The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-03-27
selves in their zeal for the support of the 60

selves In their zeal Tor tne support OF the go
Besides this, many of those belonging to the
second class very little, if at all. above those
of the lowest, the helots What is poor coun-
try baker, or smith, or grocer, or joinerl Yet
they form the half OF the second class, with the
retail dealers and small shopkeepers; so that
more than half million must again he deducted
from the independent portion. They, of neces-
sity, are dependent on the mayor and the clergy
man of the village.
AS to the rest of the two classes, there is
nothing easier than to prevent their being ar
rayed against the government. The French
rulers know that well, and they act accordingly.
BY customs duties, protective taxes, and preml-
ums, they have set the agrlculturists against the
manufacturers; the manufacturers against the
colonial interest; the colonial interest against
the tradesmen and merchants; and each against
all the rest The merchant of Havre is intent
upon the humiliation of the sugar manufactur-
ers of Arras. The iron master of the
Haute Marneknocks down. the wine grower
OF the Gironde; and the royal forester
levels his gun at the coalheaver This is, &C.
cording to the doctrine of la ponderation des
forces, the political equilibrium of the popular
classes. Such is the political science of the new
cOnquerOrs OF the Gauls
Here again occurs the question. How can an
intelligent and enlightened people allow them
selves to be misled by such doctrines, and tram
pied upon by such d0ctrinaires? Let us, IN an
swer to this question, consider the intellectual
condition of the people.
The published or spoken accounts of our Eng
lish tourists in France, the self pralsing and
bombastic complies rendus annually presented and
printed by, the minister tor public instruc-
ton, and the amazing number OF literary pub
LEGATIONS, however bad they be, have not
prepared my readers for hearing that. with
the exception of the Russians, the French are
probably the most Ignorant people In Europ
Such, however, is the fact, as established by
other complies rendus, also annually presented
the Minister of the War Department. 1t is
known, that the stability, the hohor, and power
OF the French government rest on standing army,
4OO 700 men strong; and that every year 80 0OO
| men are drawn by lotto military service, from
among all the young men who, during the year,
have attained their twenty first year OF age. TO
ascertain the progress of popular instruction, the
recruiting and civil authorities have been en-
Joined to examine and report the educational con-
ditlon of all the young men at the moment they
are brought to be drawn.
The official returns, presented by the Minis
ter, on the instruction of this class OF the popula
three of instruction. Taking these returns as
the basis OF or calculations, we find the follow
ing results for the whole of the population
lst-U nabe to road and to write. .... l6 955 900
sd-Readng and writing, but Incorrectly. -. 696s 600
4th-R-ading ard writing correctly 2,430,00O
6th-Havng the elements of classical sduca-
ssh~Havng complsted their classical studies sSoos
Total. .............s "a, 400 OOO
tons, have applied to the whole population OF
| France an average which, according to the Off
cia returns, applies only to the vi,iie population
1t is known that, all over the continent, but par
| ticularly In france, the instruction of young
girls is considered, by the laboring classes, as
much less necessary, and is much less attended
to, than that of their boys. cannot, therefore,
be accused of exaggeration, when, overlooking
this fact, and extending to the whole the results
Of the investigation made on one half, and
which cannot, by any certain process, be made
on the other half of the population of France, l
conclude that two-thlrds of her population are in
state OF complete ignorance; one-fourth is in a
state OF comparative ignorance; one-tOurteenth
part only can read and write correctly; and not
one in a hundred has completed course of
classical studies
point, which appears to me of the utmost
Importance, ls to ascertain, as far as possible, In
what proportion the four classes of the popula-
ton participate in the SIX degrees of ignorance
or of instruction, as it may lead to the discovery
of the real causes of the moral weakness, and of
The consequent violence of the government. The
following table will answer the purpose:-
GLASSES POPULATION.
Degrees Work'g .dgricui- learned Paid Total
Of Igno- Classes turaLfstsl Prof in Officials
rance 4 Helots f. Manu- dependant IA my e
instruc. fdcturers PROPERTY. NaVV.
ton.