Democratic standard. [volume] (Georgetown, Brown County, Ohio) 1837-1850, 1844-12-10

liDotauCo VI uNaitluS OutSSiNeS VI AuV =
opportunity afforded, at time Of peace :
and prosperity, TO strengthen and luruiy c
the foundations upon which the fabric OF {
our Liberties rest, and TO erect barriers c
against those evils which may at any time {
in future endanger The purify or the per-
manency Of our free institutions. This
PrOpiiiOus opportunity, in the early age OF
our republic, should pot be neglected.
For when disturbed by civil commOtion,
or in future, when over burdened with a
dense population, Car more d liicull, If not
utterly impractcable, ;f now neglected,
will bo the task 10 stay che inroads OF cor.
rupiioD, and provide securities against the
dangerous devices and Vaccinations Of
ambition and cupidity.
The most certain reliance for The SO
curly and psrmanency of our civil nstiiu
lions, is 10 be found in an efficient and well |
conducted system Of common schools,
by which the benefits OF education can,
upon liberal terms, be placed within The
reach ol every person OF suitable age in
the Stale. Every citizen is entitled TO
voice in the management Of our public
affairs. Our laws ale but the Omanations
OF popular opinion. Ii is a matter, there
fore, of vital importance, that popular
opinion should be aided and enlightened
by intellectual culture, and moulded and
directed by pure and elevated tone ot
lnotal feeling. The European systems
of education confne The means OF inslruc'
ton chiefly TO the favored and forIu
classes, 10 the exclusion OF the mass ol
the people, and thus keep up and augment
those artificial and arbitrary distinctions
in society which constitute one great
source Of the oppression and degradation
Of The great body of the people. The
youth Of this country are born to nobler
privileges and higher responsibilities The
very genius aud spirit of our institutions
, require that public system OF instruction
should be kept open and free to all pla>
: cling those in the most humble walks OF
liie upou The same platform and equal
footing with those who are in mole ioT-
! tunate circumstances, olevaIDg the intel
> iectual moral and social condition OF The
Z; mass Of The people and pegpetuating that
) degree ofmoral, intellectual and social
equality, which IS essential alike to the
: permanancy of our government, and the
u happiness Of our people,
n The great conservative influence OF q
e public system of education on the future
IS destiny Of our county, was fully appreci-
D ated by the eminent statesmen who iram'
r cd the frs. elements Of our civil inslitu'
y tiuns. 1t was provided 10 The Ordinance
d Of 1857, for the government OF the Terrh
D tory northwest Of tie Ohio river, that
u 'roligion, morality and knowledge, being
II necessary to good government and the
u happiness Of mankind, schools and lhe
8 means of education shall forever be en-
h coursged." In the organic 1tion of our
n Stnle government, this provision was, in
e substance, copied into the bill OF rights,
! aud nov constitutes part OF the OOnsll.
o ton of the State, iniperatively enloining
upon the representatives OF The people,
tat "schooIs and the meaps Of lnsITuc-
U ton sh uld forever he encouraged by leg
U islative provision--where pot inconsistent
y with the rights Of conscience"
. The subject oil education has been urg
II ed upon the consideration of the Legislas
% lure in almost every annual message OF
= The Governor since the origin of the State
b Government. The solemn injunctions of
(. the fundamental laws Of the State, which
81 it is our sworn duty to support, and the
- warning voice Of every successive SUI
r. preme executive officer o: tho State,
d ought not to be treated as mere ceremJ.
Al NOUS formula, entitled TO but slight aud
Q superficial attention, They are the au
thorilalvo and living promulgaions of
= public sentiment, expressed in characters
Il as visible and impressive as If written in
d Stars on tho arch Of the firmamenl,
= 10 the mode of instruction, discipline
j.. and training given TO the juvenile p0rtiLn
!. Of our population wa are to look for the
# model of the future character Of our
r people, and the elements which will con.
!, troll the future destiny Of our republic.
l., II is To this source that wO are 10 look
: for tho formation of that elevated standard
: of intellectual superiority, moral excel
{ lenCe and public virtue, which shall pre-
i serve Our country from ignorance and SUI
4 perstition-siay the tide Of corruption usr.
: ally flowing from dense population, aud
f, rescue our posteriiy from the iOteIlectu,
4 al and physical degeneracY so commonly
8 produced by luxury and its enerVaIious.
y after continuance OF national prosperi'
r ty.
. The system of common schools in This
I State, although productive Of much beneN
/. fit, and, in its general provisions, we'll
adapted 10 the accomplishment o! its OBJ.
> jects, is YET susceptible Of very great i'm
/. pTovemen,s. The fact cannot escape the
most superficial observation, that great
inetficieNcy and want Of energy exist in
its execution and management, and that
during The last two or three years il has
been retrograding, instead Of progressing
towards higher degree of perfection. ]