Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1847-07-07
THE PECULIAR IMPORTANCE OF INTEL

! THE PECULIAR IMPORTANCE OF INTEL
LECTUAL CULTIVATION TO THE PEG
PIE OF A FREE COUNTRY.
! A celebrated writer in Massachusetts, few years
since advanced the idea that however safe and sal
utary it might be under despoiic or monarchical
government, to allow the masses of the community
| to remain without cultivation, like policy must
ever prove ruinous one in republic In mon
archical government, the people are to submit to
the laws, not to make them; to obey their rulers
and magistrates, not to appoint them to or remove
them from office; to adopt and be governed by any
policy domestic or foreign, which the government
may prescribe not TO inquire into and pass judg
ment upon itsmerts.
! In a republic tie case is far otherwise. Whate
yer constitutes the necessity for a high degree of
cultivation among the nobility and arstocracy Of
other countries equally constitutes necessity for
high degree of cultivation among all classes under
a free government IN republic, every class CON
stutes portion Of the sovereignty every class has
an important part to act in framing the constitu-
tons and laws shaping and moulding the nslitu-
tons, and exercising the various important publc
trusts pertaining to official station We admit that
bat a small portion comparatively are to regard
themselves as competent to assume the discharge
Of legislative, other elevated and important Oil
cial functions Men who are thoroughly qualified
to act in these capacities are often quite too Few;
and the chance of their being selected will depend
upon the capability Of the community at large to
discover and appreciate their qualifications and
worth. The trainers of our constitution will lie de-
s:gnated and elected by a majority of the people;
and if their work is properly or improperly per
formed, the merit or blame Of its being so will de-
yove upon their constituency. And when their
work is performed, whatever its character may be
it viii be approved and adopted, or condemned and
rejected by the people Thus see that the peo-
PIE are really the authors and trainers of the con
stitution; and whatever qualifications are desirable
in constitution-makers should be possessed by the
people. Essentially the same principles apply in
the department Of legislative action That degree
Of cultivation which would be necessary to prepare
person to act judciously a member of legis
lative body, is desirable as a qualification to pas
sentenceupon the dongs olegislatye bodies, which
is duty ever deYolving upon those exercising the
elective franchise When system of laws has
been established in a community be they wise OF
unuise salutarv or pernicious in their tendency,
the public sentiment, the voice of the people, will
determine how far they shall be or fail to be main
tanned and enlorccd and in what cases the violation
of them shall be punished or suffered 10 pass with
impunity. A free people will ever make any thing
which their civil code contains controlling pr!n-
cpe or dead letter accordingly as they approve
or disapprove its proyisions-so that the mainte-
nance and execution OF law, less than its enact
meat, ever remain in the power of the mass of the
people. Hence it is obvious, at glance that they
should have whatever ofintelligencc and cultivation
may be requisite for framing and administering the
laws for the government OF the community. The
great and vitality important questions OF trade, OF
currency OF revenue of taxation of franchise, othe
disposal Of The public domain, of internal improve
ments and OF protection, the people are called upon
10 discuss, 10 act upon determines and settle Most
of these are questions which have employed the
highest order OF intellect in all parts Of our Union
and those who tancytha these questions, any
of them, can be properly investigated, and decided
upon at glance, or by persons senderly informed
and unaccustomed 10 laborioss inquiry, the
~ persons who are the most poorly qualified to act
in reference to matters of such importance How
strikngly manifest is it that those who have the
ultimate control and management of interests suc&
as these should be possessed of intelligence and
high degree of cultivation.
Questions involving your right of property, your
character, and your personal freedom, or the like in
teIests Of your families friends and ne ghbors are
continually liable to be committed to the adjudica
ton OF Jurors and these jurors are selected indis
crimina;ely from the body OF the ctizens-so that
whatever is the character of the mass OF the people
tor intelligence and uprightness will be the charac-
ter of the jurors who render verdict in civil and
criminal cases How important then, that all LA
bic 10 be called on TO serve as jurors should be
soundminded, upright and conscientious, not igno-
rant, uuprncipled, or reckless in character.
Once more, it can hardly be necessary 10 remark