Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-07-17

fuses TO comply with her obligations under that
instrument. She sends her manufactured goods
into any and every State of the Union, duiy free,
which no people not party to the Constitution
can do, and thus reaps enormous profit, an
immense benefit. In theSmidst of the enjoyment
OF this benefit, she refuses compliance with her
obligations duties under the same compact by
whose provisions she is the recipient of such
great advantage. This is sheer dishonesty. The
education of Massachusetts, hasanot elevated the
Massachusetts, public above knapery-open un-
bhishing knapery. The mental pabulum with
which the Massachusetts public is supplied is
evidently bad so bad indeed as to make it desi-
rabe that the quantity should be largely decreased
or the quality greatly improved.
Of course we do not desire to be understood as
condemning Unfortunately all the newspapers
of Massachusetts. There are good, excellent
Democratic journals there, which furnish sound
practical views 10 their readers, and il is much
to be regretted that their influence is not control
ing. We believe we are correct, when we say that
for Massachusetts paper to be Whig,-or pro-
fessedly religious, with few exceptions, is to be
fanatical, impracticaple, and cratic.
The editors of Virginia, colaborers in the cause
of education, with her orators, schoolmasters,
and institutions Of learning, may proudly point
to the fruits of their joint labors, evidenced by
the sound, practical, conservative, and consistent
sentiment and action of the people of Virginia.
We will not dwell on the wide difference between
the fruits Of education in Massachusetts, and Vir-
ginia. The contrast is striking that he who
| runs may read
Another Of the fallacious modes by which it is
sometimes attempted to prove that low state Of
education exists in Virginia is as follows. The
census tables ransacked, and figures pro-
duced to show thai less per eentum of the
white population know how to read in Virginia
than in Massachusetts.
The figures being produced, it to be
taken for granted that nothing farther is required
TO prove the proposition that education is less
difused in Virginia than in Massachusetts,. With
out further discussion it is at once assumed that
the is made out, the trial of the question
is concluded, and verdict rendered.
The fallacy here consists in confounding an
instrument of education with education itself.
Reading is an instrument of education, invented
ments Of education, given by the Creator of
all things. Hearing, seeing, feeling, tasting, and
smelling, the lass three indispensable in the study
of chemistry,) are natural means of acquiring
knowledge, or natural instruments of education,
and reading is artificial one.
When it is shown, therefore, that the art of
reading is more widely diffused in Massachusetts,
than in Virginia, it is merely shown than an arti
fetal instrument Of education is more widely
dffsed in the former than in the latter, but il is
not in that case shown that education itself is
more widely diffused.
To show that education is more widely diiused
in the former than the latter, farther inquiry is
Indispensable To determine the question of the
comparative diffusion of education, inquiry must
be had into the use which has been made by the
parties respectively Of the instruments of educa
ton, natural and artificial. In other words ex-
animation must be had as to what the parties re-
spectyely have heard, SEEM felt, tasted, smell, and
READ. Every man is educated in some way or
other, for better or for worse, else his senses
must have been in state of torpor.
He may have heard the blasphemous CONVEX
sations of the worst of our Species seen villainy
successful under the cloak of hypocrisy, fell the
rich mans scorn, the proud mans contumey,
tasted and drained to the dregs the intoxicating
bowl, sneltthe reeking fumes ofthe gambling house
and brothel, and read the fanatical productions
Of New England Aboltionists, the false philo-
sophy Of Greeley and the Misses Fox, Uncle
Toms Cabin, and the insane rawlings Of Wendell
Philips, Garrison, e id omne genus.
| From such use Of the instruments Of acquiring
knowledge, education certainly results, but il is
education and vice in envy, hatred malice, and
all ncharitableness, in fanaticism, hypocrisy false
philosophy, and inhdelity.
Our noble red BRETHREN" az they are some
times called, have education among them. Fhe
aged warrior nstructs his infant heir, and heart 5
hope in the Of the bow and lance, and as he ad-
vances TO the higher branches, in the use of the
tomahawk and scalping knife, and, fires his young
ambition with thrilling tales Of forays upon the
white settlements, and of the murders, scalpinps,
and torturings of defenceless women and children
The interested and eager pupil asks Of his pleased
and admiring father to designate on his young
and naked body the vital points, and the points
not vital, where pain and torment most exquisite
may be produced. With patient pleasure the dig
nifed father gives the desired instruction, and
fixes each point and its advantages ineradcably in
the memory Of his houses hope, by some Judi
cious and appropriate narrative Of torture, or Of
sudden death, drawn from the store house Of his
own experience
This, too, is education IL j. clear that the
senses are natural means Of acquiring knowledge,
and that the art Of reading, is an artificial one.
il does not need extended argument TO show
that education may be useful and elevating, or
detrimental and degrading. II may be valuable,
good for nothing, mschevous. II is the first
Of these raiuabk education, we mean, in making
our comparison, and we make the assertion, that
valuable education is widely diffused in Yir-
GINA in any Of her sister States, and that the
people Of Virginia better educated than the people
Of Massachusetts,
Virginia is the land Of schoolmasters
This article was suggested by learning that
Meaare & Maunin Eredarick Colauan ErarL