Mechanics', operatives', and laborers' advocate., 1836-12-19
From the Springfield Gazetie.
EDUCATION OF MECHANICS-NO.

try do they have so vital bearing on the nterCsts of the whole community as in thls An active, ln- gcn;ous and enterprlsing body of men, constituting in the larger towns and cites TreGt proportion ol inc rr,D!c must have no Snl! lnliuulCc Un the n!- tonai character ana prosperity, III country "Aefe every irJNj,'ual anu every class c1n exert so direct an Gorncv lOth on the government tnd on PuOllc srnti,uclt 1t Is ol.ol,s that the class under con- sicr,ton alC fitted to have most powerful agency of this sort WllctuCf we consider t.lcr itM6eTS Malr r9.a,aon ntcyestG or their c;mncter. h regard 70 u,,n1ers, we will aEc tic town ln winch the writer rcsj6p, for example | examined the list of voters some tMnc siHce in relation to tils po;nt, and found t,t ,a,ry half of them were mechanics, or derived tln;v support directly from the mechapcal arts Ii we add to them t!l.t very numerous body ot men, bo aDDrcnticrs anl those of the Curneymen who are not voters, we should probably find that of the male inhabitants over l6 yeas of ago mechanics form nearer three ours 1IJn one half of the whole And the sane IS generally true of most of the lar per towns in the northern section of this country.
 In the second place, this numerous class of soce- ty have many common interests to unite them to- Cether. when any common cause shall call for their influence and eXertions And in this country where no artificial bonds of unlon exist but where men unite together for any object from common feelings and sympathies the strongest of all bonds, the adage that nion is power. hes its fullest force and mean inr Any large body of men therefore among us thus united, will always exert an lncalculabe n1l- ence on the public sentiment, and will weld pow CT when any great movement IS agltatlng the con- munity, which will either prove destructive Tn It's conseoucnces. or will pour over the whole face ot American society, the full tide of happiness and plenty and peace. And such body ot men we ma in mechanics Constituting so large mass as they do of our pcpulatlon their character and influence will determine in no small degree, the destiny o1 this nation. To estimate properly the weight of their influence, compare town m which the me- chanics are skilful, enterprlsng, pnctua ndustrl- ols intelligent and virtuous, with one III which they are of an opposite character-wlthout enterprise, unskirul careless and loose in their habits of busl- ness, ignorant and vicious. The one place Will have all the graces of well ordered community neatness quiet, morality and intelligence; while Ill the other, the very surface of things will plainly show the working of the elements Of conluSlon and disorder. In such comparisons as these, we see the control wi Ich mechanics, GS class have over the general character and prospects of sccloty ihon influence is not snne-handed and lisunted; but 1t is combined and universal influence. And as the efficacy of union in efectng purposes Is more and more seen in this busy aGe as It may be emphatic ally called, bodies of men wno are linked tOgetler by common interests, draw closer their bonds ot un ion and thus bring their energies to bear more deli nitelv and strongly Cn the objects which call forth their united eXerons It is one of the characters tics of the ace. that 'ndtudual influence IS becom- ing mere and more merged in coNectlre influence; :; and hence the great importance th so large DOT tion of the community aS mecnancs form, should have as class, stable and moral character, instead of an ignorant. immoral and loose one Deulagogues know full well the power of this class of society, and court their favor with heareSs professions CT attachment to their interests That man may d. ways be suspected of being actuatnlby corrupt mo- tives who pTetends that this portion of the conmu- nity is tapt down and oppressa1-ths exciting dis content and jealousy towards tie very men who are their favor by exalting himself in their view, the great champion of their interests, while in fact he does nothing for them but brawl tt the corners of the streets about injuries which they have never suffered, and dangers which have never threatened them.
 In the third place, the relative importance of Ee- chanics, as a class, appears still greater when we consider their character, or rather the habits and qualities which they acquire by 1Aelr employments and pursuits These are such as to give them the means of exertin9 great energy as body oi men. The occupation of most mc"hancs is such as to call into exercise and 'cyclopn ingenuity readiness in expedients, an4 the inventive powers of the mind generally. They have constant allurcmert5 to leave the old beaten tracks, al' strike out new rnthS ot their own; and not few attracted by these al- luremnnts and their energies are cuil d forth with success. Tho },a:,:t to0 # proporionMg accurate " means 10 en l.. enalaGN;,Gtrs 1oEcnrSs to the force and actirf which t!ic c3,i:%g forth of then inventive D057a;} ~,rc2 to their character. And these efoc,s Of j!ci oNp,oyacnt on their character will be more an1 more .2o:l, tha ncfa neeIy sccn- tlic and nencc'i knowledge is Infused among then The more jntci',9ent .'Nr become, the more will their 5ornr2l arts ca f'"+'l t,e energies of heIl mnds, ani Ao '3o Ill their s"@il! ari tac: and ac- tvi.7 6e v:;}'o , 'l" nH"e::cc which they eXer as l9an on s'3n '~3c' 9yc.1,.1 ;Ic''.
 Tl.are "no ,"; pc,,;; ,'' y:cE n! which thc ir- porrnce 0, .,,rl, ',:sc k '.t s:s;'ls. io&n t:.< dcra2lon'c # -.; e.. 's:n't' cn l}ctn !"'" !nr? portion ot n >."11 1r;, gutlr"u@?It> rnG Hfro5* r. ric~ .r 'n l F, tAe ii'"faeS IT,; >@!f, o3 t;'* cts
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