Arkansas democratic banner., 1851-11-25

be narrowly looked into # would be found, be- | ieze that this would explain the great majority Of exceptions to the law heretofore laid down. Nor | are the exceptions as numerous ss maAy, who have | not particularly investigated the subject have m- agined. History farRishes us with inunnerable | instances of families, which from generation to | generation, have maintained their respective chas- aeteistics unmod6ed and uDbEoken. In the an nals of ancient Rome, ss every classic student knows, as in those ,of modern Itsly. and of every monarchial country of modern tunes, the great families are frequently marked oF by the philo- l sophcal historian, according to the traits of char. scter by which they are distinguished. Every Bru- tus known in history was remarkable for the bold ness of his patriotism. The Gracchi were aristo- | crats. The Fabii were warnors. The Medici, in | modern Italy, were ali prncely merchants. and the patrons Of polite learning. In France the royal i line of Bourbons the longest of recent history. | without exception. has been the standing illustra- ton Of that passion called the love Of glory. In England, all the Pitts were statesmen, and states men of the same kind and oIder of abilities. In this country, intermarfiages between obscure and celebrated families have been too common to pre- sent any very distinct examples of this principle; but we have, even here, and on the broadest scale, what may serve a general illustration. The southern portion of the republic which settled from the more courly classes of Anglo Saxon so- ciety, is still remarkable for the hightoned, chiv- alric, knightly character of Its population. The northern part of it, on the other hand which open cd it's bosom to the Pilgrims, is yet known for the home-bred, straightforward, uncompromising ad- hesion to what the inhabitants regard their prin- cples
 The law of heriditary descent. as here presented meets with another objection, which applies to the moral and religious aspects of the subject. It is very often said that the children of church mem- bers are better than other children; and it has even become proverb, that " the priests boys are the worst of the whole parsh." Both Of these statements, however, have been carefully exam ined and neither of them is found to be sustained by the facts of history and of observation. The truth IS expect more of the children of religious people than of other children; and we generally expect and demand too much. When the child of a minister happens to go astray. the contrast be- tween him and his parent IS so great that It strikes every person with uncommon force, and the case is trumpeted to the ends of the earth, while thou sand examples of propriety are passed over as mat ters of coarse, and without remark. It has been proved ty thorough examination in this country and in Great Britain, that the children of religious people better than other children. It has been proved, that, of all the church members in the United States, at given time, three :Gftks were known to be the offspring of pious parents; and that, of the living clergymen of all the American churches, one :eftk the sons of clergymen, and -four ffths the sons of parents, of whom, at least, had made profession of religion. Much of this general result certainly, must be ascribed to the influence of domestic education; but when we look upon some of the more remarkable religious families of this country, shall see that great part of il IS left to be accounted for on the prnci pie Of inheritance. It would be difficult to deter- mine why the Edwardses in our country are gen. erally and emphatically metaphyscians. the Dwights theologians, and the Beechers pulpit ora tors of the tougher and yet stronger stamp, and why the members of the three families are not only uniformly pious. but marked by their respective styles of piey, without admitting that each family has inherited, and yet inherits those qualities which, in the founder, were more acquired than natural.
 II, now, the acquired traits of individuals can be handed down. physical, intellectual and relig- ious it IS easy to what revolution is capable of being brought about in the condition of man kind, by right use of what is really education. 4 thorough education, let it be remembered cov- CTS the whole man. It does every thing for the body for the intellect for the soul. that discipline can do. By including the work of religion ine2i,s compass, as the true system of education assssed- ly does it is capable of recovering our spsed spir- itua nature, expanding to the utmost every men tai faculty, as we'll as giving . complete develop. ment to every part of the body and thus produce ing a full. round, finished, harmonious maa If one such man can be produced, it settles the question for as many more as will use the means, or as may have the means used on them. The woman, too. who is just ss susceptible to the wcrk of education as s the man, can be as perfectly de- yeioped by the sstse course of discipline; a,sd ia
 this way by observing the law of revelation againsS unequal matrimonial connections, new race s: beings might spring to light which, from age to age might be all the time growing more and more perfect Each successive generation starting from higher and still higher point. would be also more and more susceptible to the direct influences Of education, which instead of relaxing its energies, should grow with the growing perfection of the new race. Thus. as ii seems to me. the work of human restoration. physical. mental, moral, might begin and be earned on till the new race should be- come tue only race. and so bring the whole wofId up to something like the position Erom which it fell. This would be melinium indeed Every man would be vigorous and robust iu body, active and powerful in mind, moral and devotional in spitit. Wars would cease. Tie harmony of na tons and of peoples would be established Tbe things Of this werld would be made subseryien. io the things of the world to come. The body would be cared for as an important part of our threcfoid being, but il would not absorb, as 1t now nearly does,E all the attention of mankind. Men would