The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-02-21

GRAFTON. In the forty-eighth congress, when
the bill first passed the senate, objections to it
had been mainly from senators whose strict
construction Of the constitution led them
to believe that tie provisions of tic
| bill violated the fundamental PROPOSE
tons OF that great instrument. In the forty
ninth congress the method of distribution
OF the great fund covered by the bill had been
assailcd, and discussions at the present session
| had showed the practical objections to the bill
| wider and deeper and going TO its entire prin-
| ciplcs. IL was the hard fate Of the bill that as
| time went ON less and less necessity was seen
| for its enactment and more and more Objec-
| tons were raised to it's provisions. He was
! bound to say that aroused the expression Of
| public sentiment north and south on the bill
! and renewed evidences Of accord with his col
! leagues. Tho vote against the bill in the last
| congress had not been unwelcOne In this
| connection he referred to an editorial article
in the Portland Press and 20 statements of
| several distinguished professors Of colleges and
| school teachers in various parts Of the country
adverse to tho bill, noticing particularly
| the dictum Of General Armstrong,
| of Portsmouth, Va, that the bill
| would destroy, in the southern states, that ed
ucatiOn which comes from self help. If it
were determined after fall consideration with
! q plethora OF revenue and an accumulation in
! the treasury that the government should en-
| bark IN the task Of distributing portion of it
! 70 the different states, then the state of Maine,
/ instead OF being taxed TO help other states,
! ought 10 receive portion Of the fund and he,
! therefore, lay ofcd the amendment offered by
! Mr. Plumb, which covered that provision. a
! paper contributed by constitutional lawyer
| on constitutional objections 10 tho bill, was
| read by Mr. Morgan and after brief speech
/ by Mr. Salisbury AGAINST the bill the debate
| was closed by Mr.. Blair in y final argument in
| advocacy OF the bill. Much Of what had been
said in discussion had been, he claimed, entirely
! outside Of the real question ut issue. AS to tho
! idea that the passage Of the bill would destroy
In MI cf I,.lt
! absurdity. What generation. he asked, ever
! educated itseli2 The bill had been charac-
| tcri2cd by college professors and college presi-
! dents as bill TO promote mendicancy. These
! college professors and presidents were them
/ selves the most consulnnate beggers on the
! face OF the earth and General Armstrong was
! the greatest bcggar Of the whole 1t was be-
| cause college presidents were such accom-
| plished and successful beggarS that there was
such superior education in this country, and
it was because General Armstrong was great
and successful beggar that ho had established
an institution at Hampton, which was tho
glory OF the state and Of the country. lie
closed with a cOntcmptuous aluson to the
educated, cultivated, coldblooded college
professors Of the north"
lie spoke of the opposition made to the bill
| by the New York Evening Post, the Washing
| ton Post and other organs of the "Jcsuitry"
| Opposition to tho bill was n fight against tho
| common schools of the country Soon after
| the bill passed tho last congress, and while it
| was still struggling III the hands OF packed
| committee III the house, where it was finally
| stranglcd, n senator had shown him, and he
had read, the original letter of Jesuit priest
| begging member of congress to oppose tho
| bill and Kill it. He said there was an organi-
| zatlon all over the country for the destruc-
ton OF the bill, and that they would
destroy inevitably and also that if
| they had known of 1t in season they could
have prevented its passage through the senate.
lhey had begun IN season this time, but they
| would no, destroy it. Twelve years ago, when
he was member OF the house, and while there
was proposition pending to amend the consti-
tuition so as to prevent an appropriation Of the
! public money to tho support of sectarian
| schools in the country, friend of his pointed
| out to him nine Jesuits on the floor lor-rolling
| against that proposition nine at one time
These was not(ho thanked God)Iof the Cath
| Ollie church. Within the sound of his voice
! were sleepng7the remains of John Carroll ana
| Charles Carroll OF CarrolltorLmen who had
! been devoted in civil rights and TO true reig-
| ion; aud against the memory
of these men, or against tho
great Catholic organization Of the country he
would say nothing, for he venefated their
organization which, in his belief
was the true eXomplar of Christianity lilo
| cared not how far it EXTENDED or how
widclYi its power wasIspread. But within that
organization was Jesuit organization, which
had set ont to control this country which had
been repudatcd by every country in the old
world, Catholic or Protestant; but which had
come to America, and was now trying to Sc
| cure control OF this continent by destroying the
| public school system. The ,ICSuitS had been
| expelled from the countries Of the Old world,
| and the time would como when they would be
/ looked upon as The enemies of this country,
! and whom the question of their expulsion would
! have to be considered. All through the north,
! God only knew, under what influences the
! newspapers had opposed the bill, and had
! argued that such aid to common schools was