National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-03-26


the freedmen in their then condition. But hay
Ing freed them, II was clearly tho duty OF the
Whole union to aid the states in preparing them
Tor citizenship. However willing the southern
states might be TO do this work, tho fact was that's
they had been Lett so impoverished by the war
that they could not do IL. Even though tho in
dlvidual slaves were now present ~ freemen, and
50 the country no poorer In that sense, yet all
knew that the property owners of the south had
lost their property There had been an actual loss
of SjO00D000 in the taxable properly of the state
OF Georgia alone according to the returns of the
year before and the year after the war. Tue SOUTH
ern states had supported from their property all
the armies Of tile confederacy, and the money
which the southern people had nj the close OF tho
war was us ashes in their hands. How different
support Of the army was good in A. the
sido that the south had to contribute
TO the payment of the northern war
debt, and many millions OF dollars of captured
and abandoned property had been taken and sold
by the United States, and although the supreme
court of the United States said that as to several
millions of 1t captured after the war the United
States government had no shadow OF title to 1t,
the statute of limitations ran against the private
owners. Mr.. Brown only mentioned these things
TO show that the people OF the south were inn
poverished by the war, so that II was impossible,
no matter how anxious they might be to educate
their colored population, Except Texas, no south
quired But Mr. Brown did not regard 1t as q
work of charity. The slaves had been freed by
the union. II 1t was right to make those people
then II was not only right but an imperative duty
of the union to fit them or help them to fit them
selves for the duties Of citizenship, for upon the
well-performed duties of citizenship depended
the perpetuity of the union. II was not neces-
snry that this mid should be permanent
The senator from New Hampshire Mr. Blairl
had shown 10 the senate that the southern people
were taxed as heavily in proportion to their prop
erty, as any of the people of the northern states.
The people Of tho south had done the best they
could. No one OF the southern states that had
been fully recognized rs IN tho rebellion had
passed any law discriminating against the appl-
cation Of the school fund to the schools for col
ored children. The same arrangement existed
for both colors.
He thought he might then, under the circum
stances, fairly ask the senators who were on the
other side of the question in the war TO come for
ward and help out those who, while doing their
best, could not do all that they could wish or that
the country could wish. AS to the constitutional
question involved, while Mr.. Brown declared him
self To be strict consructionist he could not but
see III the general welfare clause Of the constitution
clause clearly covering so fundamental a consid-
Grafton as the education of tho people. If
there was anything necessary for the general
welfare in republic was 1t not the education of
the people who formed the republic and made IT'S
laws. Mr.. Brown read from the message of Pres-
dents Washington, Jefferson, Madison and John
quincy Adams to show the special manner in
which they, on several occasions, directed the
attention of congress to the importance of educa-
ton to the liberties of the country. These dis-
tinguished patriots, in those early days with
their intimate knowledge of the constitution, did
lishment of n national university and a military
academy. If again. Mr.. Brown said congress had
the power to protect men in the exercise of the
ballot, did 1t not follow that congress had the
power to prepare them 10 cast that ballot? Had
we not right TO prepare him to read and to write
his ballot2
Mr.. Sherman said that remark made by him
the other day had been commented on by the
other side OF the chamber, he felt that he ought
TO safe his views upon the subject before the
Sc ate: He would say us broadly Us possible that
believed 1t to be the bounden duty of the ma
tional government to aid in the education of the
illiterate population. lie was willing to recog-
nize that by the results of war a burden
OF flliteracy was thrown upon tho southern
states greater than they could bear. II
the people of the north at the close of the
war to interfere with the question OF suffrage in
the southern states. After reviewing the Incl.
dents oil the reconstruction period Mr.. Sherman
said that the northern people finally came to the
conclusion that there was no other safeguard for
| the freed people than the ballot. He mentioned
these facts without arraigning any party or body
of men. AS to the duty of the government, Mr.
sherman would repeat what he had said the other
day that he dtd not think the United States ought
to trust to the southern states the important qucs
tons growing out of policy of aid TO education
The force of prejudice and of education was too
strong, even with the most intelligent men, that
he did not think 1t would be wise to confer upon
the southern states absolute power over the edu
SSSeon f 9peRRIeeteea aGa tbs lGRaRg
| unkindness toward the people OF the south, Blu
| from n conviction that owing TO the pre1udlces o
race and the influences of slavery, which hat
| darkcned their minds ana would probably con
| tinue to darken them for some time TO come the!
would not impartally distribute the money. Ill
| thought the work of framing the necessary safe
| guards was one in which all senators should per
| ticipate.
| There was no doubt that the work Of distribut
ing the money should be left TO the states, but tn
| general government should say how Y should b
| expended. Mr.. Sherman made several criticism
on the Dill to which Mr.. Blair insisted that MI
| sherman was mistaken.
| Mr. Sherman continued that he was willing L
| go as far as any man in the attempt to remove tn
| evil of illiteracy, either from the north tn
| south The safety of the nation demanded its re
| moval, aud without going into the past or castin
| reproaches he was willing, so far rs he was per
| sonally concerned, to vote q large sum of none
every year, under wellguarded restrictions, to re
| move the dark cloud of ignorance from ever
| part OF the land. But he did not want the none
| turned from its proper use into adding 10 the al
| tainments of those already sufficiently educat lei
| Mr. Ifoar defended the bill from several of th
detailed criticisms made by Mr.. sherman, an
added that 1t would not do always to take coun
sci from our resentment and our recollections
the past. lie paid high tribute to the scho
system of Massachusetts,, which state was now. l
said paying for common schools more than tiftee
times as much per capita rs she paid fifty yea
ago. and, therefore, continued to head the colum
OF commonwealth in the matter of publ
schools.
AT $50 the senate, pending debate, went in
executive session, and when the doors were +
opened adjourned.