Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1826-10-13
MISCEY.NA%ED VS..
POPULAR EDUCATION.

TIE Editor of the North American
Review, in noticing late work on the
Educatiaa of the people of England,
which has been SO popular as to have
passed thrSugh thirty editions; and
which he spe,ks very lavorabIy Of, con-
Cludes his ariiele with the following ex-
cellent sentiments, in relation TO the po-
pular education in this country.
The subject Of popular education is
one of greater moment to Us in this
country, than any other people. Educa-
ton, and the education Of the people, toe,
is the hope, not OF our Improvement on
ly, but OF our existence. 1t stands, with
us, in the place OF every thing that makes
other governments strong. II stands 10
the place OF the establishment, the army,
and the sacred throne it is the order,
and defence, and power Of the nation.
We look upon this nation as making
momentous and perilous experiment on
free and popular institutions /: nor is it
to be thought, tina! the experiment has
yet gone beyond the point of danger.
1t is certain, and il cannot be too often
can have no permanent standing, but on
ihe basis of knowledge and virtue. The
charter Of our privileges is our national
character. 1t was this that bought them
when our strength lay not in our sinews,
but in brave hearts: in the spirit OF men
they were resolved to =" do or die" II
other nations cannot attain to the same
privileges; if Spain, and Portugal, and
Italy canpo. be free, it will be because
the spirit of intelligent, virtuous and
courageous freedom is not in them. Let
our people swerve from this, and i, mat
tiers little whether, 10 name and in form,
they are freemen or slaves. Let our
national character but fail in the great
trial which it is passing through: let
luxury and excess grow in our cities:
let vice fearlessly stalk abroad in our vii
lagos: let our hardy yeomen become
indolent, inefficient, bsnkrup, in poverty,
end more bankrupt in spirit: let our
noble youth lose the principle Of vir.
tuous education, and vie with each other
in extravaganza and revealing: and fare
we'll to the dignity and Joy of freedom.
Though the semblance remain awhile,
the spirit will have fed forever.
OF the means Of correction for our
grand national vice, but two things &C.
cur to US at all likely to have any sue
cess. One is, to lay tax on liquors,
such as must exclude them from that
common use, which now brings :empta.
ton to every mans door every day and
hour of his life. But 10 this the com
munity is not virtuous and high
enough to consent; and hence the 60
vernment will not venture on measure,
Is impracticabIe as i, is unpopular. Or
60 state the case more ly, since, among
vs. the feelings Of the people are repre-
scnted in the government, the govern
nent has no inclination to do II.
The other means of prevention, and
che only one, il appears, which is now
open TO Us, is to educate, to enligh,en,
% exal, the public mind. Knowledge,
seading, must supply those resources Of
mind, which shall render it independent
Of meaner excitemen,s. For why does
man resort to the Intoxicating draught
Commonly because he is unhappy with
eut it: he wants something 10 excite or
entertain him. He sits down at home
for an evening, and it is dull to him; he
goes abroad for relief, and too often
finds a relief, which is his ruin. Now
lei this man have been educated, not in
che technical artificial way, which too
much prevails, blu. educated to the love
81 knowIedges ls, something OF the SCI