Newspapers / The Weekly Sentinel (Raleigh, … / Jan. 30, 1866, edition 1 / Page 1
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: CP ' y : .--. 1 WEEKLY SENTINEL. Vin. E.'1EIJL, Stale Printer . WEEKLY.' SENTINEL". HATES OF ADVERTISIMJ. -' ' V '."' : TERMS OF SinSCRIITIO. The'WiiKjr Sarrunt, U published every Tnetday 1 morning. .... .'.' . V " - Tb SfSi.-Wgafctr on MonUaj and Thursdays. , , Terms: '' ' Weekly, one year, in advance t J 00 Beuii-weekly, one year, in adyaiice, 'i 00 Semi-weekly, fix month in advance, " 160 Daily, one year, - " '. IS 10 Pail, siz-montha, ;' . ' 1' , .. - S 00 Dailr. three montaa, ' 100 Pally one month, 100 ' - - ' fteport of tht? Superintendent of Common MVUVVlfli To Irl ExUcncyi Jon athxn- Wortu, 4 Governor of Korth Carolina r Si. : The relation which I have heretofore Iforne towards that great aid beneficent inter est of the people of the State, the "Public Schools, mak?s it my uty to offer, to. you, and to the Legislature, somr suggestions in regard to their condition, wants and prospects." ' Jfive yeart'ago I was trembling with anxiety' for our- system , of popular instruction, then "bout o- feetttiijectedjaihe. dreadful trials of - civil war ; .arid then, as now, there were many ready to give up this cause without an effort to sustain it, It was one of the first interests of tlie State to feel the shock of the times ; and to all human appearance it 'had fewer chances of surviving than any other moral agency of spc cicty. The first necessity of war was money and the school fund was a strong temptationto those who had to create - large pecuniary mcans for a sudden and emergent crisis. Then, there was the intense and universal ex citement lurnishing a plausabje reasori for the suspension of an educational nystem heeding the atteriliin o alt lthe people; the great de mand for men, likely to carry off teachers and local ofllcerSj the impossibility of getting books from abroad, and the scarcity and high price of materials tor their manufacture here. To the excitement and confusion of the first year of the wat succeeded the severer and protracted trials which imnosed denials upon all: anil "To the view of many it seemed impossible to keep the schools alive to the end of the conflict of arms. ' God . had placed me as a guardian, under Him, at the head of this interest ; and with a, solemn sense of its importance, and of myduty in the premises, I stood at my post, and with' a fixed purpose labored to maintain my trust.-r Then, as now, it was my duty to appeal to and to reason with the authorities ; anil then, there was the greater task not nowtiuposed upon me; ,:WvimtingAnd,eiicQMra!ig,t To the lastina honor of l?or.tii Cafbiiiia her -nublic schools survived the terriblo shocit(f civii war: and the State ol the South whic: furnished more material, and the greatest nam Kir and the bravest troops to-tho war, did more than all the others fertile cause of popular ed- ncation. ' . v . , ' The Common Schools live! and discharged ' their useful mission throngh all the gloom and trials of tho conflict j arid" when the last gun was fired, and veteran armies once hostile were -meeting and embracing in peace upon out soil. ;th6 doors were, stilfjppeit,- :andlhcyrnuuered I their pupuaDy scores oi inousanuB. . Pibla history and experience., "fiirnish with great resources for the new. criisow upon us ; the spirit of education is strong artdhopeful ', among the masses, and the memory of trials , overcome inspires, courageto jneet the lesser difficulties now confronting. . , ' The feejlng, universal among th 6 people "is, that the schools mut not go down ; and although they are told that the Literary Fund has been greatly reduced by the failure of the banks, and although they know themselves to bo unable t( pay taxes, yet they will not bring themselves to believe that the public schools JtilL&il. This state of feeling is worth more to the cause of education than all the bank stock ever owned by the Literary Board ; and surely pur public authorities will not permit themselves tp be appalled, and paralysed by the least difficulty in the way , of good systems of Common (schools. I am sure that the failure to make an earnest attempt to sustain our useful and great system of popular instruction will cause general, pro found andmortified astonishment ; and I will 'n6t believe that we- have any public , men so comnletelv incapable of erasping the great facts of, the preseni.sitnation,. so indifferent'T6""tTieT stirring trauitionepOT. tnejiome past, ana so blind to all the best "hopes ofthe future! aTto be willine!to let our public schools, with all their glorious memories, perish without regret and without enquiry, j This is one of- the im portant eras ofhistory ; and her impartial pen, now ready to!prepare"its enduring records, win not permit the word " ttateeman to be attached to the name of any public man who fails to see in our Common Schools one of the paramount interests ofthe country. "::.:z:f'Z -. Jf the school fund can be usefully applied to - its original purposes, Jhcrc ia no': argument against such application