New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1856-01-23
NATIONAL EDUCATION.

Il
ID chiefly based upon the amount Of intelligence
disseminated among the masses Of its popualas-
ton, the knowledge Of how great and how prac-
tical1y useful that intelligence is, what its
character and what its extent are, becomes
politically as well as Internationally interesting
Very wisely for themselves, and for those who
came after them, the pioneer pilgrims Of our ex-
istence took with them into the MayfoWer and
speedHell full measure Of appreciation, With
regard to useful popular education Though no
they were tinctured with theological tauatlcism'
begotten Of the many religious prosecutions
they had undergone, and acted very differently
from Lord Baltimore, Roger Williams, Y llllam
Penn and General 0glethorpe concerning 1 the
objects, the means and the end Of religion, they
we're far-seeing and clear-headed upon me sup
iect ii education They made the Bible read read
INC book, and the Assembly's Shorter Cate
ehisna study, but they, also, made geogra-
phy, arithmetic and the other rudiments o.
learning absolute requisites to the children VINO
we're horn Of them, and on whose shoulders
were to be-, at some future day, dsYolved the
comprehension and support Of those broad plens
for which they deserted home, friends ana COM
forts, and founded across the stormy Atlantic
q new empire that now rivals the one from
which it sprang.
II is very doubtful, indeed, il the men who
funded our nation and laid the broad beams
upon which our present political superstrucsure
20 securely rests, are entitled to more credit for
AM thing than for the sound views they enter
tanned With regard to the Importance and abso-
lutte necessity Of thorough and useful knowledge
among the masses. Many Of their political
ideas have been cast aside; many Of their theo-
logical tenets contraverted; but their educa-s
tional belief has Withstood the breaking pillows
Of time and increased in strength The best
proof Of this is the fact that all parties and all
sects cling with undivided and unfaltering at
tachment to the great principle primarily evoly-
ed and defended by them. It has made US, out
u nothing, o great power; still advancing and
increasing; holding the worlds scales in our
hands going on gloriously, honorably, proudly
and usefnlly in the career Of national develop
ment and national influence. It has made the
word G American in al climes and countries.
o synonym with intelligence, zeal and resources
against whatever might arise to block the path
Way to success.
In those old nationalities where great libra.
ries like the Bodleian, comprise the aggregate
the influences Of the masses
is ignored in the political existence and pros.
perity Of the nation-little is known by them Of
aught outside the routine Of their daily toll
sinbad's stories and the tales Of CULVER, il
ever known at all, are known as realities. The
husk goes down with the kernel and there is nc
intellectual digestion sufficient to disintegrate
the whole Here, thanks to the intelligence
which devised and the generosity which mas
supported it, our great system Of public edu.
cation makes the boy man inintelligence long
before the circle of time has accomplished for
him 50 much in years. He understands the
great achievements that have preceded him and
knows the ends to which he is endowed with be-
ing. Abiding to this matter, a man whose name
is among the household words of our language
has said, referring to the universal dissemination
Of knowledge here:
There every child has Its oopybook in its place a
school there every log house on the prairie has its she
Of books Next the church and the tavern the print
inc press is set up in every settlement and
paper appears probably whitybrown paper and nike
type with italics and Roman letters capitals and dI
thongs thrown together very curously, but still new
paper Books printed in the great Cities not by til
thousand or fifteen hundred, but by the i've ten thor
sand, for the readers reckoned by the million.
IN this, at least, we have cause for nationa
pride; that our practically and materialisr
tend to what is useful and productive Of good
that if we ignore meretricous shine and falls
glare, we cultivate what is sound and sensible
| that the world will be the better for US, an
that when the day of our labor is done, We ca
repose with the sure solace that we have don
something to mark our existence on the age
that succeed us. @
FROM HAvANA.-The steamship Black Wal
rior, Capt Smith, arrived at an early hour yes
terday morning from New York the 10th, an
Havana the 18th inst The Warrior experi
enced heavy weather the entire passage
On the 18th, off Norfolk, she saw vessel wit
| signal Of distress and ran up to her. Sh
proved to be the bark Selah, Of Boston, for Phil
adelphia. ALI her masts and yards were car
ried away, and leaking Took her in tow
Hampton Roads. ~.
From Havana there is no news of political in
terest. The weather is reported to be the cold
est ever experienced in the Island. A larg
number Of strangers were at Havana; grea
many Of them Americans.
Mile Rachel had not yet left the Islant
though the greater number of her companion
had gone. She changed her mind suddenly
even after her passage in the steamship ha
been paid La Gaceta says that this was