Morning herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1837-1840, 1840-11-18


spies--Aacqueys--Powcr aud Prescription.
MK. HERALD-As I deem it highly important
that every thing cted with public schools,
and those who govern them, should now be tho
roughly discussed, L pray you to hear patiently
slittle further, while make SEINE mere develope-
meats connected with this concern. The close cor
psration and close borough system Of Great Britain
became such an incubus ON the body petite, and
fagranty inequitsbls, that it bid fair to des-
troy the liberties of the country. The abuses Of
the system were accommodating in most fearful ra-
ito. As soon as developments were made by the
penetrating sagacity of few of her statesmen, the
people arose in their might, and dashed the obnox.
ious system to atoms and although the country was
shaken to its centre by the operation, they
their rights All corporations comparatively ire
sponsible, are dangerous; but when they are go.
verned by an arrogant siigarchy. whe aggrandise
their power by welding the public funds they sell
dom fail to become obHoxious and even intolo-
rablc
Ii is not uncommon for men, ambitious of power,
to set oct with show Of philanthropy, and end in
the most arrogant and high handed despotisn. 1t
IL well known how industrious ard persevering
few of our public school trustees have been, for
years, in adding to their power. From small begin
mugs they have gone on from one step to another,
until iii hard to say where they will end. But u
to pass law, deny ring the assistance of the Aims
House to all whs did not send their children to the
public schosls Now, it was we'll known that reli-
gious principle forbade many to sesd their children
to these schools, while abject penury prevented
others. Is it philanthropy to refuse food to the
hungry, because they will not violate the dictates
Of conscience
Knboldens ed by t. us bringing to their aid The arm
Of the civil power, they last year applied to the
Corporation for compulsory snactments to give
them the control Of all the ragged urehins in the
city whe did not 60 to school. Our municipal au-
thorities were startled at an application direct.
ly at variance with the genius OF Political in
situations, and stingly refused it. What they
will next ask for, it is hard to conjecture. Are not
though coming under the guise Of philanthropy?
Let not lurking ambition be concealed from
sight by a smooth exterior. Oily speech may flow
from the tongue Ola Iyrian.
What difference, in principle, is there between .
church establishment and our pu,lic school esta-
biishmentl We, on this side OF the Atlantic, con-
denim the high church system Of England, which
e0mpels the Dissenters to support il by taxation,
while they cannot console ntiously held any COM
munion with il in spiritual things. This is cdious
enough. Bat what would we think Of the British
government, it, after taxing the Dissenters, rs they
now do, for the establishment, they should make
law, that all Of tho who neglected to attend some
place If Worship, shosld be forced into the church!
In doing this, they would only act the prime
OF few of our patlie school trustees. Ii the Ca
tholics abhor the principles Of Protestastism, as
have doubt most OF them do, would it not be the
most arrant spiritual tyranny to force them to en-
brace those principles But they view the princi-
worss than even Notwithstanding itself.
And yet trustees would have law to force such
a ystem upon them and their children. The PHI
ionttropy OF the scheme may seem admirable to
spiritual ambition, but its politics would be abher
rent and aboninable even in u oespotism.
We have just reason to be jealous Of men SO tena-
ceous Of power and eager constantly to increase
il, as the present Quaker regency in the public
n e ram Az Al ma aune IN ~h ia
many OF the Trustees have planned ofths manner
in which tho few nonopolize all the power in the
concern others strive TO iagratiate themselves with
them, by willingly doing their bidding aud running
At their nod like 80 many plant and sycophantis
lacqueys One or two OF them stand behisd the
scenes, pull the wires, and the puppets dance
There secs in certain quarters dread Of oftnding
shem-in others, an ambition TO please them This
not more strange than true, and rot mere true than
il is contemplate and degrading. But I could name
you Trustees OF both these descriptions, who would
be abashed and mortified TO- hsve it told that they
csurttd the favor dreaded ne frown Of any such
meu. But so il is. Those who thus allow them
selves 10 be made Instruments Of the regency have
by SOM, very correctly been denominated tohtppsrs
in If school - To be "rissed, as il is quantity
unprecedented is, increased in nunbers and i'm
proved discipline-a section aroused, or a teacher
prescribed, the whiPpers-iu are ever ready TO make
lnquisitorial visits in the morning sariy-to take
the teacher by surprise, and find fault with him
ibeat traes-to lay reports against him before the
throne, and finally to overthrow him, If the supreme
power so ordan. So eager are some Of these to
make their vigiiancs conspicuous to the powers
" hon they are SO emuous to serve, that they seem
never satisfied unless they have some game to
hunt downF' Spies are the most ncxious vermin
,n the body polite In literary institution they
are blightipg and paralJ zing
Every thing connected with education should Ii
,erslize, not enslave the mind. Such a system If
espionage as j have mentioned, needs only to he
known TO meet with merited condemnation. A teach
sr that needs Watching and inQuisitoral visits, IL
fo cat and ~ ho Uautd
nus with teachers who know what belongs to gem
emen, as well as duty, education, conscience, can
Tot be too soon "expurgated" from Office they are
ipiit to hold. IL there is situation earth that
requires vast fund Of patient forbearance il is that
'f teacher who is compelled To brook the dctaion
the snecrs-aud sometimes the indisrties, Of a
roneeited, pragma'ic, bat ignorant trustee, whose
intellect rs incapable of comprehe Hding abstract
des-whose philosophy never extended bcyord adj
iiton an multiphcation-and who is as gno sant Of
he art of Teaching as he Is OF saascrt or the die
entisl and integral calculus speak not in the abb
tract oaly-the concrete is before ne. There are a
ew men IN thefe schools OF whom / have heard ma
and grevous complaints in relation to their treat
aent Of the tea hers. The sggrieved party has sell
on dared to complain openly but there are those
rho testify 70 the fears Of onc-the ind g.ation
another-the tears OF third-aud the contempt
Il all, in relstioa To eenssrious and prarnstie
sw, who cannot show their power without eternshy
sdng fault, and ho imagine they know every thing
bout the schools and sbsut teaching, No IL were az
,feio and intuiffrsiy Those teachers who have
Jared 10 speak in their defence, like men-tho.s
tho save dared to show the sembIance Of resent
nent at what they deemed an indigsity, or partial
md unjust reatment, have either been ex sinded az
NEE, or laid under the ban Of prescription until .
opportunity has arrived to hurl against
hem the reassred-up ven gezncs ssch vind!ctivc
proceedings may be incident to wealthy and close
corporations, whose members feel secure in their
,ce, being beyond the reach Of the sovereign peo-
,lo but when the disciples OF George Fox and
N lliam Penn act upsn the principle Of the "lex Ia
~ m Il c onf in
err "profc ssioa is not principle !" and sxcisn vita
he poet
rsbiE1e snimis in coolest bus iras
"Csa hssrsnip niads suoh anger est.rtain."
All this may seem foreign to eoHtendng about the
rue faith" aud the school fund;" but human
tights, and especially the rights Of those who en-
ightcn and mould the minds OF youth, 10 theme
certainly OF tsntamount importance.