worthy of a moment's consideration. The fund is'too small to be a r matter of any great concern to the finances -of the State. If the debt of the c .ate is so small that this fund would discharge it,-or relieve it ofmoBtoiits burden, then the State can xlo " Very we without rteiiind,-Biid-itould-bfr shame to take it : if the debt of-the State is too great to- b.e materially affected by this little interest, then why despoil th jcjpolsl.JSer; - aides; if tbiirlhlid;"lVDrDn available for present uses, the. State can have the benefit of a considerable portion of it, without injuring the .schools, as will be seen in the-latter part of this communication ; And. what is more than all, the creat reliance of the State is on future develop ment, and this will greatly depend on Common Schools. :'.".". u mtolligentriabor j- ote this as a good Onr great material WiDt j and what so likely to promote this as a bjrifusui ui puuuc insirucuuni Upon such a system must, also, depend the revival of our High Schools "and Colleges for most of theae have lost much Or all of their fixed sources of income, and they not only can not flourish, but are not likely even to live without a spirit of "edUca'don-araonp thc mas-f; b8. Yvun au ineir enaowmenvs, mis uib ih been the source of their success ; .and there have been mon.Serinril bMt.llPtdbl-'itailwentyi five years, since the establishment of the Com mon Schools, than in-all pur previous history,. while the older institutions have trcen twice as prosperous-as before: - , . . . . - ' - r?. To the argument in favorof Common. Schools appucaoie to U times and places, 1 do not pro- - pnili ta.tBfar hut wn1itpt"nii ff yitl tinpOT tahce, founded on our present condition, jleT mand a passing notice, k large class of worthy .people have lost mora than property by the war. Many active young men are maimed for life ; husband and sons who were- the only earthly fliipport of their families, have fallen. The -State ls fuH of orphans without pecuniary means and without friends able to help them. One . of twd things is inevitable; an immense pauper v -U- Ji.U. li J , ' k.'U yaj.V, V-U eil...:--L : -'' LLL; JLl;W,:'. . . VOL.1. (' system, or some wise and systematic plan by wmcn tlie maimea, ana inecniiurenor tliepoor can be made self-supporting. . From the nature of things, the former method, as a. permanent arrangement, becomes more and more onerous. lor its tendency is to destroy self-resptct, to en- . ;.n , .i a.. i . wunio iutuut, uu prupogaws ignorance and vice. " By the latter mode, we -not only en tirely remove the burden thrown on the State by the casualties ot war, but jvs cnrich-Nthe country, ipr those who would; ' otherwise be helpless paupers, become independent, and a" source of prosperity to the State. ' in. .And in addition to that large number who have been so entirely deprived, of . worldly re sources, or incapacitated for manual labor, the whole community is impoverished, and evcry class is made more' or less- dependent tn-the public schools for the education: of their "children.- ' , ''.- And let it bo added, that a new racj of iVce men now enter the lists in intellectual competi tion with those who have been the'riiling class ; ajid that-ivliikL we will all .rejoice.'tp isee,Uiose peoplo rising in the moral scale, it will 1C re proach to the whites to bo outstripped by them. The colored people will naturally "have' more aid and sympathy from abroad to educate their children than the whites; and we may, also, expect a considerablelmmigrati6n, and a much more mixed condition of society than for merly. -If, then, we would preserve, the free spirit, and the tree institutions of the past-r if we would maintain that conservatism which formerly.distinguishcd and blessed us, we must use greater exertions to, establish and keep up pervading moral agencies. The welfare of all' classes and races demands this. There will be infused into the body politic, an immense amount of ignorance,, now. left -to "the control of moral power ; and if we would not, be sub merged by the waves let in upon us, we must dig and ditch arid drain with an energy and skill heretofore unknown among us. : If we will do thislttioso new floods' will prove a source of increased fruitfulness, and of a more enduring prosperity. if. .V8 ,do not,, we will be drowned. But we arc most iiTtcty to be ensnared in a fa tal oolicv. not bv a disposition to crivo up the schools, -.but. by ..tho delusive idea that it will be best to suspend- them for a more conveuient season! Let us not be deceived : to suspend is to destroy "j . ' It is di'uibtfulwJrfrirerve will cver ac6uipu tatc"Sitirger permanent school fund ; ve never will, if we permit a generation to grow, up without educationHguo.rance begets a love of ignorance andindolcncev. jt' is"'the fruitful m- rent ot prejudice, seinsnness, ana narrow views. When we lose our intelligence, we-loso the op-' preciatiob:of itr we loso the will ta make sac-. rinces for itana the energy to preserve w. vv nen the people are ignorant they will never feel rich enough to contribute a large State fund for education-; and (above all, they will not be able to manage efficiently a system of popular in struction. But little ofthe old fund was raised from our people, and for years after the Com mon Schools were established, they had but in different sucftess. I They .deemed on the point of failurewjien.tlii'feenerul superintendent was ap pointed, ami the view; presentedto ' that officer when he flrstsentered "on bis duties was extreme lv discourarinffNA system, greatly ; dependent on the good will, public spirit, and co-operatiorrf-j pr the masses, naa peenieic u wors:; usen, a body without a- sou, a machine without s mo tive powerT It had no eyes- to see its way, no mind,tp..plari its movements, no hand to remove impediments : ,he people, unused to sudr ma-: rhinirv. knew .nut how to work ttTfhd were Trpfovuked becaurfc it would-not propel itself. - It was witnoui system in ire operanoua, uwui "ob structions, from, ignorance and prejudice were accumulating ; and it was even difficult to ob tain the thousands of teachers and the ten thou sand local officers of skill and public spirit who were needed. . ' " , " It will be w ll for us that we never have to go over this ground again. The head of the' sys tem, at such times, has fo labor without results arinarentto the bnblicto direct his energies to the whole mind and heart of the State, and by Blow conunueu, ibuuuwuo, wum.i. nuw i.nr-'i eiated efforts: to educate the entire populatiori to-the uses and to the management or uommon Sehoels.7' Sectimwlisiaf sectarianism, the short-sighted rivalries of seminaries; and to the gen eral stock of trials presented by ignorance and old habits, and such impediments are infinitely more in the "way of the success of a general sys tem of Public Schools than the mere want of money: : " . ' ". ' '--' "''' .. . Happily, they do not present obstructions now. vve oave leacners in auununuuc, piujnj trained, and we have such materiaifor new ones as we will never Tiave again. We have school houses already built, the counties all laid off in disMcis. Weave experienced local ofBcera, forySars instructed in their duties; we 'have a generation raised unifier 4 Conmion,&hjMnJn- 6nce 2 we have a peopleve" and who Want their" children to be educated; Our more educated and aristocratic classes Ore now dependent on Public Sehools, and disposed to take a more practical interest in them than ever before, and than they will perhaps, again.; The professors and have teacners oi our ooiiegeu and seminaries have been trained to regard the cause ofeducaUon as one and indivisible ; tjiev -j,, united m B floorishing" State-Educational . , . b, exlstenco. and are ready to Askociation now in existence, and we ready to blend their cflbrts'in a general plano promote tirimary schools. There are county associations not yet past recovery i - and there are breeches made by.war, and through which host of evils are ready to invade us. Our moral desolations, on fhA ndvantatres thev offer for the growth of vice and disorder, arid oufrpgarnd opportunities, never again occur, all alike icall loudly opon us to make a manly and detefmin--ed effort to revrve t once the- PuboSchniui. Delay will lose us -hat money cannot replace, and our very financial prosperity itself depends on onr efficient system of popular instruction. But how are we to support the Schools ? I reply al once, by using the principal of tlie ft, ..Innw it will last. In all moral con- 4ens sine-4 TOth-tIiepresenU if we 1 will look to the things ot to aay, -inose-n w!" Mke care of themelves... ,Oh thff other hand, - if wo neglect, ine duties of the hour, we are sowing rum ," futiire. ' ' ' . ' What is true of the Individual is true- of the masses of individuals composing a State;, and we are told by mfaliWtf-OTthority, "Train np WEEKLY. : '- r WbVI.D RATHER BS IttCHT IiALEIGHTtJESDAY JANUAKY .30r18G6. "ehild in tho wa1i:sh(ui(l go"; and when ho is old he will hot depart from it." pur State is again young, in one sense ; it is just commencing a new career.- -i. . '.,T".fitarj right is of infinite importance: the destiny of centuries may depend, under ProvV dehec, on the work of a few years at this forma tive period. It may be added, that a krge'pcr- i i a j ; , .. i ' i, i ' .,. , nmiicui, aviiuut lunu us noc generally aesirnoie. RTk.'P the masses have become animated with- a spirit of education, 'and able to pay taxes, it is 'better to support a system, of Public Schools by funds annually collected ; we might infer this' frpm general principles,) and it has ample, illufc tration from the experience ot-other States. We needed a permanent fund until a taste of knowledge begat a gerteraldesiro for" it; and we tieed such a funiV-now . to bridge over the years of poverty that seem, before us. If our present rescourccs Will do this : if they Will enable us to carry forward the machinery of our existing sc-honl system, and keep alive our skill and love- of knowledgo until' we reach a nioro.pt:QSp?rous financial condition, . .they will accomplish all that tho patriot cau desire,' and will be to us an inestimable blessing.' : "ITisTiclieved that our