This debate, which was recorded in the Congressional Globe, highlights the constitutional debates that inevitably come with federal involement in schooling. Rep. John B. Storm (D-PA) notes the request for a larger appropriation for the bureau incited debate on the problem of “the latitudinarian method of construing the Constituion.” In short, he and others object to using the General Welfare Clause as justification for Congress expanding government to achieve new objectives not obviously authorized by the Constitution. The specter of federal government centralization arises, and Rep. George Hoar (R-MA) and Rep. James Garfield (R-OH), both education reformers, partake in the debate.

This single page was given to me by the late Thomas Carr. He was a colleague of mine at the Congressional Research Service, and a wonderful man. As my marginalia indicates, Tom reported this debate continued for about 10 pages.

The debate began on page 489, and concluded on page 495, with a vote to reject the amendment to increase the appropriation of the Bureau. But, the debate then rolled into an argument over money for the Post Office, the Department of Agriculture, and more, and continued through many more pages. It is a remarkable thing to see how deeply in the weeds of the executive branch legislators of the day were.

You can see those pages on the Library of Congress’ American Memory Collection, where they have posted volumes of the Globe published between 1833 and 1873. This volume can be accessed via https://memory.loc.gov/ammem/amlaw/lwcglink.html#anchor42.

Full citation: Congressional Globe, House of Representatives, 42nd Congress, 3rd Session, page 494 of 672.