Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1851-02-13
MISCELLAN Y
From the Journal Of Education.
Popular Education Favorable to
Free Institutions.

Popular Education Favorable to
Free Institutions.
1t is essenriai to the stability and perpetui-
~ Of every government, that the sovereign
power wherever that power may reside,
lariy applicable to a republic where all par
Ilcnlar POWERS resides primarily and essen
TALLY in the people, and when merit alone
forms the title 10 rank. Our free school sys-
tenn is The great medium, the greaI agency
through which intelligence is ditfused among
the masses, and the public mind made capa-
Bile OF distinguishing between truth aud er-
ror, right and wrong; and the individuals,
composing the body polite, made To under
stand aud appreciate their own rights, and
at the same time, respect the right of others.
/ We are all born republicans, anI the direct
and inevitable tendency Of our educational
system is TO keep US so. Ii places us alt on
the same level; and, from infancy we inn
perceptibly imbibe the notion of equal rights.
Principles thus early instilled are NOT speed
lily unsettled; and the child grows up TO man
hood thoroughly imbued with all The elements
essential TO self government. 1t is true, chm
yes may take place in our national condition
and perhaps, in some respects also, in our po-
lillcal character; but we shall still remain,
as u people. republican in our feelings, aud
adhere with IN al most instiuc;ive tenucly TO
our free institutions. With all its detects.
the Tree school has drawn forth talents from
tie humble>t stations in life, and given them
an Impulse, which has carried their posses.
sers to the most exalted. Its tendency is,
and must continue 10 be, to make the veal.
Thy and The proud willing the people should
rule, and to convince the people ,hat the
wealthy and proud can acquire no perma-
nent advantage over them. Ii tends TO break
down the factltlous barriers, which, i'm the
ruder and less enlightened ages, formed the
lines OF demarkatIon in society, and teaches
the great truth that the only true superiority
which one man possesses over another is that
which is founded on intellectual aud moral
worth. On this interesting topic, an able
writer remarks;-
III our ancestors were stern republicans,
this institution did more than any and all
others, 10 make them so, and 10 keep them
so. While the best schools in the land are
free, all the classes of society are blended
The rich and the poor meet and are educat-
ed together. And il educated together, ma
ture Is SO even-handed in the distribution of
her favors. tina; no fear need be entertained,
that monopoly Of talent, of industry, and
consequently OF requirements, will follow a
monopoly OF property. The principle, upon
which our free schools are established, is, in
ITSELF stern leveller of lactitous distinctions.
Every gene ration, while the system is execu.
ted according to the true spirit of il, as con-
ceived by our ancestors, will bring lis quota
OF netc men 10 fill the public places ot dis
tlncuon,-men who owe nothing 10 the for
tunes or the crimes Of their fathers, but all
! under the blessing OF God, to their own ia.
dusrry aud the common schools. | say the
principle in itself, because it has never beer
carried into full operation, and probably new
er will be.
It's tendency, however, is not to level by
de6aslns the exalted; but by exalling the de-
based. And II is more etfectual check
) against an aristocracy of wealth, and conse-
quenly OF political influence than would he
national jubilee and the equal distribution
of property once IN fifty years, without such
principle at the foundation OF our system
OF public instruction. knowledge is pow
er, says Lord Bacon, and SO is property pow
er, because ii will procure Knowledge. If
we suppose society divided into two classes,
the rich and the poor, the property OF the ior>
mer class, II there were no such institutions
as the free schools, would procure such i'm
mense advantages of education. as to bring
second, third, and any rate talents, into sue
cessiul competition with those OF the first Or
der without such advantages.
This use of property puts upon il its high
est value. Aud It would not be polite, If il
were possible, TO destroy it. But it should
seem, that tins use ought TO he limited and
that some of our institutions at least ous hi
TO have the tendency 10 put all upon the foot
iug, On which nature and the God of nature
left them. And just in proportion as you
lose sight OF, or abanGon the true principle of
The free schools You lose sight Of aud aban-
don all the moral, political, and religious
blessings which result from them. You
check the diffusion Of knowledge, through all
classes OF people. You stop the circulation
through The extreml,les of The body polite OF
the very lie blood. which must noursh and
sustain them. You may preserve aud amuse
yourselves with the name OF free institutions,
and OF a republican government, but you will
not he blessed with the reality. You may
incorporate III your con stituliun, if you like,
the articles, that all men are born free and
equal, and that all are eligible 10 the high
est offices; but this is not freedom, while
nineIy-Eins hundredihs OF the community
have not the means of fitting themselves or
their chiltlren, tor dischargine the duties Of
those high offices. As well might you tie the
legs, and pinlon the arms OF man, and tell
him he has as fair a chance 10 win the race
as one who is free and trained to the course.
Something like this our ancestors must have
felt, who established the free schools and
something like this their posterity must feel,
II they would cherish aud preserve ihem'
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