Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1854-02-17
The American SchooImaster.

From the debate which took place in the U. S.
Senate the 10th inst, between Mr.. Clayton and
Gen Cass, on the motion 10 refer to the Committee
on Foreign Relations, the Message of the President,
communicating the correspondence between our Gov
eminent and Eng land on the subject OF the Clayton
Treaty, we make the following extract. Mr. Cass
replying to MIR Clayton, said -
The honorable Senator commenced this discussion
by saying that the latter part of my speech
Trajectory of the former; and he related incident,
it may be, or prehaps. parable, of boy who
whipped by his mastor because when he stood up he
was too tall and when he sat down he too short
and the senator then alluded, thought rather
temptuousy than complimentary, to my position as
schoolmaster in his State at former period
Mr.. CLAYTON. Not at all No man has a greater
veneraton for the character of the schoomaster than
] have.
Mr. CAss Nor |. think if there is one occupa-
ton our whole country which demands, and should
receive, the kind consideration Of its citizens, it is
that of the teacher whom is committed the task of
forming the mind and character, the intellect and
heart, of the American youth, to fit and prepare them
for the private and public duties before them, and
pecially, and above all, to fit them to become the de-
positares of the precious institutions which have come
down to US from wisdom and eXertions of fathers
and which they ought to be able to transmit unim-
paired to their posterity as they receive them.
There can't be more honorable employment in the
Just accepaton of the term and will tell the Sena-
tor that was schoolmaster, and | proud of it.
glory in being the citizen of country where the
avenues of distinction equally open to all, the
highesl and lowest, without any difference where
the poor schoomasters may look toward and by prop
err conduct and the favor of his fellow citizens. may
be advanced to the highest position in the county,
Why it is most gorious illustration of our nstitu-
tons. 1t is flag waving in the heavens and thrown
out to the nations of the earth, inviting to do
we have dore, to assert their equal rights are
doing.
Yes, Mr. President, | was poor schoolmaster.
began life under dsadvantageous circumstances anC
now my heart is filed with gratitude to my country
that from that situation have been advanced with
no merit of my own, but by the favor of my fellow
citizens, from post to post, until find myself here il
this great depository of the American people-in my
opinion the highest deliberate body in the world
and made the associate of the most eminent of GU
country who enjoy confidence of their citizens
and who have been sent here to represent the sovereign
States of the Union
POWERFUL REAsoN1NG.-At young mems deba
ting society," somewhere down in Indiana the discus
sion was, s. Which is the greatest evil, scoldins
wife Or a smokey chimney" After the disputant
had concluded the debate, spectator arose ant
begged the privilege of making few remarks OF
the occasion. Permission being granted he deliv
cred himself in this way
"Mr President, I've been almost mad listenn.
TO the debates of these ere youngsters. They dom
know nothing at all about the subject. What d
they know about the evils of scolding wife? Wal
till they have had one for twenty years. and beef
hammered and damned and slammed all the while
ard wait till they have been scolded because tn
baby cried, because the fire wouldn't burn. becaus
the COW kicked the milk, because it rained be
cause the sun shined, because the butter wouldn'
come because the old cat had kittens, because the
came too soon for dinner, because they were min
ute too late, because they tore their rowsers becaus
they invited women to call again, because they 20
sick, or because they did anything else, no matte
whether they couldn't help it not, because the
didn't 10 something else matter whether the
could or not, before they talk about the evils Of
schooling wife; why, Mr. President, I'd rather hea
the CHATTER of stones and hammers on twenty tin par
and nine brass kettles, than the din din of scolt
ing wife. Yes sir rec, would 10 my mind NJ
President, smoky chimney is to be con
pared to scoding wife, than little niger to dar
night"