The true Democrat., 1856-03-04
Education and War.

From speech made by Mir. Bright before meeting of the Mechanics, institute in Marches ter, we make the following extracts. Speaking of the modern cheap press as an educator, Mir. Bright says:
 What a wonderful thing is one of these news papers, It IS well written, and as good in tone and morals as one of the old and costly papers we have been accu stoned to see. Look at its contents. steamer comes in from the United Stases, great ship from Australia, a mail from India and China, despatches and correspon- dence from that unhappy region where four christian nations are engaged in mutual slaugh- ter, messages by telegraph from all the great capitals ot Europe all the tidings from all quar- ters of the globe are gathered into that wonder ful sheet, which, for h. is placed before you every day. [Cheers
 Cheap books and cheap papers offer great fa- chhes to parents not only to improve them selves but to continue the education of their children; and by education I do not mean a knowledge of Greek and Latin So much as knowledge of facts, and habit of thinking and reasoning among them, and the creation of pu- Ter tastes than generally prevail among large classes of the people. l intend by it also that training which enables men to act well as cti. Zens, and to exert a salutary influence on the affairs oi the community 10 which we belong. ln thls country there is something like twilight on political questions and principles; it is hot dark, nor yet is 1t broad daylight; but we are just III that state of partial seeing and partial knowledge which lays us open to impositiou, and makes us the victims of fear anI of panic. Within the last half dozen years we have had nearly as many exhibitions of terror and illus tratons of what 1 mean by panic. In 1850 this great nation almost tremblel as at all appa- ntIon ot gentleman from Italy who was re- puted to wear red stockings; and after an i'm. menSe amount of excitement, parliament passed an act wholly useless, and at which now eycry- body Is willing to augr but which was enough to a!ay the fear which had been created by this | imaginary danger.
 The following year there was another alarm We were to be invaded; 6O,OOO Frenchmen were to come over in one night The people of Eng land believed 1t. They were told that the French navy was being greatly increased; that | the army Was enormous and that railroads were being made to the coasts 10 bring troops down to the ships in which they were to be conveyed. on some toggy night, to England The only part that was true was that railroads were being made in France, which was lot unlikely. see- ing how useful they had proved themselves in Engtand. But there was no increase of the army and none of the navy; and vet this peo- pie, which, on all foreign questions appear to see men as trees walking" became alarmed, and permitted, or forced their rulers to call ou, the militia, and to vote more taxes for both ar my and navy. Two years later, it was disco- vercd, by the same process of twilight cxami. nation, or half knowledge, that Russia was dan Sefous to Europe and to E0gand By and by we shall fin out that Cardinal Wiseman. the French lnvason and the Russian Emperor may be all chased in the same list of imaginary pe- rlS. A little more knowledge and little more calm thinking would have saved us from being ridiculous in the instance of the Pope and the French, and from the damage and the guilt of war Tn the case of Russia
 We are told that the Russian empire $ a bar harous empire; that the Czar Is half savage deSpot over hores of savages; that the barba- rlan ot the north menaceS the civilization of tine south and west of Europe, etc. Is itnot sin. gutar thing that St. Petersburg, the capital ot this barbarouS empire, though but d modern city has library which, in size ranks the third in Europe, and is said to contain 10000 volumes more than the British Museum? Is it not as strange that at the southern extremity of this barbarous empire there is city which some Wretched and sanguinary fanatics in this coun- try wish that the allied fleets should utterly destroy; city, the foundations of which wer, laid but 60 years ago, and which exported tc this country in the year 194S--the year of fa- mine in Ireland-more than 5,3OO,OOO bushels ot grain? Surely, there is something more anG better than barbariSm in facts like these; and yet the people of England have been supplied with mental allment, for two years past or more full of prejudice, full of exaggera5ion, and full Of faschood, and the policy they have applaud ed has been based on msapprehen of the grossest character