The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1886-03-04

repartitlon among the States ne applled
in time Of peace, TO rivers, canals
roads. ar,s. manufactures EDUcArlo,
and other great objects within eacl
State Here the implied constitutional
authority for the Blair bill is clearly re
cosnized.
Again, in his sixth annual message
after discussing at some length the pub
lie revenues, AMI especially the disposi'
tion Of the Surplus, Jefferson says;
The question. therefore, now comes
forward, to what other object shall these
sarpluses be appropriated. and the whole
surplus Of impost, after the entire dis.
charge Of the public debt. and during
those intervals when the purposes Il war
shall no. call for them? Shall We sup
press the impost and give the advantage
to foreign over domestic manufactur-
ers: On few articles of more general
and necessary use, the suppression in due
season will doubtless be right. but the
great mass of the articles on which i'm
post is paid are foreign luNuries, pur-
chased By those only who are rich enough
10 afford themselves the use Of them.
Their patriotism would certainly prefer
its continuance and application to the
great purposes Of the public EDUCATION.
road. .rixrrs. canals, and such other Oh.
jects OF public improvement as it may he
thought proper to add to the constitu-
tional enumeration of federal powers.
BY these operations new channels Of
communication will BE- opened between
the States; the lines Of separation will
disappear, their interests will be identifi.
ed, and their union cemented by new
and indisoluble ties. Education is here
placed among the articles Of public care.
not tha. it would be proposed to take its
ordinary branches out Of tho hands Of
private enterprise, which manages so
much hcttcr all the concerns to which il is
equal but public institution can alone
supply those sciences which though rare.
~ called for are yet necessary to com.
Ilete the circle. all the parts Of which
contribute to the improvement Of the
country and some Of them to its prcscr.
vation" Y "rhc
present consideration Of q national ts-
tabl,shm ut for education, particular.
ly. is rendered proper BY this cirrum.
stance also, that IL Congress, approving
the proposition, shall yet think it more
eligible to found It on q donation OF
lands. they. have it now in ter power
to cndow it with those which will be
among the earliest to produce the ne.
cessarv income :
Now ltt me site lor to another
dangerous precedent" in the admins.
tration Of Jefferson. something compar.
ed to which, the proposition to vote
money out Of the national treasury for
educational purposes, turns pale and
sinks into the most insignificant transac.
ton. As you know. the "crowning
glory Of Jefrerson's second term, was
the purchase of Louisiana. 1t was
territory exceel;ng in extent million
Of square miles 1t was clear violation
according to the Fedsralists and even
Jefferstr himself, of the constitution for
the United States to purchase it. But
the treaty was received in this county in
July, 1903, and was ratified by Il Sem
ate the following October by "a votes to
!. 1t was o"nosed by the federal patty
and principally on two
grounds, namely, first, that the territory
Of the United States was already abund-
antly sufficient for one government Of
republican character: secondly, that tho
purchase was unconstitutional; and that
if the provisions and plain meaning Of
the natioral compact were violated or
disregarded, !, would prove most in.
furious precedent same assertion
made by you relative to the Blair bill.
The purchase was long topic of dis
pute between the friends and opponents
Of the administration. Bnt there were
gentlemen in those days, as will be
found at the present time among our
statesmen at Washington, with enlarged
views who had the good sense to rise to
the dignity of their opportunity, and to
act for the good of their country"
without reference to constitutional quib-
bles. and thus make the purchase of Lou
isiana complete. Jefferson himself be.
leved that the constitution would have
first to be amended before the purchase
could be consummated, and so expressed
himself in letter to Mr.. Breckenridge.
but on further consideration it was de.
cided to go ahead without the amend
ment. He said:
"The constitution has made no provi-
sion for our holding foreign territory,
still less for incorporating foreign ma
tions into our union. The executive, in
seizing the fugitive occurrence which SO
much advances the good OF their coun-
try, have done an act beyond the consti.
tution. The Legislature. in casting be
hind them metaphysical s,ibtleties. and
risklng themselves like faithful servants,
must ratfy and pay for it,
and throw themselves on their coun.
try for doing for them unauthorized
which we know they would have done
for themselves. had they been in situa
ton to do it, But ne shall not be disa.
vowed By the nation, and their act Of
indemnity will confirm and not weaken
the constitution by more strongly mark.
ing out its lines
The contemplated amendment to the
constitution. or ''act Of indemnity" as
Mr.. jefferson calls it, never took place.
The treaty received the sanction of the
i