Vandalia Whig and Illinois intelligencer. [volume] (Vandalia, Ill.) 1832-183?, 1833-07-17

lmend the lOllOWluS cAlTdCL 10 TIE COIlSlu-
Grafton of every farmer and mechanic who
reads this paper, and who has OF ever ex-
poets to have son. 1t is from the Bac-
calaureate address of DR.. LINDSEY, pres-
dent of the university of Nashville, ITEM
delivered Oct. 7, S29:-Gen. Far.
"But our farmers ought, beyond all ques-
'ition, to be literally educated: that is, they
ought to have the best education that is
attainable: l do not say that every farmer
ought TO go to college or become prof.
cient in Greek and Latin. Ispeak ofthem
as class: and by liberal education,
mean such a course of intellectual discip-
line as will fit them to sustain the rank
which hey ought to hold in this republic.
They are by right the sovereigns of the
land, because they constitute an over
whelmng majority. Why dothey not then
| in fact 'ule the land? Because, and only be-
cause they are too ignorant. And thus
they sink into comparative insigniicance:
and suffer themselves to be used as the
mere Instruments of creating their own
masters, who care as little for their real
welfare as if they were born to be beasts
of burden. Were it possible, i would Wis
| it every farmer in Tennessee, who is not
already awake, and endeavor to arouse
him from his fatal lethargy by every con-
sideration which can render life and liber-
ty desirable; and urge him to reclaim his
abandoned rights and his lost dignity, by
giving to his sons that measure of instruc-
ton which will qualify them to assert and
maintain their just superiority in the coun-
ellis of the state and of the nation, like men
proudly conscious of their intellectual as
well as physical power.
"The same general remarks apply 10
mechanics and to all the laboring classes
in proportion to their numbers. An edu-
cation even of the highest order, may be
as valuable to them as to Others. In our
free country, srmer or mechanic with
equal talents and intelligence, would be
more likely to become popular favorite
than either lawyer or the we'll bred heir
of an opulent patrician family. Suppose
a krmeP could speak as well, write as we'll,
appear as well versed in history, geogra-
ply, statistics, jurisprudence, politics, and
otter matters Of general and local inter
l est as the lawyer-would he not stand
] a better chance Of being elevated to the
; highest, most honorable, and most lucra-
: tive Offices
The grand heresy on the subject of ed
f ucation seems to have arisen from the US
age which Outlined at an early period in
modern European society, and which ma
: ny years have sanctioned and confirmed
namely, that learned or liberal educa-
!, ton was and is deemed important only for
a liberal profession, or for gentlemen of
wealth and leisure. Hence the church,
1 H and the medical art have nearly
Our people reason and act e m ln accordance
: with the same absurd and aristocratic sys-
TEN. The cui bono is upon every tongue.
, What good, it is asked, will college learn
a mechanic, a merchant. Now | would
answer such question, in the first place,
directly thus: "A college education, or
The best, most thorough and most extensive
education that can be acquired, will be of
immense benefit to your son, simply as
a farmer, mechanic, merchant, manufac.
turer, sailor or soldier And | would pa
| tiently sndeavor to show him how, and in
what respects; but will not attempt to
illustrate such truisms at present. But in
the second place, ! would reply to my plain
friends interrogatory, thus: Educate your
son in the best manner possible, because
you expect him to be a MAN, and not
a horse or an DC. You cannot tell what
good he may achieve, or what important
offices he may discharge in his day. For
ought you know, he may, if you do your
duty by him, become the president of the
United States. AT any rate he has reason
and understanding, which ought to be cul
tivated for their own sake. Should he
Eventually live in the most humble retire
ment, and subsist by the hardest manual
labor, still he may enjoy an occasional in
tellectual feast of the purest and most ex-
Ihilarating kind If all our laboring fell
low citizens could relish books and should
have access to them, what boundless
field of innocent recreation and profiita-
Bile entertainment would not be always at
hand and within their reach? What
flood of cheering light and happiness would
not be shed upon the dark path, and pour
ed into the bitter cup of millions of ration
al and immortal beings, who, at present,
rank but little above the brute in their