Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1853-07-20
WILL 1T BE BELIEVED.

| VIII IT be believed, a hundred years hence
that in 1852, the Government 10 Great Brit.
ain paid about fl6OOO,OOO per annum to
keep up men-of-war and their appurtenances,
and less than one hrndredth part of the sum to-
wards educating the children of the people
throughout the nation ..,.7f-.
| Wilt be believed, that in England, land of
Bibles, and the most civilized and religious
country in the world, one half of the laborng
people could neither read those Bibles nor write
their own names
! Will it be believed, that the philanthropy Of
England exered its ingenuity 10 the erection Of
palace jails, and the perfecling of a system of
education of criminals, but let the education
and proper up-bringing of the children of hon.
est poor men to charity and chance?
Will it be believed, that though the charity
schools of England and the endowed colleges
of the nation possessed an annual income of
from four to five millions sterling, this revenue
was devoted mainly to the education of The chill
dren of the rich, aud furnishing rich sinecure
Offices for gentlemen; while the children of the
poor, for whom these charities were bequeath-
ed by pious men, We're left chiefly to the edu.
cation of the streets and the back lanes?
Will it be believed, that the average pay of
policeman who looks after criminals was, in
1852, one-third more than the average pay of
the school-master appointed to educate immor-
tai minds?
Will it be believed, that the $4,000 arm
ed police employed in ireland received an-
nua salaries of about thirty pounds year, and
that the $3.50 teachers Of youth under the Irish
National board of Education, received an annu-
al salary of only fourteen pounds year?
Will it be believed, that the British Judges
got each from $4,000 to $4,000 year for try
ing felons and the British Astronomer Royal
was paid with fifth part of the sum-or no
more than the salary of the deliverer of votes
at the House of Commons?
Will it be believed that while we paid with
out objection several millions year for arrest
ing, trying and condemning criminals we could
not agree to provide one half of the funds so to
educate men as to prevent their becoming crim-
inals!
Will it be believed, that all the large towns
of Great Britain paid more for the conviction
and confinement of Juvenile criminals than
they contributed for the education of children
so as TO prevent their becoming criminals!
Will it be believed, that Great Britain excell-
ed all other nations in working up raw material
such as iron, cotton, flax and wool-into won.
derously beautiful fabrics, but left the raw ma-
teral of human nature in the most neglected
state that she devoted Infinite pains and skill
to the perfection Of Machines of all kinds, but
left Man, Of all other machines the least i'm
proved? !
Will it be believed that it could be said in
the House Of Peers of London-the seat and
center of modern civilization, that there were
in that city 100000 children who had received
no education whatever; and that, with one or
two exceptions, England was the least educated
country in Europe?"
And will it be believed that another noble
lord, now peer, could also have said in the
House Of Commons, without contradiction, 81
know that out of the pale of the church, beyond |
the limits of the denominations, there is vast,
destitute, neglected mass fostering in our streets
and alleys; with every sight and sound of con-
tamination choking the accesses to every sense
without an idea of duty to earth or heaven
upon whom no word Of instruction ever falls,
upon whom no breath of love ever settles--un-
claimed by Lambeth, unknown to Geneva, un.
coveted by Rome and that about such time
The ladies and gentlemen of England were peer
log across the wide ocean for objects on which
10 bestow their tender philanthropy!
oh no! These things will not be believed
some fifty years hence!
Eliza Cooks Journal