fund can be made to do this,. and-at tlie game time relievo tho pecu niary 'wants" of the State, and if we can thus pro vide foriho necessity of this great crisis, we rail safely leave the future, to itself. - By .our former system of distributing the school fund,!there was a dead capital awaiting districts where schools vrero' not taught. It is "now proposed that the distribution be made directly to ichoolt and not to conntkt, and by this means the same distribution of tho gen- eral fpnd will give to each, district - where ; a school is taught, a larger sum than heretofore. If, fttt instance, there were 2.100 scools taught, and $180,000 distributed; 'the average distribu tiori ijeforo the war,) it will give to each school $03 -and thisis a considerably larger sum than the' former average amount paid each- district. . I propose that the whole annual expenditure bo about $200,000, of which $175,000 is to bo paid td icachcH, fan average of nbont $70 per school.) and $25,000 will be a fair allowance for all expenses and salaries of every kind; inclu ding those bf the Literary Board ' , ' - . - - The Board now owns, in good stocks, about $890,000, and by.the plaris I suggest, iyid earn estly recommend, we can expend $200,000 per annum for four yeaA"3jirnish very-considerable relief to tho Statej and still have left froui $150, 000 to $500,000. ,i ' The outlines of these plans are iriven below. flnSlctails would ocenny too much space for lure cominumcmadii. iuo wuuic uifuvt. hiw been carefully 8tudied,'' and if desired by- thet Legislature or its committees,- the plans will be stated in full, and all the calculations given. I recommend-the adoption of "one of these plans for making the-sehpol fund immediately availablo as a circulatini? medium, and for revl- ving and keeping up the schools?. and that in tlie meantime steps do mKcn ior disposing oi all the sw.amp lands belonging fo the Literary Board. The original estimate of the amoiintof these lands was i.500,000 acres", but they have never been all surveyed, and in fact it is not known where all of them are situated. Theland system has been defective, and losses have oc curred, not for the want of care and intelligence in the members of the Literary Board, but for the want of-a-niore energetic "plan 'of ."supervis ion. Tho State has greatly overlooked this im portant resource ; and valuable bodies of land have been lost by occupants under color of title, iy neglect in taking proper; steps to secure and authenticate reverted titles, and by tho wants of surveys, and of definite arid ' knowa-boundnrica. Immense amounts of timber have -also been carri.ed off; and rnoncviscly"invested in drain age, has been partially lost by ; not carrying out .this work, . ' ' Itsecms to mo that if the lands can be sold, the Board should be authorized to. dispose of them at pnee; and to this end, it is recommend-, ed tti&t they be exempt from taxation for ten years. If this exemption .secures their sale and improvement', the State will gain by it, if the lands are not sold, they will pay . no taxe and 4hey will bo in the way of individual improve ment, 7 1 nave Klve m" aw ' i"1" "u" iect: and have hunted out all tho maps and offi cial information accessible to say that the whole swamp land sy stem needs revision. ' It may be a favorable time to sell, "Currency is very abundant at the North, and there will urobablv be a -steads stream of emigration frorii there and from Europe to the Southern States.- Some of the swamp lands are of unsurpassed fer tility; and the climate is, comparatively healthy, arid mild, enough for laborers even from north-, era Europe ; and the advantages in cheap trans portation, proximity" pf market, facilities for vegetable farming, for grape culture and cattle . raising, unci the resources in fish and game-, ta Jcfiajn connection with easy, tillage, Jad-an-cxr. Uberant wealth of soil,' present temptations to agricultural laborer? fmind nu wlx're ele in the world. The legislature might exempt the landa from taxation for ten years, and anthori.e this sale, fixing a minimum pricief and probably in four. in tho lnnds wontd ",be disposed of. and we would still have'a public fund large enough to tumisn annually a niviuena m sixty 10 ninniy thousand dollarsforthc schoeK' This would be a sufficiently large permanent fund for a prospe rous state vjind thus, it seems to .me, we can see ' our way .clearly from our present embarrass ments. - ' . '':.,''. . -;' .' . God. in His righteousness, has chastened, not destroyed us, , He has kept up our. educational system during the tremendous trials tnrougn vigorous spirit of education, and has preserved fortas sufficient moans for safely bridging the -peeuiry .straits -thatnow lie heforaus, and for! carrying our tieneficcot institutions in perfect order to the prosperous shores beyond. If we are wisewe will be benefitted by our trials; and no doubt we will see the day when we will re joice that we expendedmucb'of the principal of or ouf scnool tuna as weu us ior wnai we ac- nmnliahflfl as for the fact that, when able, we naa to rewjrv iu iuiiuot