The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1847-06-11
, Education I'm England.

the brltSn House oil Commons, on Inc duly
of The State to provide for the education Of
the people, both for the truth of the senti-
ments, and as an evidence of the progress of
liberal principles, while it contains an ac-
nowledgement that the country of our snces-
tors is learning wisdom from tho experience
Of our institutions:
If you take away education, what means
do you leavei Take away education and
what is man? Take away education, and
what is left! Military force, peual colonies,
prisons, the solitary cell, the gibbot and all
o.her operations ofthe penal laws, |Theie
is no proposition more strange than this, that
the power that is bound TO punish men for
negecting their duty, is not 10 teach them
their duty. Can we see, without shame,
that probably more than half of those execu-
ted in eur times for capital crimes, might
have been alive at this moment; that half Of
those in our gaols might have been a, liber-
ty; that half Of those in our penal colonies
might be hohorably and usefully employed
oil their native soil, if the state had expend-
ed in forming honest men only a small por-
ton of the sum they have devoted 10 infct-
ing misery on rogues.
Having neglected the only legitimate mode
of ensurng tho peace Of society, you are
forced TO resort TO arms, the only means left
you. But could any necessity be more cru
ell than to shed the blood OF the people, who
would not have listened to the sugs estions
of crime if the government had furnished
them with instruction? say, therefore, not
only that education is part of the province
Of The state, because il affords effectual
means of promoting that which all allow TO
be the main end Of government, but also be-
cause it is the most humsne and the best
mode Of attaining what all admit to be the
end of government. remember also that
it, has been the opinion of all the greatest
champions Of civil and religious liberty, and
in none more conspcuousy than in those
memory is justly held in the highest reyc-
renee by the Protestant Nonconiormists of
England. Surely if there be any class of
men whom the Protestant Nonconformists
hold in reverence il is those men Of high
spirit and unconquerable principle, who, in
the days of Archbishop Laud, left their coun-
try, and preferred living in a wilderness,
where they could worship God after their
own way, rather than live in civilsed and
prosperous land in spiritual bondage. 10
those men, the founders ofthe state of Mas
sachusctts, there appeared nothing contrary
to civil or religious liberty in allowing the
state TO take care Of education. In the year
l642 they passed their first act on the sub
ject, the preamble of which rectes in the
most positive manner that education is mat
ter of the deepest interest to all communities,
and then proceeds TO place education in "a
peculiar manner under the protection of the
state. have great pleasure in referring TO
an American authority on the subject, be-
cause cannot forget that these advocates of
the voluntary principle refer tu America as
the country the best illustration of the sue,
cess of their doclrine. What was the opin-
ion Of all the greatest and most eminent men
men thai America ever'prodnced on this
subiecta Educate the people was the last lega-
cy left by Washington to the Republic of the
United States. Educate the people was the
constant language Of Jefferson. quote
bis opinion with particular Gvuor, because
say tha, of all the eminent public men who
ever existed in this world, he was the man
whose inclination was to pare down the
functions Of government TO the lowest posi-
ble point, and leave individual acton free; !;
and vet we know that the latter part of that
mans life was passed in an almost constant
struggle 10 establish astata education in Vir-
! 5i;;;nia. Against these authorities what have
wei Have we ono single eminent man dis
,nguished by his services rendeisd to reli-
gious or civil liberty? Have we anything
sQains, these except Glamour which dates
from the year 1916? To be sure this new
theory Of government, if it have no other
merit, may at least claim the merit Of orig-
nality. 1t seems TO me TO turn thus. All
men have hitherto mistaken the proper iunc-
tions of government. Government is simp-
y the great hangman of society. The func-
tions of government are to do nothing except
by harsh and degrading means. From all
human means--from all means which ope-
rate by eevaling the moral and intellectual
character of man-government is excluded.
That its means are physical force, and the
terror inspired by physical force. A states
man is to see the great factory towns grow
up, their population multiply, so as in few
years to expand to gigantic Dimensions know
ing perfectly well that on the moral and in
tellectual state Of these masses the prosperi-
tiy Of the country may depend. But, no
matter, he is not to think of operating on
their moral and intellectual state. He may
build barracks 10 overaw them; he may send
ldown ordnance 10 NOW down the insurgents,
but from education he must Sbstan. 1t is
the same with the rural districts. He may