Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1847-01-02

in the State, all having claims proportional |
10 their number, the whole fund could be |
applied without delay or excitement to its
high and glorious office.
The gentleman from Benton seems deeply |
grieved tina, Missouri although inexhaust-
BILE in resources, and highly favored with |
Agricultural and Commercial advantages, |
has no work of Internal Improvement.
tender my coincidence to that gentleman,
and, with him, regret the lamentable fact.
But our regrets are vain. Not only do
regret our condition in this respect, but
we all have cause, greater and better, for
lamentaton over the comparative condition
of Public Education in our State. And as
he has seen fit to run parallel between this
between Virginia, "a fifth rate State as he
calls herD and those States, on the subject
of Internal Improvements, attention is
asked to the contrast presented between the
condition of Education in Missouri and its
condition in some Of the Eastern States.
Look, for instance at Massachusetts! That
noble old Commonwealth has free popu-
lation Of about 73S,O00, and yet there is
but one, above the age of twenty years, in
every l66 inhabitants who cannot read and
write. And out Of the 100000 children
educated at primary schools, there are up
wards of $4,000 Of them educated at the
public charge. See Connecticut! That
State contains free population Of abou,
100000, and the number Of free persons
who cannot read or write is only one in
every $50. What, now, Of our own Mis-
souri-this noble young Empire rising in
the Westl Missouri being my adopted
State; having resided within her borders,
and within about fifty miles of this Cap.
,ol for the last twenty years, and having
with her fast increasing population com.
mon interest and a common destiny, the
humiliating statistics are announced "with
shame and confusion of face" Our free
white population numbers about $4,000,
and one in every sixteen, above the age of
twenty, can neither read nor write! The
free white population of Massachusetts
number about 73s,O00, and out of that
immense multitude. of citizens there are
only 4,44S who cannot read and write;
whilst, here in Missouri, having only about
$4,000 free white population, there are
1921 ofthat number-thousands Of them
heads of families, responsible citizens of a
great State, voters at the ballot BOXES
who can neither read nor write!! And out
of the "tcn .legions" of children, Qast in
creasing every dayD who swarm over our
prairies and woodlands-out Of that rising
host, alike the hope of Church and State,
numbering $4,000, only about $1,000 OF
them are permitted to drink of the life.giv.
ing current. Only one out Of every seven
is at school. ''
With such facts as these before US, should
there not be, from one end of the land to
the other, mighty re-awakening on the
subject? And will that suspicious day
never dawn upon our destinies when the
whole people of the State, and this Gen.
eral Assembly. will awake to proper ap.
probation of the great duty which the
government owes to the glorious cause of
Popular Education! Add this fund to the
means already appropriated to that object,
and you may add untold riches to the
priceless treasury of Mind. Talk as you
may of the inexhaustibIc resources which
are embedded in the bowels Of our earth;
talk as you may of rich and invaluable
soils, and long and deep rivers upon whose
bosoms can be waited, to the great marts
of the Union, the ines,imable productions
of mountain and plain; it is Mind, Educa-
ted Mind, which is Tie brightest je,oel in a
Nations Treasury!
Eloquent are the harrangues which are
made TO prove, that, under our theory Of
government, the people rule, and fullsome
are the praises which have been uttered tc
that priceless characteristic of our institu
tions; but after all, and at last, it is the in
tellect-the educated men and women
of country who rule that country. l.
there, then, upon this floor, or Throughout
the extent and breadth of this State, 9
single father who would not desire TO afforc
his bright-eyed boy the priceless blessing
of Education? Who would not have hin
attain, in future time, posts of honor, dis
tinction, and misunderstanding tn
greatest good upon the greatest numberl
Then, letus pass this memorial, and as ia
as possible enable every poor man in tn
State to school his sons and daughters.
From the Pensacola Gazette Of the 2sM ut.
Yesterday morning we were called on to mour
the departure from among US, OF the Rev. FREDER
lex +. PEAKE. He had been long afflicted wit
pulmonary complaint, and his spirit has at las
taken flight for that blest abode. OF whose hol
ness his life, on EARTH had been one continued
illustration. 1t is not often that we indulge il
the language Of eulogy or panegyric; il is nc
often that such language is meet or proper; it is
in general, sufficient that the tears of bereave
survivors moisten the grave OF the departed; stuff
Gent, that his virtues be held in kindly and unfa
ded remembrance around the family altar. b.
there are occasions OF more wide spread grief
occasions on which the voice not OF sympatb