i-aAw.. '' geo. rjothing to nppalt ns, or w parauze our energies ; bnt, on the contrary, mucli, in the Providences of tho Supreme Ruler, to excite our gratitude, and to encourage our efforts. .v 4t is a religious dtrty as well as a, prompting of self-interest to foster the cause of general in struction, but not with the idea that education 2 J THAN BE PRE8lDEIT""HeBrT CtT is (rood in itsi'lf but onlv as a means to the Dro- pogation of the gospel of Christ, the sources of- hii luuiviuuui anu najionat viriuo nuu, uoijji nesa, .Let'us, thereforSTwltli the spirit of men aiid tho faith of Chrigtvins "rise up and hulld." In the beginning of oUrState, the University an4 fhe Common ' Schpols wvrc-nnited by a Consti (ifitionul provision ; they should still be retarded as parts of our SA-stem. L therefore. suggest that an appropriation of a few thousand dollars beannuallv made, for four years, to the University, and, it1 flecessary, this can be done on condition that-a certain number of pupils be educated free of tuition. -Trusting that this whole sul'jec.t' will; receive" from the Legislature that anxious" and patriotic iutcrcst which it has excited in you, and which its paramount importance demands, t I am, with much respect, truly yours,"' C. II. WILKV. "Pktni for converting the School Fund into a circu lating medium for ..th rhivaLfi theljkfmahy. : 'and tlierrelicf of the State. ; , - : . There are now belonging to the Literary Fund good stocks or about the nominal value of $880, 000, and .there are twft- plans, by . which these may be converted into a cireulating medium.f Jil pase'either pfftii is cceptOd,iis recommend ed that a sum sufficient to pay the expenses of the Public Schools for one year, bo reserved in the Treasury of the Literary Board, and the residuo lpafied to the State, the latter to pay annually "for 4 to" 8 years, a. fixed sum in principal ,and interest, anrLtliewlioUi balance due at the end ofthe siccined period.' . . - The ftrt plan is to. issue certificates of indebt edness, in sums convenient for general circula1 tion, bearing per Cent interest, receivable for all Stijte dues, and to be Tedeeuiod in. 4, 5, or B years. : Tho second is .to convert the stocks of -the fund into national "securities, and establish a"natiorial bank, under tho niaiingoiutnt of. the Literary Board. "i( the first method is-iwlppted,. it miirhLbe. well to authorize the issue of certificates to twice the amount of the stocks, by winch means-Ai greater relief would be filrnished to the State, . and by the interest on a loan so large, a consid erable sum added to the Literary Fund. For instance, if $1,700,000 wefe'to be issued,- to be redeeiricd in four years, there could be sperit an nually for the Schools, the Literary Board, &e., the sum of $200,000, 'and at the end of four years the Board co'dd redeem all its' issues, and have left at least $4,40,000, or half of its present fund. ' It is supposed in this calculation, that the stocks of the Board will have an average in come of at least 8 per eeritox $20,000, and their the Board will be making, also, -5 per cent; nett, on a large amount of its certificates. - , v The plan cannot fail, unless the State fails1 and bjr it $200,000 per onw, could be expen ded on the Schools for 0 years, and there be left nearly or quite $100,000. , - ; - If the Literary Board be authorized to issue only to'tha amount of its stocks, there could be loaned to the State $670,000, instead of $1,570, 000; and after expending $200,000 a year for 4 years, on the 8chools, the fund could redeem jts issues, and have left over $200,000 of its stocks.. The State will probably, haye to "resort to loans, or to the tssuing-of-certfgeatesof indebt edness. It it borrows on its Donas,,w must De nt a sacrifice'; if certificates are to be issued, eveiy eorisidoration of true statesmanship would incline Us to the plan proposed. It has' these great advantages over a system of similar issues by the State. ; 1st. The State will bo relieved,, while the Schools, so important to our prosper ity, will be kept up,- 2d. Common Schools are regarded at the North as objects of paramount importance f and a circulation issued in their behalf, and in their name, would nothe so like ly to excite opposition as a rival to the national .currency as State issues, resting on the credit of the State, and likely to run for an indefinite time. 5dly. The issues of the Literary Board, though Tmlt and not bills of credit would be like bank notes in this respect, to Vrit : thcyj would represent a Certain means of payment. AU the assets of the' Literary Board being pledged to their redemption, and that at a fixed certainly" could be puid, more certainly than any ofher circulation. : But as it is the policy ot tho National Gov ernment to have but one paper circulation, and as our State is animated with a perfectly loyal spirit.'and desires to display it in all becoming ways,, it is recommended that the Literary Board be authorized first to estahlisli a national bank, in case its stocks can be convertedr without se rious sacrifice, into national securities, and the right to establish a bank car be obtained.