News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1889-12-19
Teachers and LEGISLATORS.

Editors of News and Citizen This evening
while sitting at my writing table, undecided
whether to go to bed or take up book, my
eve fell upon your paper, and the first thing |
met was "Lamoille County Teachers" That
interested me and followed it along to the
close and found it signed ]. W. Redmond,
County Supervisor | have not the pleasure
of his acquaintance, but as he appeared in
print, want a little talk with him through
the same source, hoping that we may some
time meet and compare notes. | now ad
dress myself to Mr. Redmond.
/ quote, "Does it behoove us then as citi-
zens and above all as teachers, to be igno-
rant of our organic law" | cannot agree
with you that teachers have paramount
duty to that of voter and the law-maker.
You say that natIat w2f the teachers could
tell lust How S-.l. institution could be
amended. Now@1lrS dear sir, suppose)you
was at our Capitol at any legislative term
and you should put its members through as
rigid an examination as yolrut the teachers,
is it not quite possible you would leave both
branches without ar'quorum, and possibly
unseat the Executive? Don't understand me
as inding~any fault with the examination OF
teachers, for that should be thorough, The
only fault (if such it be called) that find
with you, is that you stopped short OF What
you should have done while on that subject
Look at our last legislature violating the
eleventh article of the constitution and one
of the most comprehensive articles, and IL
seems that there should be some test to know
if one is qualified to sit as a legislator before
taking his seat in the Legislature. Now am
going to propose an amendment or addition
to the constitution; that the legislators be-
fore taking their seats, shall pass as rigid eX-
animation to determine their qualIheatlons,
as YOU give the teachers. Let us have falr |
play in this Don't say the unqualIted may |
make our laws or violate our organic laws, |
but shall not teach school.
There is natural reason and excuse for |
the females not being eonversant with the con- |
situations that the males can't plead. She
is barred from the ballot-boX, and could not
be expected to take the interest she would did
she WELD the ballot. Now much the larger
portion of our teachers are females. Then
let US be fair, and not subject her to tests
that we do not take in other equally impor-
tant places.
Now Mr. Redmond, should you again re-
turn to the subject, please carry the whole
thing to its legitimate end Then will you
have done something worthy of your pen.
admit that it is a sad and dangerous fact,
that as a whole we know so little about con-
,titutions, both State and National We
should know our rights and duties when
Weighed by them If you want the proof
hat there is need of a more thorough study
# the organic law. then try this experiment: !
Isk of how many branches is our government |
omposed and name them, and see what
nswer you get. Now don't laugh excessively
ntil you have tried the experiment. | once
sked the above question of a Representative
list before he was going to take his seat in
he Legislative hall, and found | might as well
ave asked In an unknown tongue. Then / |
sked myself, what are we the people, about?
ire we setting the infexible law of cause and
fleet at defiance? Only another way of eX-
PRESSING the words, " As ye SOW, SO shall ye
u. & ambrlage, Dec. Ia $50.