349
PAPERS OF MIRABEAU BuoNAP-1-RTE LAMAR
industry, and charity, has been near the hearts of the good and wise of all nations; while the ambitious, and the ignorant would fain have thwarted .a policy so pure and laudable; but despite their efforts to the contrary, the rich domes and spires of edifices, conse- crated to these objects, are continually increasing in numbers, throwing their scenic splendor over civilization, and attesting the patriotism of their founders. Our young Republic has been formed by a Spartan Spirit~let it progress and ripen into Roman firmness, and Athenian gracefulness and wisdom. Let those names which have been inscribed on the standard of her martial glory, be found also on the page of her history, associated with that profound and enlightened policy, which is to make our country a bright link in the chain of free States, which will some day encircle, and unite in harmony the whole American Continent. Thus, and thus only, will true glory be perfected; and our nation which has sprung from the harsh trump of war, be matured into the refinements, and the tran- quil happiness of peace. Let me therefore urge it upon you, Gentle- men, not to postpone this matter too long. The present is a pro- pitious moment, to lay the foundation of a great moral, and intel- lectual edifice, which will in after ages be hailed as the chief orna- ment and blessing of Texas. A suitable appropriation of lands to the purpose of general Education can be made at this time without inconvenience, to the Government, or the people, but defer it until the public domain shall have passed from our h.ands, and the unedu- cated youths of Texas, will constitute the living monuments of our neglect and remissness. To commence a liberal system of instruc- tion a few years hence, may be attended with many difficulties. The imposition of taxes will be necessary; sectional jealousies will spring up; and the whole plan may be defeated in the conflict of selfishness, or be suffered to languish under a feeble and inefficient support. A liberal endowment which will be adequate to the general diffusion of a good rudimental education in every district of the Republic, and to the establishment of a University where the highest branches of science may be taught, can now be effected without the expendi- ture of a single dollar-postpone it a few years, and millions will be necessary to accomplish the great design. I must also invite the attention of Congress to the defects in the Municipal Code. Unfortunately for the Country, we have now in force many portions of two systems different in their origin, dis- cordant in their provisions and calculated to lead to the most con- flicting decisions. Of the cases that present themselves before the cmirts many are included in neither Code, many are indifferently pro- vided for by both, leaving the parties without remedy in the first instance, and often wholly uncertain as to the proper remedy in the second. Nor are these the most prominent objections against our present system. T'he sages of the law, have long since determined it to be no less important to a community, that the laws should be certain and the decisions of the courts uniform, than that the prm- ciples ~pon which they are based, should be wise an_d equitable. While such as are now in force in this Government remarn unaltered, it may easHy be perceived, that our judicial decisions must be more irreconciliable than those of any other civilized conntry upon the
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