The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1853-04-26
from the time they landed on tie southern

! lv, from the time they landed OH TIE southern
coast Of Florida. ~ 80 X ~. ,..s :
1t is known that the object of Desoto's visit.
! to the mountainous country of Georgia was the
the search Of gold. Whether they were success
full the journals Of his officers do not inform US,
but recent Investigation has proved that he pass
ed through or near a country aboundlngl IN pre-
cious metal. From that rock bound citadel those,
grim warriors of Castillo looked out on the world.
around them with contempt, secure from the at
tack Of their enemies, or descending the cragggy
and tortuous mountain sides, made foray upon
the surrounding country.-Cor. 1latanaa Jour
nal. .s.'l =
PuRL1c ScnooLs.-We heartily endorse the
following editorial remarks from the N. o.
Picdy,ine. Every word therein contained ap-
plies as well to South Carolina as louisiana;
and We hope that ere long our State will car.
ry into operation some efficient system of pub
lie schools.
"The establishment Of good and eff.
cient system of public schools is certainly the
most important enterprise that. can engage the
attention of the legislator. Public education
is, without, doubt the true palladium Of free in
stitutions. Form speaking of the instruction
of the masses we do not believe it necessary:
to distinguish between public knowledge. and
public virtue. An enlightened people will be.
virtuous people Where the masses are,well
instructed there will be q public virtue. It's
where only the few are educated that despo.
tism holds sway and it is where those few are
at the same time corrupt that the rights ofmas:
ses Of mankind are trampled under foot. "A
people that is both enlightened and virtuous
must of fcourse necessarily be free. And incur
opinion, an enlightened peoplewill always pos
sess public virtue, and will generally be con-.
trelled by considerations Of public good. :. : E22
We regard, therefore, tile establishment of q
thorough system Of popular instruction as both
the basis and security of our institutions.
Hence we 60, firstly, for establishing and main
tanning throughout the State, at any necessary
cost, the very best possible system Of fpublic
schools, as the instrument of unfolding the
moral and intellectual energies Of the people.
Next after this we are in favor ofrailroads and
works of internal improvements, as the means
Of developing the material resources of our
country. Withthese two systems ia thorough
operation we have no fears forsthe future. :
| Iftherefore our Legislators shall do anything
to- promote the cause Of public education in this
state--to break thelethargy which seems too
generally to exist, and quicken the interest re-.
lative to this subject, they will have accomplish
much, and will deserve the thanks Of the pres.
ent and future generation" i.
The LIeHTN1Na.-A Few HINTs.-It may
be we'll to encourage timid people who are re-
ligiously or consttutionally alarmed at light
ming, to state the doctrine Of chances. AS a
general thing, the. lightning does not strike
within the space. of square mile, more than
once year. Ii the person is a rod distant, he
is seldom fever killed. Now there are 70,400
square rods in square mile, and if the light
ming struck rod after rod, it would take 100
years to go over it; but it smites here and
there, and that it will smite any special rod,
there is not more than one chance to hun.
dred billion.
Again, other things being equal, the chance
diminishes as it regards low object, as the
difference between the square ofits height, and
that of lower; SO that with person six feet,
and tree sixty feet there is but one chance
out of 1864 of the PERSONS being struck. If
he will 60 close to tree, or in house without
rod, his danger is proportionslly increased
Again, objects non conductors when dry, be-
come good CONDUCTORS when wet dry silk
umbrella, If not tipped with metallic substance,
will ward off the lightning; but if wet, not.
Get lighting rods for your houses and see to
it that the tastenings be much smaller than the
| rods-that the rods enter the earth, and fear
not the "red artillery"
1t is we'll for persons who are naturally
timid to get electrified a number Of times. 1t
| renders them less eecric, and therefore less in
danger. Finally, death by lightning is the
easiest of all deaths. An electric shock enters,
we are instantly filled, and life is gone without
pang "Ah but the hereafter" Well, live
right here, and it will be all right with you
there-ifit must be so.