-v-Failing in tliis, the Board should' be instructed and empowered to issue ci rtificatesj &e,'. tt the IJoard-eeuld -.oxebange,-. iUvSecuritipg fttjfeM rould issue 702,000, of which it could loan to the State $52,O0U, and all of its ' iH)iues would ao into circulatiori. It would draw Interest on its securities (national -bonds) and on Its loans-" and thus, after expending $200,000 per annum. t for four years, it would have on band, at the end or the time ?;s'j,),uuu tofwu.yuu, ana an its bonds o"f $880,000, -to . redeem its notes for $782,000. . ' ." : -V"'- " The dcUiLand figures" of these various plans' can be tunusoca to tne juegisiature, or its com mittees ; and bills will, also, be prepared to suit all the reconimcndat!5ns in this communi cation, and to revive the schools without deiaysf All the matters aliove discussed have been long aiid most carefully and conscientiously .corisideredi. soii1? ..ftf'thent Jiaye been dispuRiied with able and experienced unancie,i:s of. hjglt. "integrity, and tho author is willing to go down to history on the positions assumed (wUh re gard to the publ'ic'schoofe "' "'", "J;,,"'' Small Pox. Two cases of small pox. have appeared in tjie negro college in this town. The patients arc pupils in that instiontion of learn- . . . i .t , . i . i . i . - . , I p nf tbA srhnnl will h tftmhorttrllv Hnnr1nA iD.tr. vve nave noi icnrneu ,wnonwr no eserci- I or .nut. ui, periiajis, paruuia at uistsnce I wpyld ff) -well-not to send their dauhters here for a few wV-ks, at lcast; not until the "bureau" becomes thoroughly disinfected. Measles and such like dcc'eiiwti have .-.Iwen very- prevalent ameine the necroM-oi Ureenslioro: but tlfe above cases are the first of smallpox which hat appeared amongst them. Uretnmro J'atriot. NO. 2. ;. EEC0HSTEUCTI01T. Condensed Statement of the Views of the President Testimony from a E a d i o a I ; Source. - From the Nilloual Intelligwicer. Below we publish a'lcttcr from the Cincionati Giuette, the leading Radical newspaper of Ohio. Tho author of the letter is' so well-known that, it is hardly necessary to say-that he is an intense Radical, -but exhibits in all his writings a dis position to see tilings as they are. and not as he would have them. Besides, he has Jhe requU site force and keenness of intellect to state ac curately what the President did say, while su perficial minds seek to infer from the phraseolo gy ideas to square with their own. ; Tbeso expressions of the policy, of the Presi dent are not now to us. All and , singular of them have been stated .'.from tilno to time in these columns during tho past 'year. Even if wo had'not the warrant of authority for such ver sions, none -other wultlilM! gathered fwm the 'very numerous addresses of the Presidwrt t va rious delegation,of politicians during tlie past year. - y :. . The President and ' Congress Authentic! ; Statements, from Written Eecords, of What the President lays, , Speoial cnrrenpondont of tlia Cinoinuati Gsaetta. Washington, January, 11. I have not been swift to rush into print with garbled"statements of what the president said to Senator Smith and Representative Jones," (as retailed by them, on the avenue,) concerning his relations to Congress, and the existing diff erences of policy. I have thought it more re spectful at onco to tho President and to myl readers, to say nothing tirl I could speak advis edly. , - - - -'-, .- ' ' ' . , But it is well thatl,bo country should uiidmr stand precisely-' how the President, does talk, mnd how the representatives of the people talk to him. It abroach between tiieni .is wiuen ing, the country should know who widens it t if a disposition to conciliate is ffliown who Knows n : n uu iuuiueii.-m.-u iu i;iui:4uriu;i. who maMfestg that.- I- have, therefore- taken plains to procure correct accounts of several re cent interviews with 1 the President. Careful minutes of some, were made at the time, and , I am writing with there before mo. - WHAT CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS' ' HAVE '. ',' '-. , . .BEEN BtraOKSTKP. T ; In one case sevoral members, popularly known as Radicals, said to tho IWdenf that if lie would be satisfied . with constitutional amend-; ments, basing representation on voters, making all met) equal liefore.tbo law excepting in the matter of suffrage, repudiating 'rebel debt, and guaranteeing national, obligations, they would make an effort to bring the, party inJCorigress to an adjustment of the recbiistniction question on that basis, and would even go fo tho length of admitting Tennessee in advance of all the other States and of the general adoption of this policy by the South, if she would individually agree to these amendments. Without entering into any serious considcra-' tion of their subject-matter, the President said that he had objections on general grounds to any constitutional amendments. . lie had onee- been in lavor oi some nimseii, anu was on me fecord in their favor; but "these.