Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1850-07-27
THE ANTI-SLAVERY BUGLE.
Free Schools.

To the assertion that it is wrong to tax A |
10 provide instruction for the children OF b,
we reply that we would tax both A and u,
for school purposes, each in proportion to his
ability, not as parents but as possessors oil
Property, and because Property IS deeply IN
terested in the Education of All. There Is
no farm, no bank, no mill, no shop, (unless It
be grog-shop) which is not more valuable
and more prohtatle to its owner It located
among n well educated, than If surrounded
by an ignorant population. Simply as q
matter OF interest, we hold it the duty Of
pronerty TO itself to provide Education for
An Not, therefore, as the children of A, or
oi Il. but as children of New York, her fu-
tlro cuItivators, artisans instructors, citizens,
electors and rulers, we plead for the Educa-
tion of All, at tho cost and for the benefit Of
All In n community where a single vote
! cast in ignorancc may involve the Country in
war. in aggression aud untold caamities,
Property cannot afford that there be any con-
siderable proportion of ignorant voters nor
ipnorant mothers of voters. To whomsoever
shall urge the duty of y TO educate his chill
dren in spite of his relative poverty, we say,
Urge upon him that duty to the extent of
your powers of persuasion, and we will sec
ond you as well as we may.
Having thus resolved that Bs children
shall be educated, not for his sake, but in
| friherancc of its own policy, and in defer
cnco to its own safety, the State would do
wrong to tax his poverty, TO deiiay the cost
of this safeguard TO property. The child of
Ignorance who attends the District School is
dschnrging public duty, and should be as
welcome there as the heir Of ailluence aud
social distinction. He should he made to
| feel that his due training and development
are the subject of general solctudc. Pro-
perty can better afford to educate four chill
dren in the school-house than ono in the
street. The teacher, when fairly remunerat-
ed, as he too often is not, is far less oxpen-
sive functionary than the Sheriff, the District
| Attorney or the Judge. One burglar or thief
costs more to the community than all the
teachers of an average township. The sta
tistics of our State Prisons prove that at least
| three -fourths ofour criminals are drawn from
that one-fourth of our population which has
enjoyed the least educational advantages
mainly no such advantages at all. Let our
| Common Schools he abolished tomorrow,
and Property would soon he taxed many
times their annual cost in the shape of rob
berries, riots and depredations. For every
teacher dismissed a new Deputy Sheriff,
Constable or Policeman would be required.
But we are asked why citizen who has
worked, and saved, and tlrved, should pay
for schooling tho children of his neighbor,
who has drank, and lfolicked and squandcr-
ed, till hc has little or nothing left. We an
swer, he should do il in order that these nee
dy aud dsgraced children may not become
what their father is, and so, very probably,
in time public burden as criminals or pau
al. 81.
probate have hard enough lot, without be-
ing surrendered to his judgment and self
denial for the measure OF their education. If
they are to have no more instruction than he
shall see fit and feel able to pay for-SSa.sd
Heaven must regard them with sad compass
sion, and Man ought not utterly to leave them
uncared for and subjected TO such moral and
intellectual influences only as their desolate
homes must afford. TO stake the education
of our States future rulers and mothers on
such parents ideas of tneir own ability and
their children's moral needs, is madness-is
treason to the common veal.
| And in truth the argument for taxing in
equal amounts the improyidently destitute
and the fiugally afiluent father OF family
for school purposes, is precisely as strong iol
taxing them in equal amounts to build court.
houses, support paupers, diffusc Justice, OF
for any other purpose whatever. Nay, il i:
even stronger; for the drinking, thrifiless
idle parent, is far more likely to bring ex
penso on the community, in the shape o.
crime to be punished, or pauperism to be
supported, than his thrifty and temperate
neighbor, and, according TO our adversaries
logic, he should pay more taxes on his log
cabin and patch of weedy garden, than thai
neighbor on his spacious mansion and boun
teous farm. The former will probably turr
off two paupers to one from the latter, ant
should be assessed in n pauper rate bill, ac
cordingy! Aud this argument from parent
al misconduct against the justice of Free
Schools is of a piece with the rest. III
GREELEY. Address Of The NJ Y. Free Schoo
Contention