The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1886-02-25
Blair's Bill.

WAsH1NGroS, February 19.-Thc ed
ucation bill was placed before the Senate
to-day, and Senator Evarts took the floor
in its advocacy. After paying n glowing
tribute to the philanthropy and foresight
of Mr.. Peabody in establishing the we'll
known educational fund" for the South,
Senator Evarts said that in his connec.
ton with the administration of that
fund he saw most encouraging manifesto.
ton of hunger and thirst for knowledge
on the part of the ignorant classes in the
South, and a praiseworthy zeal on the
part of the intelligent classes of the
South that education should become
general. Senator Evarts had no misglv-
ings as to the faithful application of the
fund provided for by the bill under con-
sideration. He thought that the ob!ec-
tions made to the measure on constltu-
tional grounds were based Oil q narrow
Interpretation of the Constitution. SEN
ator Eyarts quoted the clause of the
Constitution setting forth that Congress
should have power to lay and impose
taxes to pay debts and ''proyide for the
common defence and general welfare"
This he construed to be "a trust power"
in legal Interpretation, and the trust COW
cred as we'll the general welfare" as the
"common defence" He inquired how
the United States could evade the execu-
ton of trust as to general welfare"
any more than they could escape the ex-
ecution of the trust as to the Common
defence?" That trust power" was un.
limited, except as to the subjects to be
resorted to for revenue. The amounts
raised from these subjects were raised
only for one purpose, namely, to be exer.
cised in the large scale of governmental
application to this trust power. That
s'trust power" was to "pay the debts and
provide for the common defence and
general welfare of the United States"
Senator Evarts saw no distinction as
20 the terms of this trust between money
raised by taxation and money raised by
The sale of public lands. What was the
power of taxation given to Congress for,
he asked, if not that its results should be
used for the common defence and general
welfare? Education was surely some
thing that must be cared for in connec.
lion with the Common defence and
general welfare" Was the necessity for
building fort in Boston harbor or at
New York Narrows, or was the necessity
for building jetties at the mouth of the
Mississippi more of necessity, more
national. more universal than the neces.
sity to provide for the situation produced
BY the greatest transition that has hap
pened in civilization, the changed con-
dition of the people OF this country?
Senator Morgan said that he would he
one of many millions of the American
people to regret that one of the greatest
of the American lawyers should have
thus declared himself in favor of the
al,solutism Of Congress. The distin-
gllished Senator from New York Eyarts)
had here declared that after all there was
really no restraint in the Constitution
upon the power of taxation by Congress.
That honorable Senator had with q very
fine hand cbiselled away upon the rights
of CoDgfess and the people until ne had
merged them into one beautiful symme-
trical nonentity. That honorable artist
had nov broken down all distinctions in
constitutional law, and Congress could by
its supreme will declare all measures
that it pleased to pass to be for the gen.
eral welfare. Senator Morgan saw
great distinction between the application
of moneys raised by taxation and moneys
raised from public lands.