Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-02-20
tT4RTS ON EDUCATION.
THE CONsTITUTIONALITY o
THE BILL DEFENDED.

An rnlightened People Declared One OF
che greatest Safeguards for the Com
mon Defense-The Northern Birth of
the idea Contained in the BIZ Empha-
sized.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 19.-'rhe educa-
tiopal bill was placed before the Senate
to-day and Mr.. Evarts took the floor in its
advocacy. After paying q glowing tri-
,ute to the philanthropy and foresight OF
George W. Peabody in establishing the
{ wpll-kuown educational fund.- for the
1 south, Alr. Eyarts said that in his con-
pection with the administration of that
und. he saw most encouraging manifes-
tations Of hunger and thirst for knowl-
edge on the part of the ignorant classes
in the South and praiseworthy zeal on
The part of the intelligent classes of the
south that esucation should become gen.
eral. Mr.. arts had no misgivings as to
the faithful pplIcation of the fund pro-
yded for by the bill under consideration.
He thought the objections made to the
measure on constitutional grounds were
based upon a narrow Interpretation Of the
constitution.
THE GENERAL WELFARE.
Mir. Evarts quoted the clause of the
constitution setting forth that Congress
! should have power to lay and impose
taxes, to pay debts and "prOvide for the
common defense and the general welfare"
This he construed to be "a trust power"
m legal Interpretation, and q trust COW
cred as well 1.-THE general welfare' as
.the common defense" He inquired how
the United States could escape the eXecu-
tion OF the trust as to ''the General well
,are'' any more than they could escape
she execution OF the trust as to "the COM
mon defenseW
THE TRUST POWER UNLIMITED.
That "trust power'' was unlimited ex-
cept as to subjects to be resOrted to for
revenues. TIE amounts raised from those
subjects were raised only for one pur-
pose, viz; to be exercised in the large
scale OF governmental application TO this
trust power. That "trust power" was
10 pay debts and provide for the common
# license and the general welfare of the
8 United States. Mr.. EvaTts saw no dis
tuction as to the terms of this trust be-
q twoen money raised by taxation and
money raised by the sale of public lands.
THE POWER OF TAXATION.
What was the power OF taxation given
4 10 Congress for, he asked, if not that it's
results should be used for the common
defense and general welfare. Education
was surely something that must be cared
Tor in connection with the common de-
E fense and the general welfare. Was the
necessity for the building OF fort in Bos-
ton barbOr or at New York narrOws, or
was the necessity for the building Of the
ietties at the mouth of the Mississippi
r river more of necessity. more national
and more universal than the necessity to
q provide for the situation produced by the
greatest transaction that has happened In
civilization-the chSnged condition of the
people of this country
ABsOLUTIsM OF CONGRESS.
Mr.. Morgan said that he would be one
OF many millions OF the American people
to regret that one of the greatest of Ameri-
can lawyers should have thus declared
himself in favor Ofthe abs0lutism Of Con-
gress. The distinguished Senator from
New York MIR. Evarts) had here declared
that after ali there was really no restraint
Ia the constitution upon the power of
taXatI0n by Congress. That honorable
senator had with a very fine hand ch selled
away upon the rights Of Congress and the
people until he had merged them into one
beautiful symmetrical nonentity,
ALL DISTINCTIONS BROKEN DOWN.
That honorable artist had broken down
all distinctions in constitutional law and
Congress could by its supreme will de-
clare all measures that it pleased to pass
to be for the general welfare. Mr.. Nor
gan saw the great distinction between
the application OF the moneys raised by
taxation and the moneys raised from the
III public lands.
Mr. Ingalls, said that admitting that the
constitution contained the dormant and
sleeping power claimed for it by the ad-
Vocates OF this bill the practical question
was why should that power be evoked
w ny should we turn over the common
school system OF the country into the Gus
Iody OF the general government?
ALLEGED LACK OF sELF-RELIANCE.
The South was unjust 10 itself. One Of
me most distressing symptoms about the
south was its want OF selEFeliance--its
disposition to call on the general govern
nent for assistance. Nothing made men
'r ld1ons so strong as the exercise OF
their own faculties. The South mad not
oeen impoverished by the war. The own
efsnip OF 4.O0O,0OO men had simply been
uansierred from their masters TO them
serves. The freedman, however, was bet
,er tnan the slave, and the South was,
1eleiore, not poorer, but richer, for the
change.
PROGRESS OF THE SOUTH.
Dir. ingalls, read an article from a South
sIn payer showing that since 1879 the
assessed value of southern property had
INCREASED by 5000, 600, 600 aud that about
"N,00OOOO worth OF railroads had been
.unt ana that in every other direction
material progress there was making rapid
nlaes. MEN OF the SOUTH" said he, sis
,lal true storyI Is there any Senator
,oM the south who will rise in bis place
Nla say that the condition Of tbe South is
eo, o,immeasurably better than IL was be-
oie the war?"
MR. RTDDLEBERGER's NAY.
Al' hddleherger replied that he for on5
"Uui0 say tlat the south was not in as
Iu condition as before the war,
usa he did not regret the result OF the
@i ingalls, saw no occasion for despon-
-i ds To tho condition Of the cOlored
r Nothing IN history could compare
.ne advance they had made. II The
on the bill, however was 10 pro-
IVY. we education OF the iliterate class
ll11"etn the ages Of and u, and II the
to,. was SO amended no Senator would
pros.Wllu WIN "A wider lterality than he to
''0oufago that result.
NORTHERN IDEA.
lr' hoar said It was he who drafted the
sfo VI these educ Ational bills, ten or
nsy,lu wears ago, and the proposition
n zane from the peOp,e OF the South.
bv as Northern idea and was supported
aTn n'iH9IlAern sentiment. But three South
bs Dehoeratic votes had been given 10
rr.sa ' - olll Introduced by him In Con-