Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1846-03-19

is described with central head, to make it
permanent, to make it equal, and give it full
and ample sources of sustenance; and place
those sources upon basis from Which they
are not to be removed by those temporary
storms of passion which sometimes sweep
away the most valuable institutions. 1t
should be kept in a steady action by fixed
Organization and by strong power, so that
its improvements may become progressive
and its consequences Cumulative-the intel
Ilegence Of each successive generation be-
ing heaped upon that of its predecessor.
This committee would most respectfully
suggest, that towards the acquisition and
maintenance of the beneficial and permanent
consequences above described, it is proper
that the public mind should, through the
medium of its studies, receive practical
and an American, instead of foreign and
Roman or Latin direction. Religious in
telligence is of paramount importance, and
ought to be extensively disseminated. Upon
the force, solemnity, and obligation of an
oath, our free institutions entirely rest
Withdraw from them the influence of it's
solemnity and obligation, and you would
as efectually dissolve our social organiza-
ton as the abstraction of the law of the at
traction of gravitation would dissolve the
globe on which we live. And how is it
possible that man who is ignorant of the
true character of an instrument which is
the source of the obligation of his oath
can justly appreciate its value? An oath
lis the basis of our social or political edifce.
"Of all the dispositions and habits which
lead to political prosperity, religion and
morality are indispensable supports. In
vain would that man claim the tribute of
patriotism who should labor to subvert these
great pillars of human happiness-these
frmest props of the duties of men and citi-
zens. The mere politician equally with
the plouS, ought to respect and cherish them.
A UoLunae could not trace all their connec-
ton with private and public felicity. Let
it be simply asked, where is the security
for property, for reputation, for life, if the
sense of religious obligation desert the
oATHs which are the instruments of inues-
litigation in courtss6f justiceS And let US
with caution indulge the supposition, that
morality can be maintained without religion.
Whatever may be conceded to the influence
of refined education on minds of peculiar
structure, reason and experience both forbid
US to expect that national morality can pre-
vail in exclusion of religious principles. p
Washington's Valedictory.
This committee suggest such views as
they think best calculated to perfect the
great consequences which they have de-
Iscribed. Our systems of education are ra-
ideally defective, and the defect grows out
of that impulse which was given to litera-
ture by the almost exclusive study of the
dead languages during those centuries which
succeeded the dark ages. The principles
of science were fol great while unknown,
and even after their publication they were
SO entirely above the habits and compre-
hension of the human race that they exert
ed but little influence. They acre, and to
"a very great extent noov are, locked up in
the closet of the learned. The constant
application to the study of the dead Ian
guages by nations SO exclusively, and for
SO long a time, settled down into nation
al habit, which became paramount preju-
dice in their favor.
1t is difficult to eradicate it, and hence
the principles of science have been regard
ed as Of minor importance.
There is now conflict between the two,
and the principles of science, like the doc
trine of popular sovereignty, are producing
a converted action in the mental operations
of communities. 1t is right it should be
so; for it is question whether the dead
languages have not cursed greater portion
of mankind than they have blessed. The
progress Of the principles of science is but
the current and analytic progress of the
principles of Scripture. Christian logic is
founded on natural laws, and every disco
very in science is but the perfection and
progression of that logic, to which much
of the dead languages is Numerically OPP
posed.
The dead languages are not practical in
their tendency, and yet the whole scene of
human pursuits is or ought to be radically
practical. The facts contained in them are
far remote from the period in which we
live, and the constant, and in many instan-
ces unintelligible study of them, has ten
dency to enfeeble the mind and unfit it forI
practical effort. Thus the mind in its ca
pacity to act is analogous to and common
surate with the physical faculties of the
body. A man can only see to certain
distance, and the capacity to see clearly or
is in proportion to the proxim-
ity or remoteness of objects. So it is with
the mind, and whenever the latter is exer-
cised for any length of time upon objects
remote in their situation. and not produce