The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-05-04

ENGLAND Us AmERIcA-To Mrs. Stowe, The Duchess
of Sutherland and all agonlzng sympathzers with the
Uncle Tom" mania, commend the following from
DIckens's Household Words
It has been calculated that there are in England and
Wales 900 900 persons who neither read nor
write-ihat TO say about third of the population,
including, OF course infants but of all The children be-
tween five and fourteen, than one-balf attend no
place OF public instruction. These salemenls-c0mped
by MIR Kay from official and other authentic sources,
Tor his work the social condition and education OF
the poor in England and Europe-woud be hard 10 be-
heve 1t had not TO encounter IN our r-day lille de-
grees OF illleacy which would be startling If
not thoroughly used TO IT, Wherever we turn, igno-
rance, not always allied 10 poverty sares IN the face
If look IN the Gazette at the list OF partnerships dis
solved, not month passes but some unhappy man, roll
ing perhaps in wealth, but waowng IN ignorance, Is
put TO the erprimsnum crusis OF his mark The num-
Der OF petty luorsin rural districts especallywho can
only sign with is II is not unusual 10
parish documents OF great local importance deaced
with the Illuminating symbol by persons whose Of
fee not only shows them be men of mark but men
OF substance. We have printed already specimens Of
The partial ignorance which passes under The pen OF the
post office authorizes and we may venture TO assert that
such specimens OF penmanshp and orthogBphy are not
be matched in any other country in Europe. house
wife in humble life need only turn TO the he OF her hus
bands bills 10 discover heroslyphlcs which render them
80 many arhmeilcal puzzles In short, the practical
evidences OF the low ebb TO which the palnes udimens
OF education in this country has fallen, too common
10 bear repetition We cannot pass through The streets,
cannot enter place OF public assembly, or ranbe IN
the fields, without the gloomy shadow OF ignorance
sweeping The rural population is indeed in a
worse plight than The other classes
Taxing the adult OF agricultural laborers, II IS almost
impossible 10 exsggerae the ignorance in which they live
and move and have their being. As they work in the
helds the external world has some hold upon them
through the medium of their but TO all the higher
exercises OF intellect they perfect strangers You
cannot address OF them without being at once pain
fully struck with the intellectual darkness which en-.
shrouds him. There is in general neither speculation in
his eyes, intelligence IN his counenance. The whole
expression is that OF animal than oil lie "
wanting, too in the erect and independent bearing OF
man When you sccost him. il he is not insoeni, which
he seldom is he is mid and shrinking, his whole
showing that he feels himself al distance from you
greater than should separate any two classes OF
lie is often doubtful when you address, and suspicious
when you question him he is seemingly oppressed with
the interview while il lasts, and obviously relieved when
it is These the traits which affirm then
TO possess class, after having in contact with
many hundreds Of farm laborers. They belong to gen
eTaon Tor whose intellectual culture little nothing
was done. As a class they have smusemens beyond
the indulgence OF In nine out OF ten
alton Is associated in their minds with nothing hghe
than sensuay have frequently asked clergymen ant
Others, II they often hnd the adult peasant reading fo
his own or others amusement The nrsfiable answer
IT, that such sight is seldom witnessed. Ii
the first place. the great bulk Of h,m cannot read In h'
next large proportion OF those who can, do with loo
much difficulty to admit of the exercises being anuse
ment TO them. Again few of those who can read witt
comparative ease have the taste for doing 40"