SCHOOL LANDS. 255 



own situation, sitting as members with those who had pos- 

 session of more or less of the school lands. They weighed, in 

 their minds, all these things, and finally, adopted a plan, and 

 the only one, which appeared to them feasible, which was, to 

 recommend the adoption of a joint resolution, authorizing the 

 governor, to appoint seven commissioners of schools and school 

 lands, whose duty it should be, to devise a system of law, for 

 the support and regulation of common schools. Their chairman, 

 who writes these lines, immediately after this decision, drew up, 

 and presented to the house of representatives, the following 



EEPORT. 



The committee to whom was referred so much of the Gov- 

 ernor's message, as relates to schools and school lands, have 

 had those subjects under their consideration, and now beg leave 

 to Report, 



That in the opinion of the committee, the education of our 

 youth, is the first care and highest duty of every parent, 

 patriot and statesman. It is education, which polishes the 

 manners, invigorates the mind and improves the heart. If 

 it has been encouraged even by despotic governments, how 

 much stronger are the motives held out to induce the republi- 

 can statesman to promote this object of primary importance? 

 Shall Louis XVIII. of France, support from the national treasu- 

 ry, learned professors, in every branch of science and learn- 

 ing, in all the celebrated schools in his kingdom; and will the 

 legislature of this young, rising and respectable state, neglect 

 to provide for the education of her youth? The committee pre- 

 sume not. 



It will be recollected by the house, that many of the best 

 scholars, patriots, warriors, philosophers and statesmen, whom 

 this nation has produced — men who have shone as lights in 

 the world ; who have been blessings to their own country and 

 the world at large ; who have been applauded by the whole 

 civilized world, for their learning, their genius, their patriot- 

 ism and their virtues in public and private life, were many of 



