The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-01-14

crowding phenomena Of the present, and ell oaI
hopee and aspirations for the future, must rest.
Our forsfathers have transmitted to us a noble in-
heritance Of national, intellectual moral, and reli-
gious freedom. They have confded our destiny as
people TO our own hands. Upon our individual
and combined intelligence, virtue and patriotism,
rests the solution OF the great problem Of sefgo-
vernment. We should be untrue TO ourselves, I'M
true TO the memory of our statesmen and patriots,
untrue to the cause OF liberty, of civilization and
humanity, if we neglected the assiduous cultiva-
i,on OF those means by which alone we can secure
lhe realization of the hopes we have excited Those
means are the universal education Of our future c-
nzeEs, without discrimination or distinction
Wherever IN onr midst human being exists, with
capacities and faculties 10 be developed rpproyed
cnIuya'ed, and directed The ave nues of knowledoe
should be freely opened, and every facility afforded
TO their unrestricted entrance Ignorance should
The one leads almost inevitably 10 the other
Danish ignorance, and in its stead Introduce inteI-
gence, science, knowledge, aud increasing Weldon
and enlightenment, and you re move, in most cases
all those incentives 10 idleness, vice, and crime
which now produce such frlghtful harvest of re.
| tribution, misery, and wretchedness. Educate
every child "to the top OF his faculties, and you
moi only secure the community against the depre-
dation Of the ignorant and the criminal, but you
bestow upon it, instead, productive arlizans, good
citizens, upright jurors and magistrates enlightened
statesmen scientihc discoveries and inventors, and
the dispensers of pervading influence in favor Of
honesty, virtue, and true goodness. Educate every
child physically, morally, and Intellectually, rom
the age OF four to twenty one, end many OF your
PRISONS penitentiaries, and aims houses will be
verted into schools Of industry and temples of sci
ence and the immense amount now contributed for
their maintenance and supper! will be diverted into
far more profitable channels. Educate every
child-not specifically -not partially but tho
roughly deyelope equally and beautifully every
faculty OF his nature, every capabiity OF his being,
and you infuse new and invigorating element into
the very life blood of civZat;on-an element which
will dituse itself throughout every vein and artery
of the social and political system, purifying strength
ening end regenerating all its impulses, elevating
its aspirations, and clothing II with power equal
TO every demand upon It's vast energies and re-
sources
These are some Of the results which must follow
in the train Of a wisely matured and judici0usly
organized system OF universal education. They
are not imaginary, but sober inductions from well
authenticated facts-de liberate conclusions from
established principles, sanctioned by the concurrent
testimony of experienced educators and eminent
statesmen and phlanthropists If names are
needed to enforce the lesson they teach, those OF
Washington, and Franklin, and Hamilton, and JEFF
erson and Clinton with long array of patriots and
statesmen, may be cited. If facts are required to
illustrate the connection between ignorance and
crime, let the official returns of convictions in the
several courts OF the State for the asten years be
| examined, and the instructive lesson be needed.
Out of nearly %, 600 persons convicted Of crime,
| but 1913 had enjoyed the benefits OF good common
school education Ala only had what the returning
officers characterize az "tolerable share of learn
|
| either read or write. Let similar statistics be
gathered from the wretched inmates of our poor
house establishments and similar results would
undoubtedly be developed Is it not therefore, in
| comparably better, mere prudential question of
political economy, TO provide ample means for the
! education of the whole community, and to bring
those means within the reach Of every child, than
to impose much larger tax for the protection of
| that community against the depredations OF the
ignorant the idle, and the vicious, and for the sup
port of the imbecile, the thoughtess, and intern
| perate
Every consideration connected with the present
| and future welfare OF the community-e die
| tate of an enlightened humanity-every impulse
of an enlarged and comprehensive spirit of philan-
| thropy, combine in favor of the adoption of this
great principle. Public sentiment has declared in
It's favor. The new States, which, within the past
few years, have been added to the confederacy,
have adopted it az the basis OF their system Of pub
lie instruction; and the older States, as one by
| they are re- constructing their fundamental laws
and constitutions, are ENGRAVING the same principle
upon their institutions. Shall New YOfk, in this
noble enterprise OF education, rctrace her steps
Shall she disappoint the high hopes and expecta.
tons she has excited, by receding from the ad-
vanctd position she now occupies in the van Of
| educational improvement Her past career. in all
| those elements which go to make up the essential
wealth and greatness OF people, has been one OF
| progress and uninterrupted expansion Her far
seeing Legislators and statesmen, uninfuenced by
tho ek.Psiosrn of tho tirnd tho ignorant, and the
fai,hless, and unawed by the denunci atoms of the
hostile, prosecuted that great work of internal i'm
provence nj Wnicn Will forever Illustrate The pride
and glory of her political history. The rich results
| of the experiment thus boldly ventured upon have
| INDICATED their wisdom. Is the developement of
The intellectual and moral resources of her millions
Of future citizens object Of less interest," demand
ing less devoted conservation of the energies of
/ her people, and worthy of less firm and uncom-
promising perseverance
Designating the feeling of the present hour, and
locking only 10 the future will the consciou sne IS
OF having LAID the foundation tor the universal edu
cation OF our pee pe be less pleasing subject Of
contemplation than that OF having aided in re-
| plenishing the Golfers of their wealth
In conclusion, the Superintendent cannot feel
that he has fully met the responsibility devolved
upon him by his official relations to the hools OF
the Stale, were he TO fail in again urging upon the
Legislature the definite adoption Of this beneficent
measure. Let its details be adjusted as TO bear
| equally upon all, opPressively upon none. Let
every discordant element of strife and passion be
removed from the councils Of the districts let the
necessary assessment for the great object in view
be difiused over the vast aggrt gate of the wealh
and properly Of the State. Then let teachers,
worthy OF the name, teachers intellectually and
| morally qualified for the discharge OF their high
| and responsible duties, dispense the benefits and
inches Of education, equally and impartially TO the
| eight hundred thousand children who annually
| congregae within the district school room.
The children Of the rich and the poor, the hi Oh
and the low the native and the foreigner, will then
participate alike in the inc xhaustbe treasures of
intellect; they will commence their career upon a
footing Of equality, under the fostering guardian
fhip Of the State, and will gradually ripsn into
lghtened and useful citizens, prepared for all the
varied duties OF life, and for the full enjoyment OF
all the blessings incident to humanity
CHRIsTsrBER MORGAN,
Superintendent of Common Schools
New Publications Receives at the Herald
ONCE During the Past Week.
kxK A4sN Ma Inu lair