Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-12-16

administration, decision ministeyislle,) even
if it has not been the object Of condemnation,
after having been notified twice, and the
reasons for doing 50 explained. That suspen-.
sion cannot, however, exceed two months du-
ration" HHl sta3i 7-'
After having forestalled the explosion Of
allpublic sentiments in the two great bodies of
State-the executive andthe legslatiye---in the
magistracy and the Judiciary, in the national
guard, the press, the theatre, literature and the
sciences, by re-establishing old laws, and enact
ing new, ones through the means Of q Con.
stitution and organic decrees-the govern
ment thought it had done enough towards
moulding and shaping the grown generation,
and thought it only necessary after that to pre-
pare moulds and shapes for the coming one.
The revolutionary hidra once killed among the
the men, it was, judged advisable to kill it
among the youth and children, lest some spots
of the monsters blood should be found in
the records of the times to awaken in the
children "reminiscences Of their fathers rights
and thus cause new Marius to spring up from
their ranks, and overthrow Sylla and his die
tatorship. 1t was with that view that new
laws upon public teaching were passed. s
We do not know whether our readers are
aware that the institution ranking the first in
the estimation Of the French, and perhaps Of
| the world, is that of the University Of Paris
Whenever high moral lesson, great scien-
ti6c discovery, deep philosophical disquisi-
ton, historical works, literary composition,
political economy, social subjects, are treated
by the members composing that body, they are
certain Of attracting the attention Of the civil
lized world and of infusing some new ideas in
mems minds. That body may very properly be
called the head of the French, and the heart
of European civilization. One of its peculiar
features is to propagate, under the form of his
toricsl and philosophical teachings, the most
progressive views on all subjects relating to
those two sciences which, embracing, as they
do, all branches of human knowledge, cannot,
Of course, remain silent upon politics. The
facility thereby afforded to the University Of
often checking arbitrary measures; of always
keeping alive the fire of liberty among the
numerous students focking to Paris; of en-
| joying the rights Of selecting teachers and
sending inspectors to all colleges of France,
constituted a real danger on which the govern
ment could not shut its eyes. Besides, that
body had of late grown quite independent, and
formed, as it were, State in the State. So
powerful was it that Louis Napoleon did not
| dare, Notwithstanding the limited number of
its members, to lay at once upon it the weight
of arbitrary rule. He contented himself with
adopting some few provisory measures tend
! ing to extenuate its influence and to make its
4 action dependent upon him, promising att
same time, to take, at some future day, proper
measures for an entire and complete reorgani-
zation. M M
The principle Of permanency among the
professors, which was among the established
laws Of France, was Immediately abolished,
and every Office made dependent on the will
of the Prince President. Professors TO facul
ties, to the colleges of France, to museums Of
natural history, teachers of living and dead
4 Languages, members Of the bureau of longi
tude, professors and functionaries of the sec
ondary schools, professors and functionaries
of the preparatory schools of medicine and
4 pharmacy, and also all persons attached te
establishments of public instruction, were to b
henceforward directly nominated or removed
by the secretary Of public education.
AS to the teachers Of communes or town
ships, whose selection had been placed by |
law Of 1850, under the direction of the Boar'
of Aldermen, they were now removed from
that direction and placed under the control o
: the rectors Of the University.
> ITO the rectors alone the nomination Of com
r mune teacher was granted. Previous to tn
: coup detat, the members of the superior cour
, ell for public instruction were nominated b
5 the various bodies Of the State which they re
e presented. Thus, the Bishops were sent b
I the Episcopate; the magistrates of the coul
n of appeal, by the court of appeal, etc, et'
!, This was changed, and the election placed i
/. the hands Of Louis Napoleon. Previously
9 this, they we're elected for six years; now the
$ were elected for one They had rights Of juri
I d;ct;ou over the body of teachers, and coul
3 censure, punish, and dismiss them for any i
G fraction Of the laws. This right was take
. from them and given to the secretary on pol
: lie instruction.
o M -