Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1853-12-14

And we, fearing the people could not
their own interests, have been
afraid to speak, and so this child offreedom
has been disowned, ridiculed, spit on, shov-
ed out of decent society.
Nevertheless, it has grown apace, and its
lineaments and its step betray freeman's
soul. And if we had but nursed it as we
nursed our government, if we had but fed
it on that food most wholesome to free men,
confidence, affection, honor, what a proud
growth it might have attained?
Now, in this connection permit me to
remind each despairing friend of the cause,
who thinks he stands alone, of a passage in
the history of Elijah during the reign of
the wicked Ahab, King of Israel: And
he said, have been gerT j~slsas fer the
Lord God of hosts, because the children of
Israel have forsaken thy Covenant =
slain thy prophets with the sword: and [,
even only am left, and they seek my life
to take it away And the Lord said, Yet
[ have left me seven thousand in Israel, all
the knees which have not bowed to Baal
and every mouth which hath not kissed
him.
You are not so entirely alone as you
think what you want, I say it in kindness,
is not numbers, but courage and confidence.
Suppose every well-wisher to Common
Schools were to step boldly forth, armed
for the combat; tell you, as at the whis-
tie of Rhoderick Dhu,
Bonnets and spears and bended bows
would appear from copse and heath, and
bush and rock, aye, in the plains and on
the mountains, proud, invlncible array.
And if all these would confde in them
selves, in each other and ip the CAUSE; if
we would, as We have IN every conceivable
form done in regard to our Constitution,
take pains to talk, and write, and speak for
Common Schools, to encourage the people
in their own undertaking, to make them
pleased with their own work, to make them
proud of the power of governing the Com
mon Schools and emulous to excel, to pal
} late inevitable errors, to be to their good
management very kind to occasional
! blunders { a little blind to give them con-
: fdence in themselves, and to plant their
institution deep in their hearts, what a
change would come over the face of Com
l mon Schools
: Statesmen, republicans, freemen of North
Carolina, will you act and speak upon these
| hints? Will you feed this bantling of free
institutions on the food of freemen? Will
you tear from its noble limbs the clownish
garments with which its prosecutors have
e arrayed it to disguise il, as the martyrs
: we're led to the stake futteEing with rags
$ and paste-boards, with painted devils or
q their backs
n Will you acknowledge and proclaim itf
: illustrious paternity, clothe it as a son, anC
s by the freside among your children, il
t, your neighborhood meetings, on the STUMP
e and in your legislative halls recognize i
t as the first born of freedom? Or will yor
l. fear the demagogues, the enemies of pop
n ular rights and popular advancement P
/ Will you permit them to bastardzc it
p dress it in rags, begrim it with SANDER, ant
e. finally put it to death.
Sc The issue is with you-behold your of
IL spring! Ifyou will properly honor it,
s will in return be your protection; if yo
Up permit it to be sacrificed, it will be frs
tn fatal step towards your own final subjec
es tion.
IN The idea that teachers can be raised u
IN from the plow-handles has been publicl
IS, criticized; would any one dare to do th
ty same If were to make q similax assertio
ce as to President of the United States
n Why do not the friends of Commo
'ir Schools and of popular rights expose thes
to inconsistencies? That an ignorant plov
us boy is good teacher no one asserts tia
an ignorant and bigoted citizen makes
on judicious committeeman is not pretended
On But plow-boys may become and do b.
by come excellent instructors; and ignoran
We honest men, placed on committees, and Ell
'W couraged and advised by more intelligel
m neighbors, become better citizens, gainir
. as they do new and more enlarged IDEAS
CO. regard to the wants and situation of soci
ey ty, Of their own position as members Of
3e- self-governing country, and of the dutie
'ge responsibilities and necessary qualification
M of each integral part Of free governme1
IS Why, Sir, the children are by no mea
ian all the persons instructed and improved
an our Common Schools; the system furnis
co es plan for the wholesome training of t
'ol- whole population-it may be like our mi
'od tia system to some extent; the eouipmer
IN are not so complete nor the discipline al
IRE, maneuvres SO perfect as those of mercena
ng, bands who do the will of tyrants, but it
the one which puts arms in the hands of
the people, and it enables them to be tn
= own protectors
our Our militia regulations not unfrequen
ow, afford themes for the wit and denuuciatic
the of certain smartish sort of people, but
ct there true statesman in this whole col
las try who values its freedom that would
lese sire to see our militia system abolished, a
rom a large standing army, dangerous alike
ON friend and foe, substituted in It's stead Z!
ON Do we not all know that when we cease
gan be our own protectors, with arms in
init hands, we will cease to be free at that '
you instant? We might have stand
try army of million of soldiers; and this |
ngs, lion of armed men would just be as lik,
J! little more likely, to etfand, occupat
be and power, by fighting, 10y pidndering
lngs enslavlng US, than to attempt such en-
: ma prises in more distant and difficult fie
the Who then would dare to advocate di
the ming of the militia2
It is still more unwse and dangerous
ties, strip the citizen Of those rights which
tand der our Common School system help to
tify his mind, to enlarge his ideas, anC
have dignity his character.