Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1847-07-21
LECTURES ON EDTCATInN

citizens bear the matter in mind and a respectable
number, at least manage TO be in attendance? That
there is an empty pew, or single vacant seat, in
the Church, during the discussion Of this important
subject, does not speak well for this community.
We have strong hopes, however, that the perseyer-
ing efforts of the Friends of Education will have
the effect ere long to stir up the public mind to
some degree of activity and interest, and induce
such action the part of the people of the town,
in reference to the contemplated reforms in our
Educational system, as an intelligent regard fol-
their own and their childrens welfare, would seem
to require.
The last Lecture, by Rev. A. L. BARRIER, was an
effort of far more than ordinary power; and that
more were not present TO hear and be benefited by
IT, is source Of regret. The Address had merits
which but few addresses on any subject at the pre-
sent day possess-an elevation, originality and
comprehensiyeness of sentiment, not whit inleri-
or in our view to any of the productions Of either
Charming or Everett, on a similar topic. This may
sound like extravagant laudation But ne give an
extract from the concluding part Of the Address
and are willing that the reader should Judge for
himself The leading sentiment presented was that
Every human being has right to soul, to
adequate means for the full and vigorous and SYM
metrical development of his intellectual and moral
powers The superiority Of mind, as mems Of
producing wealth, over pere muscular capabilities
was happly illustrated. The value Of elucated IN
tellect to the world in the cases of only three men
Whitney, Arkwrght and Cartwright, in their
labor-sayag inyentions-was demonstrated to be
vastly more than sufficient to meet the yeuly cX-
pcnsc of educating every child in Christcn.lom.
The present condition Of the civilized world in
comparison with its former condition, as respects
the STATE and progress OF the arts and science, was
glanced at as Illustrating the vast capabilities and
, value TO the world of eluca.el intellect. And yet
the achievements Of minl have but just commeu-
ccl and afford bit slight idea OF what under gen
cral and proper systems Of moral and intellectual
training il is destined to accomplish in the future
| Our notice of til, performance IS necessarily
bret To do il full justice We cannot pretend. We
have pres cnteJ in a very mcascr and imperfect form
few only of the leading IDEAS Of the speaker.
The concluding part OF the address is suhjoncd
We have talked and read and written,
and that somewhat layishly, about the i'm
portancc of this, that, and the otler district
/ of new country, and of the various and
vast resources which they contain; and OF
| the importance Of their being speedily and
well developed. The resources of the iron
district, and Of the coal district, of the cop
per region. and of the lead region; OF the
! gold region, of the cotton region and the
wheat region. OF the resources OF Texas
and Oregon and California and New MeXi-
/ co. etc. One district-One regiOn-hOWCV-
! or, containing undcvcloped treasures and re-
i sources, such as the world slightly appre-
/ hends, as vet, invites the attention OF the
cntcrprsing at the present day, vlZ:-the
district-the region of the human intellect
the soul, the spiritual nature OF immortal
man. The world has been quite too much
i.disposcd to take it for granted that wheat
region, or a cotton region, or coal region,
or lead or 4 copper region, or gold re-
gion, is the one in which wealth, and hon
or and happiness are to be sought. And
that the vast realm Of the human spirit,
stretching abroad and around and onward,
as far as faith can see or thought can travel,
is hardly worth exploring; that this region
contains little OF nothing to invite or reward
cultivation. We sometimes hear men talk
of the boundless Sayamahs OF South Amer
lea, and of the millions of wild horses, and
cattle that animate them with surging seas
of life. 10 the dealers i'll beef and leather
and live stock, this may appear like wealth,
but it is a mistake if it does SO. Again, many
are enraplured when they speak Of the gold
and silver of Peru and the diamond mines
Of Brazil; OF eight thousand million dol
lars worth of silver, which, within the last
/ 800 years, has been dug out Of the earth in
what is now poor imbecle, bankrupt, dis
tracted, dying Mexico. We could demon
strate that the intellect Of the rising genera
( ton in New England and New York and
! Ohio is of more importance in itself, and OF
more importance in It's present and prospec-
i've influence upon the world, than all the
! gold and silver and copper and lead that the
western hemisphere ever produced or ever
/ will. Ii comprises resources more album
dant, and of infinitely higher value. Ii is
/ mind and mind alone, that renders all other
/
the want of mind which diycsts them OF
( their value. Peru and Mexico and Brazil
and Spain and Portugal, have, for more
than 300 years, been srivingto be rich and
prosperous without cultivated, and intelIi-
gent, and virtuous population. Haze they
succeeded! fire they succeeding? Nil
they crcr succeed! They have made a
grand mistake. They have been passing
by the infinite capabilities of the human
soul-the glorious image Of lis Divine Au-
thor; and obstinaely insisting that genuine
wealth consists of grey and yellow metals,
dug out of the earth. They should have
known and recollected that the universe
does not contain enough of gold and silver
to enrich an Individual or community de-
void ofintellecmal and moral cultivation.-
1t is in the boundless realms of human
thought--the spirit world of human exist
ance-rendered wisely active and nob!v
ambitious, that discoveries are vet to be
made, greater by far, than Columbus and
Copernicus and Newton have achieved.
New worlds and new universes, may vet
be discovered there; and means for the pro-
motion of human happiness and improve
mcnt scarcely imagined now by one indi-