Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1846-11-06

>" cation Society, giving very brief and imperfect
, summary of its topics, and general scope. We
have since found an Extract from the Address
in the columns of the Montpelier journal, and
2" with much pleasure transfer it to our columns
!" This Extract embraces all that Professor DA-
" YVES said directly. respecting the obligations of
" a State to provide for the education of its chill |
~ dren-to provide system whose comprehensive |
Ne beneicence shall place the means of education
~ within the reach Of ALL its citizens. And
20 though there is little that is specially new in the
~ considerations urged, they are forcbly and
'n' clearly stated, and aidedby the graceful and eff
'u iective oratory of Professor d., left most SALT
90 tary impression upon the minds of those who
!" had the pleasure to listen to him.
~. We hope to see the remaining and more clab
crate and thoughtful portion of this address. be-
fore long, in more permanent shape than the
columns of newspaper.
ii The following is the Extract
The works ofthc Creator may be divided into three
II y" casscs-the material world the brute creation and
ght man.
w. muabe laws, which seem to have been co-exscnt
ve' nsmy nn% ords The ~ Of srayation does
AIT change. The earth pu,sues her onward
the through the heavens i'll the path pointed out by
~ the finger of the Omnpoen The cycles of the sea
cre' fulfil from year to year. their appointed Offices
laid The spring returns at its appointed time to repair the
- ravages OF winter, and to cothe the earth in beauty
css and yerdurc Seed time and harvest succeed each
ling other with wonted regularity and amidst endless va
Tho rey, there is no varabeness nor the least shadow
'''' OF change .
rip The brute creation is also governed by the equally
ipht certain and unerrng laws OF appetite and instinct
'S The horse obeys the reir Of his rider and the
lady hrowses the grass and draes the pow, with the
&c S o thu % P and % Ths ' bf; "
the year year. build their neksAer the same fashion
ever e @ ~, ,b;r v III The same ins,inc,iy f.
nory rocy the fish OF the rverEnd the ocean make their
+ annual round to fulfil theend for which they were
made and time in his onward course. marks no
Improvement progression. On man alone have
been imposed no adnmantne chains of an memorable
necessity. He has been Toned in the immage OF the
rr Maker, and endowed with the high attributes OF an
A intellectual and moral nature, Although, at his birth
weaker and cebler than he brucs which perish, be-
ing dependant for his very existence on the care OF
others and having only The instincts necessary to pre-
life he yet contains within him the germ OF that
intellect, which when properly cultivated can grasp all
knowledge, and OF that Eusal nature, which It's iI
development drinks at the fountains Of life and lays
hold on immortality lr the inscrutablc wisdom o
Providence his dcstncs hive been conidcd to his
hands His body, even depends for growth anC
; rcng,h on his own will aud energies. He may ener
it by sloh, impair it by disease and mpant with
N it the seeds OF premature and early decay or by
strict observance 81 the laws OF health, he may give Il
all its functions full and perfect development. His in
leect4al, like his pl'ysc' natG,e' maiIests selia
the capacity 10 acquire kDwledgc, and not with knowl
edge itself. So with our moral nature The ability t
distinguish between rigt and wrong is perhaps tn
only attribute OF it, not dependent on ourselves-th
choicc OF the one or the thcr being in all cases
tlrey voluntary The Intellect cannot perform its ap
propriae functions unle~ strengthened and cxpandc
by varied knowledge nhcr can our moral naur
exert lis higher energies AID discern Its renotcr due
until culture develops an brings GU, the vvying prir
ciple
Education is that system of training, which develop
their proper proportions and in their right direction
our physical intellectual and moral natures.
BY the term physical would express all that relate
10 orr bodies-o their health and vlgor, their symm
Try proportion, their strength and manlness OF on
and in short, whatever mparts to them the ability
obcying that controlling power known TO us by Il
By our intellectual .. ,rs, / would designate all d
attributes of the mind Which enable acquire al
combine ideas. The memory, the perception, 1
power of correct and accurate reasoning are all
them intellectual faculties
Oar moral nature embraces the whole class of orr {
icctlons: II Is this attribute OF spiritual organic
uon which distinguishes the child OF an amiablc al
lovely disposition, which makes him aflectionae to
parents doce to his teachers and agreeable his col
panlons. 1t is this attribae which moves within us
The love of virtue which binds lis to Others by all
tender charities OF life, and which is the connect
link between us and the Source OF oil good
1t may be well TO nqulr whether the present gene
alton are not especially called upon provide for
education of the young.
The century in which We live is distinguished
great and rapid developments. y fearful rapid
marks the progress OF evells The intellectual elo
OF our State have been successfully eXercd in prcssi
the laws OF nature into channels of human impro,
ment The ocean longer separates distant con
nents, The power OF steam has annlhilated space Il
brought the family OF man into close and intimate
lations Time and space nave yielded 10 the rescarc
es of sciencc-,he brass wire has been made the vel
Gle OF thought, and cities widely separated from ca
other interchange intelligence with the rapidity
electricity itself These and similar trumphs OF mi
over malier-o the power otman to discover and
Oirpln DrPSl IN
luous confidence. This confidence has been turtl
strengthened by the intercourse and connection viii
TINS new state OF things has established between
parts OF the world. Formerly, one State had lit
communication with anothT-bui now n strip OF ST
lie land in the distant Pacific threatens the peace
the whole world--and not gun is fired on the bar
OF the Danube whose reverlrration is not heard tn
the whole valley THE Mississippi
In our day, we have to speak largely of thin
without measuring their extelt-we talk confident,
immense projects without considering the difficult
which he in the way OF their executioll-we read OF
union when II contained but thirteen States and v
bounded on the west by the Nio-wc have now tw
y-eight sisters IN the household and cast eyes
triunphal cHataton over map extending from
inland seas OF the north to the peninsuas of Flor
and Texas on the southland from the rockand CO
OF Nova Scotia TO the distant paciiic-and we yet c
ct the sparkling mines OF SANTA Fe and the lands
harbors OF California.
Similar changes TO those which have been produ
N the mechanic arts and in the extent and bounda
oiogr territory have also taken place in social
ganlzation New theories OF Government are d
promulgated, and new constitutions are formed
combination OF political machinery, which, il rapi
oi production be alone considered, is perfect
that marks the progress OF the mechanic arts.
In such an age, is there not danger that we shall
come dizzy by the rapidity OF our progress,
we shall advance with too lnoch confidence and too
tie caution that shall lbs. respect for the
and all interest in the present, and reach forward
an ardent longing after the unknown future Is Il
not danger that our systems OF public instruct
reared under the influence of this rapid progress
may become hot beds where mind is forced
ward to slckly and premature development! Ist
not danger that superficial requirement will usurI
place OF sound acknowledgements facts and rules
the dignity OF science, and that which can be urnC
practical account to-day, be regarded OF greater
ne than the proioundest wisdom which bears later
chocer fruits.
One OF the most interesting and important prob
of the present day is, whether the State, as such,
use It's means, its influence and its authority, III
pairing, regulating and controlling public instrc
or whether the training OF that young mind, whit
the next generation is 10 constitute our intellectual
moral treasures is To be left individual enterprls
coniiled to accidental hands, We all know that
social condition is an anomaly in the history OF nat
We have proclaimed the freedom OF our race,
founded our institutions on the equality OF man
lew restrictions which were at first placed on the
ment IN else OF social privileges fast melting away an
o,r, nbv time would seem be distant when the
age OF twenty one and possibly, though not certa