Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1848-09-01

i Ill AHE Y bbRhE ~ ~ "H -.
bibitin0 the education Of slaves, making n
biohly penal 10 teach Them 40 much as the
alphabet, dispensing and Furnishing all meet
ines where they come together In quest o.
knowledge. Look into the statute books Of
the free States, and you will find law alter
law, encouragement after encouragement 70
secure the diffusion of knowledge. LOOK
into the statute books q the slave STATES
and you find law after law, penalty amer pen
alty To secure tue extinction OF knoWleuge-
" no has not read with delight those BOOKS
which have been written both In England
and in this Country, entitled The pursuit Of
knowledge under Difficulties giving bog
raphies of illustrious men, who, by an uh-
daunied and indomiiable spirit. had risen
from poverty and obscurity TO the heights OF
eminence, and blessed the world with their
achievements in literature, in science and IN
morals Yet here, In what we call repub-
lican America, are fifteen great states, vyinS
with each other 10 see which VIII bring the
blacklist and most lmpervious pail OF igho-
rance over three Of million human heelnRs;
nav. which can do most 10 stretch this pail
across the continent from the Atlantic TO the
Pacific.
Is not knowledge good .? Is IT not one OF
the most precious bou mites which the ALL
{ OOutlIul blVBT udS DbStOhtu upOh 'N N''"
racet Sir John Herechell, possessed OF am-
pie wealth his capacious mind stored with
Inc treasures of knowledge, surrounded
BY the most learned society in the most cnl-
tivated metropolis in The world says Ill
/ were to pray for a taste which should stand
Inc in stead under every variety Of circum-
stances, and be a source Of happiness and
cheerfulness to me through life, and a shield
against its ills, however things might go a.
miss, and the world frown upon me, 1t would
be a taste for reading Tetit is now pro-
posed to colonize the broad regions OF the
West with millions Of our frllow-belngs, who
shall never be able to read a book or write a
word, 10 whom knowledge shall bring no
delight in childhood, no relief in the weary
hours Of sickness or convalescence, no solace
in the decrepitude Of age who shall pre-
ceive nothing of the beauties ofart, who shall
know nothing of the wonders of science, who
shall never reach any lofty, intellectual con-
ception of the attributes of their great Crea-
tor;-deaf to all the hosannas OF praise which
nature sings TO her Maker; blind in this mag
niticenl temple which God has bLilded.
Sir, it is one Of the noblest attributes
Of man, that he can derive knowledge
from his predecessors. We possess the
accumulated learning Of ages. From ten
thousand continent streams, the river OF truth
widened and deepened, has come down TO US
and it is among our choicest delights that 1t
we can add to its volume, as it rolls on, it
will bear a richer freight of blessings to our
successors. But it is proposed to annul this
benefcent law Of nature, to Tepel this profit
cred bounty Of Heaven. 1t is proposed to
create a set OF men to whom all the lights of
experience shall be extinguished; whose
hundreth generation shall be as ignorant as
its first.
Sir, | hold all voluntary ignorance to be a
crime; | hold all enforced ignorance to be a
greater crime. knowledge Is essential to all
rational enjoyment: it is essential to the full
and adequate performance of every duty
Whoever intercepts knowledge, therefore, on
its passage TO a human soul ; whoever strikes
down the hand that is -outstreiched TO grasp
} it, is guilty of one of the most heinous of of
fences. Addito your virtue, knowledge, says
the Apostle; but here the command is, be-
cloud and be-little by ignorance, whatever
virtue you may possess.
Sir, let me justify the earnestness of these
expressions, by describing the transition of
feeling through which ! have lately passed.
| come from a community where knowledge
ranks next to virtue in the classification Of
blessings. On the tenth day of April last,
lIlt ud1 DBlOIS L ltIl HOUlb LOT lniS place, L
attended the dedication of a school house in
Boston, which had cost $40, 1000. The May
or presided, and much of the intelligence and
worth of the city was present on the occa-
sion. ] see by a paper which | have this
day received, that another school-house, in
the same city, was dedicated on Monday of
the present week. 1t was there stated by the
Mayor that the cost of the city scool-houses,
which had been completed within the last
three months, was 100000. On Tuesday
of this week, a new high school-house, in tho
city of Cambridge, was dedicated. Mr..
Everett, the President of -Harvard College,
was present, and addressed the assembly in
a long, and, | need not add, a most beauti-
full speech. That school-house, with two
others to be dedicated within a week, will
have cost S25 900. Last week, in the neigh
boring city Of Charlestown, a new high school
house Of a most splendid and costly charac-
ter, was dedicated by the Mayor and CITY
government, by clergy and laity. But it is
not Mayors of cities, and Presidents of COL
leges alone, that engage in the work Of con-
s~ecrating temples of education TO the service
of the young. Since ] have been here, the
Governor of the Commonwealth, Mr.. Briggs,
went to Newburyport, a distance of forty
miles, to attend the dedication of a school
mouse, Whlch cost S2o,OOO. On a late occa-
sion, when the same excellent Chief Magis-
trate travelled forty miles to attend The dedi-
cation Of a school-house in the country, some
speaker congratulated the audience because
the Governor of The Commonwealth had come
down from the Executive Chair to honor the
occasion. No. said he, Il have come up
to the occasion TO be honored by it, With
in the last year, 100000 have been given
by individuals to Harvard College. Within
a little longer time than this, the other two
colleges in the State have received, together,
a still larger endowment from individuals or
the State.
These measures are part Of a great system
which we are carrying on for The elevation of
the race. Last year the voters of Massachu-
sets, in their respective towns. vnlnntarilu