of United States district judges to
S., 900. The pending question was on Mr.. Nor
gan's amendment providing that the increase
shall only apply to judges hereafter appointed
Mr.. George opposed the bill and Messrs. Dolph
and Mcpherson supported it.
Mr.. Morgan spoke in support Of his amend
ment and then the bill went over until to-mor
row.
Mr.. Allison, from the committee on appropr1a-
tons, reported favorably the House bill to pro-
vide for certain of the most urgent deficiencies
in the appropriations for service Of the govern
ment for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1884.
Placed on the calendar
Mr.. Allison gave notice he would call it up to-
morrow
Mr.. Morrill,, from the committee on finance,
reported favorably the bill to provide for re-
funding the excess duties imports of raw
sugar. Placed on the calendar
Consideration of Mr.. Blair's educational bill
was resumed.
Mr. Van Wyck remarked that the elective
franchise had been conferred by the United
States on the colored people Of the South, and
had been made secure by constitutional amend
ment and he inquired of Mr.. Blair whether
even that had secured to the colored people the
rights and benefits given them.
| Mr.. Blair replied that he did not think it had,
but one reason was because the colored people
were not educated. Were colored people more
intelligent they would not be found deprived of
| their rights in that respect There was no other
means than education open to aid the colored
| people to the right of suffrage. We had aban-
doned all other means. What had we done to
protect the ballot since 1876! If this were po-
| litical question at all-whieh Mr.. Blair dis
| claimed-what better course could the Repub
| lican senators consistently take than the one
which would secure to the colOred people the ed
| ucatlon which would enable them to assert for
| themselves their right to exercise free ballot!
Mr.. Blair reminded the Republicans of the led
ucation" planks of their party platforms some
| of which he read, and inquired whether
| Republicans were not willing to stand by them.
| He read from the inaugural address of President
Garfield, in which it stated the nation was re-
! spOnsible for the freedom and Acknowledgement
of the colored people, and was equally response
BILE for seeing that they were prepared by educa-
| ton to exercise the rights of free men.
A vote was then taken on Mr.. lngallss amend
ment specifying school age, which was lost
| Mr.. Plumb moved an amendment which would
require that the several States should expend on
education for the first five years operation of
the bill, amounts equal to the amounts received
| by them severally from the national fund.
| There was no pretense.' Mr.. Plumb said that
| Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York,
| needed this money, and he did not think the
| State that did not provide for the education of
its own people, would benefit by fund provided
| for it by other people. Reform i'll that direction
| had to come from within.
| MIR JONES' of Florida inquired of Mr. Plumb
whether he did not regard benefit the
| granting by the general government Of public
laEds in aid of education.
Mr. Plumb replied that whatever argument
might be drawn in favor of that view would
| apply only to communities entirely new So far
| as Kansas was concerned the people mad them
| selves built 5000 schoolhouses.
| Mr. Ingalls, criticised the bill as defective in
several particulars.
Mr. Blair said the Senator was bringing a
microscopic and telescope examination to bear
ON it.
Mr. ingalls, thought bill appropriating $l05,-
900, 900 might well be examined mieroscOpically
and telescopically also, horoscopicaly and
| polariscopically, or by any other ''scopicar
method that could be applied. The
| amount was large enough to warrant it.
| This might be called verbal criticism" or "a
passed as it stood, it would fail, from verbal de
| fects, to accomplish its object
| Debate will be resumed tomorrow
| Mr. Logan called up the report of the COM
mittee of conference on the Military Academy
! appropriation BILL and moved concurrence there
in. Agreed to, Adjourned.
!