Fremont weekly freeman. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1850-1853, 1850-08-03
More d he !. Roob1 . speeehes.

More OF Inc BOODy speeches.
William Johnston, the Wing candidate for
Governor, saw hard times when boy The
difficulties he encountered in obtaining an ed
ucation, gave a cast to his character and a
eoloring to his whole life. A raw, overgrown,
awkward boy, conscious of talents, and strug-
Cling, groping in dark ness to find the means
of improvement. he felt the Importance of ed
ucation Now, that he has surmounted the
difficulties, and become distinguished and sue
cessfuI bis whole heart is given to those who
are situated as he once was He identifies
himself with them as class, and stands out
as their advocate and friend. We give the
following extract of q speech delivered by
him some years ago. in which he puts forth
the claims of youth similarly situated, upon
the people Of the state. [o.SJour.
"Sir, provide for US the means of educa-
ton, and we ask no more. We ask you not
subsistence; our country has no hill so bar
ren, that we will not force it for bread. We
ask you not for wealth; the ocean has no dam
ger, that ne will not dare for commerce. We
ask you not for cultivated fields; our country
has no forrest, from which we will not hunt
the savage beasts, and which with these bare
but iron sinews, we will not fell at our feet
We ask YOU not for honor; our country has
no field of danger, that we fear to enter; no
naughty foe that we viii not subdue. Only
give us education. Our fathers were ignorant; !;
and because you were more wise, more cum
ming than they, the property that would have
been ample for US all, has fallen into your
hands, and we are destitute of the means of
education. Perhaps, (for we will not conceal
the truth many of them were dissipated, and
squandered their property. Suppose they did
We had no control over the early habits of our
fathers; and must we, for their sins, be DOOM
ed to perpetuate ignorance and degradation? :?
With all this we are no agrarians--we desire
no distinction of property-we envy no man
his wealth. Only spread the book of knowl-
edge before our eyes, and teach US to read it
For this boon we ask, in the name of our Rev
olutionary fathers, ho mingled their blood with
the blood of your fathers, to secure the bless
ings you enjoy, and to drive out the sayages
from the fruitful fields you cultivate Not ap-
on the principle of making the rich poor, and
the poor rich; but upon the broad and mag
unanimous principle, on which our Father which
is in heaven, maketh His sun to rise on the evil
and on the good; and sendeth rain on the
Just and on the unjust And is this not the
principle, on which great, and rich, and mag
unanimous state, should provide for the eduea-
ton of all its youth, without regard to their
condition in life? But it may be asked, as it
frequently is, whether it is not sufficient to
provide free schools for the education of the
poor; and let those who have the means pro-
vide for themselves. The answer is very sim
pie. Nature knows no distinction of this
character between the rich and the poor
Our constitution knows no such distinction
our religion knows no such distinction; and
would you create such an one by law, in that
too, which of all others affects the character
of your population most-the education of
your children? Would you say to that noble
boy, who has the lineaments of future phi
losopher, statesman, or hero on his manly front.
we have provided a charity school for you
and other poor boys, where you may get an
education, but our sons must not go with you
we are able to pay for their education our
selves?' How would his noble spirit brook
the insult and with tear of honest indigna-
ton in his eye, how would he spurn your Of
fer to degrade him.? And is there poor
widow in the state of Ohio, SO destitute of
spirit as to degrade her orphan boy. By send
ing him to such school? But if you could
so subdue the spirit ofthe poor, so as to induce
them to accept of an education, on the condi-
ton of such an odious distinction; what would
you gain by it? The virtual enslavement of
one-tenth of your population. And what
could you expect of spirits thus covered and
broken? Would they bare their bosoms to the
shot of death for the country that had thus
degraded them? tell you nay:
In vain might liberty invoke
The spirit to it's bondage broke,
Or raise the neck that courts the Joke"