The Daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1845-1850, 1849-01-12


Ignorance and vice, and an old age OF hopeless
desoation, will be the consequences. The his
tory of Massachusetts, from the days Of the Pill
grims 70 the present time, repels the idea, that
her government, or people, are chargeabe with
the madness and folly oil neglectng the education
OF their children. In the report of the Board OF
Education for 1913, the most convincing proof is
furnished, that, within the last twelve years the
influence OF the Board, the action of the Normal
Schools, and the services OF their Secretary, have
given an impulse TO popular education, the most
gratifying to its friends, and beneficial to the pub
lie. During that time, there has btcn gradual
increase of the proportion OF the whole number
of children in the Commonwealth, who attend
schools the annual amount appropriated for the
support of common schools has been doubled, and
more than two millions Of dollars have been ex.
pended in school districts tor repairing and build
ing school houses. These are cheering and i'm
portant facts, and they clearly indicate the in
creasing interest which the people take in the
sacred cause OF education.
In bringing this subject to your attention, 1t
cannot be necessary for me to press upon your
consideration the weighty and indispensable OBJ
legations which rest upon every public officer in
the Commonwealth, to use his personal influence
and his official power, for the support and pros
perity of cause, the success OF which involves
all that is respectable, great, and glorious, in the
character OF the state, and all that is useful and
desirable in the present and future condition of
her people.
The Hon Horace Mann, who has been the
Secretary OF the Board Of Education from the
time OF its organization, has made his Twelfth
Annual Report; and this Report terminates his
official connection with the Board BY the voice
OF his fellow citizens, he has been called to an
other and different field of action. These
twelve extraordinary reports OF the late Secre-
tary of the Board have not only exerted great
influence in his own Commonwealth, and in the
other states Of this Union, but they have attract
ed the attention, been eagerly sought and read
by, and excited the admiration and respect of the
friends of education, of letters and OF learning
throughout all the governments OF enlightened
Europe. The estimation in which the Board of
Education hold Horace Mann and his services.
will appear by the resolutions unanimously pas.
sed at their last annual meeting, placed upon
their record, and which are made part of their
report to the Legislature. They saw ssthat. in
reviewing the official course OF the Secretary OF
the Board, we are led to contemplate extraordi-
nary proofs of the devotion of talents OF the high
est order, under the influence OF the pnrest mo-
tlves, to work OF usefulness, which, in respect
alike TO the magnitude Of its results and the ma
ture and extent of the labor involved in il. must
be deemed as unsurpassed in tie annals OF the
Commonwealth )" and ''that, yielding t. the me-
cessity of dissovng the connection which has so
long subssted between the Board and its late
Secretary, we desire to place on record, and 10
tender to Mr.. Mann, the most unqualified assur.
ance of our official appreciation of his services.
and oil our warmest personal regard, and best
wishes Tor his future usefulness, honor and ham
piness Alter five years OF personal and official
intercourse with Mr. Mann, it gives me pleasure
TO say. that these resolutions meet my entire and
sincere appreciation. He has made himself
benefactor of his race. The memory of his ex
traordinary in the cause Of education will
be treasured up in the true hearts of one whole
generation of the children of his native Common.
wealth, who have been the witnesses of his la
bors, and the partaBers OF their fruits That
memory will as certainly be transmitted TO those
who shall follow them, as one generation of men
will, by the physical laws OF their being be sue.
ceeded by another.
Since the recognition OF the Independence of
the thirteen United Colonies, by the parent gov
eminent OF England the world has looked ON
with intense interest TO witness the result OF the
experiment OF self government by the people of
this North American Union. Has that experi
ment succeeded? The friends of the old systems
in Europe have said, and do now saw. that the
tendencies to excitements and agtatlens among
the masses, under free institutions, are so great
thdt tuere is no suInclent security to and
property; that our form of government is not
strong enough TO secure the safety of its citizens
and to protect itself from violence and decay
On the contrary, we believe it to be the strongest
government on earth. 1t belongs TO the people.
was formed by them, and they will sustain it
with heartiness unknown to the monarchies and
despotisms of the Old World
The Constitution Of the United States is sxtv
years old. 1t was formed and adopted by the
people OF thirteen separate and independent
states. The number OF states now under its au-
thority is thirty. Whilst it confers certain enurD
Grated powers upon the national government. and
makes that government, within the sphere OF lis
powers, supreme, the state governments within
their spheres, are as distinct and independent. az
though no general, national government existed.
During that sixty years, there has been but one
instance, in which a state, or the people of
state, have SO far resisted the laws of the Union
as to require the power of the Union TO enforce
obedience to those laws. In that case obedience
was secured without the conflict OF arms or the
shedding OF blood. During the same period of
time, with one exception, there has been, among
the thirty states which now constitution the Un.
on no instruction or defiance Of the laws of anv
state, by its citizens, which required the military
power to put 1t down. In all that time, embrace