Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1853-06-29
Ignorance in England.

Ignorance in England.
The following statement Of the extraordinary
degree Of ignSkence prevailing in England is
made in Di1ens' Household Words 1t
might well challenge belief We're il notfoun.
ded on official and authentic sources:
1T has been calculated that there are in
England and Wales 6000.000 persons who
can neither read nor wri,e--that is to say.
abou, one third Of the population, including
of course, infants; but of all the children be.
tween APE and fourteen. more thnn one.half
attend no place oil public instruction. These
s,aements--compiled by Mr.. Kap from Official
and ether authentic sources, for his work ON
the social condition and educatfon of the poor
in Englandand Europe would be hard to believe
Il, w-shad not to eucea,nt~s in our everyday
life degrees of illiteracy which wonld be start
ling If we Were not thoroughly used to IL.
Wherever we turn, ignorance, not always allied
to poverty, stares us in the face. five look in
the Gazette at the list of partnerships dissolved,
not a month passes but some unhappy nan.
rolling perhaps in wealth but walowing in ig-
norance. is putt the srper erimentum eyucis Of
his mark The number of petty jurors-in
rural districts especially who can only sign
with a cross is enormous. II is not unusual
to see parish documents Of great local impor-
tance defaced with the same humiliating SYM
bol by persons whose office not only shows
them to he men of substance. We have prin-
ted already specimens of the partial igAoranee
which passes under the pen of the post office
authorities, aud we may venture to assert thse
such specimens of penmanshp and orthogra.
| ply are not to be matched in any other coun-
| try in Europe. A housewife in humble life
need only turn to the file Of her husbands
bills to discover hierogly phics which render
them so many arthmetical puzzles. In short
the practical evidences Of the low ebb to which
tho plainest rudiments Of education in this
country has fallen, are too common to bear
repetition. We cannot pass through the
streets, we cannot enter place Of public as.
sembly, or ramble in the fields, without the
gloomy shadow of ignorance sweeping over us.
The rural population is indeed IN worse
plight than the other classes"
Ro.AL BRIDAL OurFIr The following
is the bridal troasseau If Princess Anna, Of
Austria. on her marriage with the prince Of
Hesse Cassell We should say she was very
respectfully provided for:
Zone Of the two large rooms which the
tronsseau occupied the first contained the house.
: and body linen, laid out for the most part in
90 dozens and "a dozens. all marked with her
royal highness's name, and /. dozen pocket
e handkerchiefs with the royal arms woven in
u them. In connection with the travelling couch
were "a dozer day and night chemises. as many
y undress and night caps. and other incompre
= henslblca ard unnsnsioIeLle srtislss M
pF6sdsid " 80 IT. 161ll
D. Of the room. the fourth is occupied BY TIM
chaussure consisting Of twenty four pairs Of sill
,, and leather shoes, and "a dozen pairs Of stock
- ings In the second room were gloves, EN-
broicered handkerehieis, collars, scarfs, hats
- bonnets, artificial flowers, DC, in bewilderinI
profnsion; to make all complete, there was
riding habit. l2 cloaks in silk and velvet; and
. besides all these, the ball and court dress. Al
10 well as the we lding robe "A diadem Of brilliant
u and many other things"
e AsrcDoTE or SECRETARY MAacY The hare
e pressure of appointments TO office under tn
ie new Administration at Washington. gives ris
IS to some amusing incidents. The following i
,e told OF The Secretary of State:
; "Among the host OF besiegers in the pursui
/, Of place, was a woman who was extremcl
,e anxious that her husband should De mad
ID Postmaster in some country. village. She wa
most persevering in her solicitations, in seaso
n, and out of season. She stood at tho Secretary
rp door when he came out Of his room in tn
!, morning; she intercepted him on his way :
,s bi. meals; she followed him to his lodgings a
as night. On one occasion she remained ,her
;e unusually late: the Governor listened to he
m as he could. when he requested her to exeus
,d him, but she fingered. At length every ger
ca tlcman but one had gone, and the Secretsr
,y finally from his seat and proceeded I
10. strip off his coat; then. turning to the woman
30 he exclaimed; MADAM, am going to bed AN
;. if you don't withdraw l shall write to Mr.
a., Marcy about you" The lady Immediately n
,o tired from the front room"
uJ-Columbus, Pqua and Indiana Ra
-. Road extends from Columbus, the Capital
Ohio, i02 miles westward TO Union, on Il
Indiana State Line, where it connects with Il
- Bellfontaine and indianapolis Rail Roa
:. pacing il in full communication with all Il
= railroads! branching from Indianapolis to II
Ohio and Mississippi! Rivers. at Columbus
20 joins with the Ohio Central and Stubenvl
" and Indiana railroad, which, through Whee
?. ing and Pittsburgh, connect with the mai
railways to Baltimore and Phiiad elphia, NAL
- ing altogether The shortest line that can be col
structed from three scaboard points throug
Ohio to the great West.
-. The work is in rapid progress Of completio
-16 miles of the track are now beng lai
=, down, and will be running by the first
June. The rest Of the road will be ready I,
-. ~ the superstrueture by May proximo The who
:, iron for the track is purchased.
He -
GREAT TEXAS LASp CASE DEcipKp-A sui
\. which was instituted at New Orleans, in N
vcnbcr, 1851, in the uame Of Jacob Musna 4
~ the recovery of the rights and interests upo
!. certain lands situated oppo.ite Matamora
Mexico, and now the site of the town Of Brown