Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1852-03-10

1 latloDships OF childhood to mature life,
than they have Of the way in which the
pyramids were built. They legislate
we'll enough about hay, beef, and fish,
calico, hardware, and taxes, because they
understand these but when they come
to legislate upon the human mind and hu-
man character-poaOers upon a0hich all out
acard prosperity depends-then they seem
blind to the first facts Of the case. It is
this blank ignorance Of the paramount
needs of society of which we have right
to complain and we call on all citizens
not to elect'men as legislators who can
represent only the lowest strata. Of hu-
man wants. From examining the re-
cords of Government, we might almost
sconclude that Legislatures regarded men
either as natural law. breakers, or fox-like
traffickeIS, or social sharks, or uncompro-
missing office-seekers, or lntolerant Sigots,
for their chief action seems to be to re-
strain, to limit, and to guard. Every
page ofthe statute-book frowns with pen
alties, prohibitions, fines, and threats
Cannot Christianity raise society to a
moral self-respect that shall make high
er Legislation more efficient If our Re-
public declares to the world that
knowledge and virtue are the only sour
ces Of safety, improvement, and happi-
ness, shall Legislatures continue to re-
gard man as only stomach or fist p
While they present motives for bringing
out the powers of the sea and soil, shall
they offer no motives for bringing out the
powers of the mind and heart? Will
they never recognise the whole nature
of man, the divine philosophy of life, the
sacred affinities of moral truth, the no.
BILE aspirations of youthful genius, and
the immortal thirst for the Excelsior ?
Will they never rise to the Christian idea
of Legislation, and do as an assembly ol
!, Saviours would do if they were called tc
f legislate for the utmost good of future
generations
You reply to all this, and say, that So
ciety is not ready for such Legislative
action. And why is it not ready Be.
cause you, and such as you, continue tt
assert that 1t as not ready! Change your
hackneyed phrase, and say, emphatical
Iy, that society is ready, and how long il
it will be before new and blessed era
shall dawn on the State Take up the
trumpet of advice, and blow blast that
drowsness itself shall hear, and in ten
years the masses will begin to call fol
Christian legislation upon schools. Leg
islatures then would see that in most
important respect they stand IN loco par
entiS' to all the children Of the Common
wealth and therefore that it is their sol.
emn duty to see that the child has in the
school, house everything of education
which it will hereafter need in the world
They would then see that national char
acter is manufactured by seeing that tht
I elements which should compose tha
character are doing their proper worl
, upon the formative periods of youthful
: development. They would recognise the
q fact, that the laws of State have mucl
: to do with the morality Of State &; ant
! that the morality Of State has every
: thing to do with lis peace, thrift, and hap
$ piness and moreover that Christianity
enthroned in the heart of any people, i
: the cheapest police that any Govern
ment can maintain.
J.. Let US, from to-day, begin and hold VI
|. the idea Of new era in legislation
: Gods idea of legislation-a recognition
of the highest motive-powers of man.
O Then Legislatures will urge as we'll a
4 restrain direct as we'll as guard ; in
o struct as we'll as rule and instead Of th
II thunder tones of threats and penalties
l. they will send forth the sweet music O
Al encouragement and appreciation.
o To indicate practical beginning onl,
e of this new era, let me suggest, that
If Legislature should see that seventy-fv
n cents at least is assessed upon each in
+ dividual of the whole population, for tn
" support Of public free schools. PIopert
= should pay for its protection and for tn
j. enhancement Of its value by Legislation
r. Government, also, should see that th
" best books are used in the schools, an
re owned by the State, and should sell thos
h. books at the cost of paper, printing, an
n. binding.
Sc Government, moreover, should Sc
not only that purposely-prepared an
of competent teachers are provided, b,
X, that inducements are offered sufficient
he strong TO secure their services throug
e. many years. For this purpose teache
ds who show extraordinary merit and r,
sao main long in one place, should receiv
in some public token ofrespect and rewar
lis But, more than all, should Legislature
Isl see that teachers, especially female one
la receive compensation adequate TO the
S high and arduous labors. Considerr
h the amount Of bodily toll, mental exhau
nd ton, and sacred responsibility, there
nd not class Of laborers on earth who a
to so poorly paid. 1t is the fashion in son
m towns to pauperize education by rankin
of it with eleemosynarY stipends TO foun
,g- ling hospitals and they seem to t6iI
ue that the more they spend on their hig
- ways, and the less they spend on tht
an schools, so much the better for the tow
I'd The Legislature should see that the hig
I'd, est interests Of the community are r
ex- thus degraded for of all dear things
we earth the dearest Of all is a chedD scho