-were-xhangod times, and the tendency was top greattoward unBottling the foundations of things. These frequent amendments were'cakulated to weak en the force and soloinn sanction of the Consti tution, and make its provisions like the work of town meetings. As to any propositions for ma king tho payment of tho rebel debt, unconstitu tional, he considered " them unnecessary,- nd doubted their propriety. The Southern-people were in no danger of ever wanting to pay those debts. The objections in the South to their payment would eycry year' grow .stronger and stronger. H'oW" would it look to provide by a constitutional amendment that the United States debt should not be repudiated? Yet this would he no more improper than the other. , Further morprthere was gross inconsistency in the pro posed mode of -securing" these constitutionsT amendments. ; They were to be proposed by a Congress from which.-the South was excluded. Then the reW States who were unfit to be rep resented in Congress.' were to be considered fit to ratify a Constitutional amendment. If they were .expected as States to act upon. the. ques tion of ratifying them, they should be permit ted,, through their representatives in uongrcss, to act also in proposing them. In effect," he did not think it right to demand the adoption of any constitutional Amendment as a condition of admitting Southern . members to Congress, lecaute those Stale were in mm and entitled to all thi righto of (he Stale. " '. '.;.. -: ' '..' ': r .''1-W1AL ODABANTeES Sl.'OOEWTBD.- , " Perhaps the most generally accepted plan of reorganization involves constitutional . amend mcnts: -;-But there areotlters-in Ce-rtgresH-wbO" prefor (o regulate tho whole Subject by liiwX Among those are most who wish to meet squarely the rugged issue of negro suffrage. In the last Congress Mr. .Winter Davis canie verjr near carrying through such a law. Hubstanti- . ally the same measure is now before Congress again, ana is Known as Asuiey s tun. numer ous Congressmen havb urged this upon the President's Bttentipn, and. more have pressed the general policy . of providing rather by law than by constitutional amendment the guarantees-which the entire Union party (with excep tions too insignificant to be mentioned) agree in ; To such suggestions the President has replied that he considered Mr. Ashlcy'smcasure as sim- ply. a bill tr tiie aissoiutipn oi tne union, no had risked hiii own life liudj property " tirpio-" serve the Union. Tho people ot the country ! stood, and had stood, upon the position that .the rebcl'iori was to be put down and the Mates thereby kept into the' UnionV SlrTAsli ley's bill now proposed to turn-them out and prcscrilie conditions fcr their returuir"i ' He thought the true course for the Union party to pursue was l'ith open arms and forduil hdndn to welcome tliexe State Mo part icijuit ion in the Oaverwmanl. Tb we would have them as the friends ofthe Union party, and not make themlts enemies by slaiiiiiuiig therlirof ta their facet. ' , TnB rilESlPKKT's STATEMENT OF HIS OWN tllV) OBT Oft JlErONSTKUCTION. In snch connections, the President has more I than once stated bis own theory of reconstruc- 5 The Circulation of the. tHiKU mikti it ona ef .. 8tt?. ' . v yy y ' - 5 ' -' AdTertUemati,"c!upj!ng fb po oflellaes 'of "f minion tjpt or leaa, whioh w llaaqar, waahatf ' as foUowi for Inaertion in th weakly t . For oae insertien, ,-.-',---For two inaertioaa, .. V., - For one month, .;"'-.. i'f'' . " For two month, -'- r ' v Voriiz month, :i - j V' .-; -. For one jraar, -.': . $10' . tot . not net 'I JOIJ.W0RK eiocnted with aeatnasi at thj 8an tion in wordr much more libit'' than haw' found their way into the public documents. During the rebellion , the loyal Government had in a sense bc?n overthrown, , It was there-: fore the duty of the United States and of tlto President, during this time, to do all in their power to secure to these States republican gov ernments. This bwanio especially his own du ty, as piie chnrged with seeing that the -daws were executed. liis own action in prescribing terms upon which these (States 'should be recog nized, in so far as ho had prescribed any,-, not' in harmony with their forms of State govern-' jiientj or in bo far as. :it secined to imply that ttiey would pot be recognuea as states unicstt they complied .with Ids conditions, was in real ity and was meant to be only advisory. Ho had nPt intended that his own requirements ' should Im considered as- conditions precedent which tlie Executive, .or any brunch, or all branches of ho Government had any right to. exact, before these States -should be entitled ti) recognition as States in the Union. rVv ' " In fact, these btateswercentitlea to le repre sented in Congress all through ,th rebellion." Indeed, there tea greater.reaton for their leing tnenreureentdtfantaer ica at other Ume. Con gress had repeatedly dealt with them as States during tlie rebellion. Members irom Virginia, tor example, were-admitted.i Direct taxes wereap. portioned among them just as vnong the other States. The 9th section of the act of the 7th of June, 1802, in its latter clauses rccogni7ed the same principle. . . ' The rebel States ore, therefore, jm ; tin Union,' Indeed, their covorniuonte mre more re publican, more democratic, more in harmony with the spirit of oitf institutions than they over wcreiicfore. IfConrfess would only look out there now, it-would ce legislators,' Governors, State officers of all grades, members pf Congress, all elected by the people : courts inicssion, tax es being collected, mails being carried. Surely,' these make States in the. Union, if they ever were in it. - .'