Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-01-13

sovereignty Of the people and the theory
CT the monarchies Of the old world, that
the king or emperor IS the SOVEREIGN
source OF political poWar. Il would make
this grand eleemosynary establishment,
formerly known as the government OF
the United States, she supreme and the
sole Judge OF whist Is needful FOR the vel
fare OF the people. In reference to cur
politicsl system it would make the pyra-
MID stand upon its apex. II would treat
the states and the people IS dependent
on the viii OF the Federal government in
all matters in which it might determine
that whenever, from any cause," they
failed to come up to the standard Of qusl-
ifications and duty which Congress re-
CARDS IS the correct one the Federal
government can of right intervene and
remedy the supposed evil.
Our politicsl theory is that the govern
meut derives its powers from the consent
OF the governed; that the people are the
sovereign source Of political power; that
they delegated such OF their sovereign
power IS seemed to them best to the
federal government, and such portion OF
it as they thought best to the several
states, retaining 20 themselves suchrights
as they were unwilling TO commit to the
control Of either Of these governments.
II there is no express grant OF power to
Congress to pass such bill as this,
and II the passage of such
bill Is not necessary as
means Of executing some expressly
granted power, then it can only be pass
ed for the reason that the federal govern
ment IS the sovereign source Of Ioliticgl
power and may do what 1t pleases with
out reference TO the wishes and consent
CT the several states or Of the people. To
do this would be to overthrow the Con-
stitution, to destroy the rights Of the
states, to disregard the will OF the people,
to change the character Of our govern
ment from that OF q free, constitutional
republic to despotism OF centralized
msjorities, and in { feet to deny the Ca
pacity Of the people for seli-government.
The control Of merely local and do
mestic questions by Congress would, in
large measure, destroy the direct &C
countability of the representatives to
their constituents by removing them too
far from the observation Of the people,
and would thus open the way for reCk-
less, improper, and prodigsl legislation.
Already by loose construction of the
CONSERVATION shnd CJ OS0A P2k4S1S Va pONSl
the Jurisdiction OF Congress has become
SO extended as TO render 1t difficult for it
TO pass the required laws. Up to quar-
Ter OF century ago it was z rare thing
Tor session OF Congress to pass more
than half dCzsn general laws outside OF
appropriation bills. Now, by these ex-
tensions OF jurisdictions, we psss con
siderable volume Of laws at each aession.
II we adopt the principle which uIderlies
this educational bill, that Congress n1y
do whatever it supposes the general vel
fare 10 require, then a perpetual session
OF Congress will not give sufficient time
for the passage Of such laws SIS may be
called for.
The passage of the bill under consider
alton has been urged by some Senators
and accepted by others because of the ex-
ceptiOnsl condition in which some Of the
states were LETT as result Of the late
civil war, because by it about 5000, coo
slaves were made free people aud were
invested with the rights and privileges Of
citizenship, which they were not, as
rule, qualified to exercise iIteliigenfly;
and because by IL the states il which most
of them reside were greatly impoverished.
We must al recogrizs the great force
Of this philanthropic desire TO enlighten
so large number OF citizens who are IN
so great need of the knowledge which is
necessary TO ensble them TO understand
and TO perform the duties OF citizenship
and to take care of their own personal
rights. And SO strongly do sympathze
with this view that nothing less than the
fear of subverting our form Of govern
ment and endangering the liberty Of both
races could induce me to oppose its being
carried out by some euch law as the enc
now proposed.
II is true that ct the close OF thu late
civil war the southern ststes were utter
~ Impoverished and in large measure
desOlated. Their eocisl aid Industrial
systems, which came down to them
through the traditions Of theages and had
been secured to them by constitutional
provisions and legal enactments, were vi
terry destroyed, at sacrifice to them Of
thousands CT millions Of dollars, ana
rich and poor alike were involved in al
most universal bankruptcy. Their school
systems and educational institutions
were IN allegiance. They were without
means to sustain them, aad education
do not mention these things to com
plain of them now. They were IL large
measure the result CT causes TOR which
the generation which suffered for them
was not responsible, and they are buried
in the irrevocsble past. But mention
them for the purpose OF contrasting the
educational condition in those states --ow
with what 1t was then; to show that the
interests OF education are not being neg
lCcted there, and that thaG country is not
in the danger from iill.er.cy which some
OF the friends Of this bill seem to sup,
pose.
do not propose to go fully into this
subject. But I make the general state
ment that ell the southern states have
now fully organized systems 4 free public
schools In operation, sustained By the
revenues Of these ststes, in which all the
children OF scholastic age receive instTuc
tons, tae white and black children having
equal benefits from the common schools.
Private schools, colleges and universities
have also been restored to active useful |
ness and are now generally in successful
operation, and normal schools for tue |
education Of both white and black teach |
ers, sustained at public expense, are no" |
in successful operation in some OF the !
sou sherp states. The school FUNDS OF |
most of thoee states are not yet sufficient
to afford tuition for as many months IL |
the year as is desirable; but these funds /
are annually Increasing, and the organ
cation CT the school systems is being pei
Iected as fast IS the spsrseness CT settle
ments in some portions OF them will per-
NIT.