New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-01-11

which, as q fitting introduction 70 the heading
given 10 it BY that journal-fhs Modern Abo"-
isatioa Of Free Schoois-we have prefxed the
title Of PrO-Slarery FoWotieism.
II very fortunate circumstance that no false
principle can be assumed in reasoning or carried
into action. no mstter how plausible Its Original
assumption may seem to be, without presently
leading 10 results so absurd and 80 mOnstrOus as
70 starte the most Obtuse and 70 open the eyes Oh
the blindest. The defenders and apologists of
Slavery North as well as South, may see in the
article 10 which we have referred the ground which
if they continue apoogists and defenders of Slavery
thev have got TO take. There is no longer any
room left for that once large and respectable class
Who while cOnfessing Slavery to be an evil If not
a crime and SIM denied that it was an evil which
the present generation could alleviate or remove,
or n crime or sin for which the men of to-day
are in any way ansWerabe. II was a very
convenient method to shift of all the blame
of Slavery upon the prOfigacy of the En-
glish Government and the rapscity OF the English
save-traders, and the whole present responsibility
for it upon Providence which, having permitted
the evil was bound TO attend in due time to the re-
movsl of it, without appealing to US feeble crea-
lures to aid in that operation. But this COM
promise between conscience on the one hand, and
ayarice, cowardce, Incidence and unconcern on
the other, will no longer serve. The day of COM
promises is going by The man who wishes to
escape the charge of being AbolitiOnist can no
longer venture to speak Of Slavery as a crime,
sin, or even as an evil. crisis has been reached
and the spoloeists for Slavery if they wish any
longer 10 be recognized at the South in that char
acter, must be prepared to go oil lengths, and even
TO say with Satan in the poem,
"En be thou my good"
Not only must they be prepared to denounce free
labor, but free schools, free press free WILL and
free agency Of any sort must all Be included in the
same category.
1t is curious and 4 very consOling observation,
too, that the human soul with all its liability TO
error, seems yet TO have an instructive tendency
toward TRUTH as plants in darkcned room all bend
and turn toward the chinks through which little
light comes in. THUS, in that darkest of dark
holes-a Pro-Slavery editorial sanctum-the human
intellect shut up therein does seduousy turn itself
toward such rays of light may still manage
through some overlooked and unstopped aperture
to reach it, and, basking oyously in such faint rays
quite ignores the otherwise total darkness that sur
rounds it, Thus The Examiner, in the midst of its
diatrbe against free schools, turns proudly to the
lust and humane idea Of the duty of parents to
proyide for their children food for the intel
Iect and affections well food for
the stomach, and dw6lls with eusto
that shows that iournal-as we s,speet to be the
case with many of its co-laborers--so far from be-
ing destitute of natural feeling, is rather labOring
under species of mOnomana, in which the very
sentiment of beneyOlence becomes motive to the
most cruel and lamentabe acts. Who has notheard
of tender mothers drowning or sIaothering their
own children TO save them from dreaded evil either
in this world or the next On the same principle
The Examiner proposes TO keep the mass of the
children OF Virginia in ignorance, lest they might
Observation-Disclosures
As the subject of free schools is evidently one on
which our tender-hearted Richmond contemporary is
not accurately informed, he will allow us, hope,
to enlighten him a little upon it. Let us say to
him, them that our free schools are very far from
being, as he supposes, interference on the part
of the Government with the rights aud duties of
parents. Our free schools are supported, just like
any other schools, by the joint contributions of
those who share the benefit of them, the only diff
ference being this that the proportion which each
man is to pay, instead Of being left to each mans
generosity OF meanness, and therefore constant
subject of heart-bunings and wranglings, is deter
mined for him by all official process of assessment,
from which no mean old money bags is allowed to
escape, on the plea that he has no children, or none
whom he wishes to educate and no purse-prOud
exclusive, the plea that he sends his children TO
a select private school, or employs private tutor
for their special benefit. In either of these cases
the taxpayer according to the free-school view
of the matter receives his full share of the benefit
in the pecuniary as well as social advantage which
he derives from being surrounded by an educated
instead Of an ignorant population. The man who
has intelligence and information enough to make
two blades of grass grow instead of one, is able to
pay double price, and more, for the land to which
he makes this application of his skill and knowl-
edge.
There is, however all ample field there without
running Quixotic tilt against free schools, which
hardly exist in Virginia. in which The Examiner
may give full scope to it's cOmmendable zeal for tn
sanctity of the family relation and the rights of
fathers and mothers-s zeal which we highly ap-
plsud, and which inspires us with truly traterna
affection for one evidently rghthearted, however
wrong headed he may be. The responsibility of
parents for their children says The Examiner,
is the wel-spring OF parental happiness, and