-... -- - ' : . OF thu APMissioKhep sotoTriKits kkmbers ' c '. i'SK- ' . -COSOKliSS. -'"-.: -?-'',; ..)..-,( lit numerous interviews, the . President has)' stated to different gentleman, in substantially av. i".;- .;. . i .i. . i tuo sam language, uih views cimccrumg iiieuu missionof rebel Congressmen. Iu one of tho minutes before me I find a memorandum to this efl'uct i ' - -; ,. .'-... lie repeatedly alluded to its being tho prerog ative and constitutional duty of each House to judge ofthe merits of each claimant's election by itself. This also was the wise way ot keeping; bad men out CI Uongress, woo mi gut not, thro', personal disqualification, be entitled to seats. But it was groHsly wrong' to exclude States be cause of olnections to individuals, n Each claim- -anf rtMse'slionld rest on and- be' decided accor ding to his individual merits. - ; . representation in Congress was but one of tha ' rights" of States under tlie Constitution. Ex-'1 elusion from Congress does not, therefore, pre vent theso rebel States irom emoving and exer- using- other constitutional rights ever which Uongrcss, in spite ot its denial ot their riguts, has iio control. ; , ' ' ' ' ; - - - . THE PRESIDENT ON PARTY POLICT. " In the same Hue of conversation, the Presi dent, a few days ago; said to certain Rcpresen- tatives, that the South had travelled a great way in a short time. They had freed the slaves: They had. provided that no futuie legislation should enslave them. "Thfij had recognized cer tain civil rights ot tue late staves. ,: They had, adopted, the constitutional amendment prohib- king slavery. . " , ; Under such circumstances' tne public sentJ -ment of the country would sooner or later in sure their recognition by Congress. ; For him self, he would feel a personal pride in having this accomplished by the same Union party winch had carried tne country through the war. Such a party, with such a history, ought to fin- ' ish its work by bringing back all these States ' into their true relations in a fully restored Union. . '. ' ..' '; ' - -' '.': 4 Itccently certain prominent men of Massachu setts, in a conversation with him, had disclosed ' a fear that our party ascendancy might be en cliiBgeredif the South should come in, and ; 'should act (as it always yscd to act) as a Unit.- " Yet how mariV members were there to be let in ' from the ... rebti, -States ? 88. iBut tbo House has now -over BOO. (In' this the' Presi dent made a mistake. The House has but 182.) It argued a large amount of distrust of tho North, and a large estimate of these 58, to sup pose lhnt they could ruin the Government or obtain tne ascendancy in congress. - PEELINa'ANP BE.' RING OF THB PnKSIDENT. Thronghout nil these interviews the Presi dent's manner has been kind and considerate. , No lack of respect has been shown for Congress men ; no disposition to -attempt any coercive measures. , On the other hand ho has exhibited no sense of dependence , on Coitgrcss, aiut no : feeling of even the slightest apprehension as to 'tte'TOiilt:lf e -t?e4rnilY;terftttiie jxio-. pie"- with a manifest eonvietion.,,: that public sentiment is -overwhelmingly on hisrside ; and that ( in the event of any -difference between ' himself and Congress on theso points, the party and the'eountry will be sure to sustain him. I do not believe there is" any evidence what ever that the President has made a single step toward tlie employment of. Jiis patronage as a' meant of enforcing his views. - llembent of the , Cabinet expressly deny that' anything of the sort hos ever been suggested to them. . ' '..'-.- ' - '- AGATE. ' There is no less than eighteen Physicians and fifteen Lawyers, now practicing their different professions in this town. Surely this .being the msc .we will not die for. wnt of Jlcdical attention, and while we live we certainly will not lose the " Jiltle property we have; for the want of counsel to plead our cause. WWiaL,.:.,, A . Lord Palmcrston's will shows him to "have died worth ( 600,000, nearly all of which he leaves to his widow and upon her death it goes to her son, who is to assume the name of Tem ple, t If i lottcrs" and papers ho also leaves to his wife. ,Thc Emperor of Austria ho is n inning hearts in Hungary, by his frank manner and liberal principles, is expected to make his coro nation unusually brilliant and uicmorufcle, by passing an act . of amnesty which will allow every pohticnl exile to return to Iluntrary. It is said that Kossuth's name will head the list. 1
The Weekly Sentinel (Raleigh, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Jan. 30, 1866, edition 1
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