Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1857-10-14

look torlnstance at the Congress ofhe United States
[ took It upon myself whilst a member of that
body, to ascertain few facts had list of men,
hers MADE out showing their ages, post Offices place
of residence, politics, religion, married or single.
lawyer, doctor, mechanic or farmer and [ as
certaued in this way, that out of the two hundred
and twenty threemembers of the Congress Of the-U
States, at that tune, Two hundred OF them belonged
to the legal PROFESSIONALS other twenty three were
divided between the mechanics and farmers of the
| country.
What aspect does this present to your mind? 1
do not say 1t OFT OF prejudice but alude to it as
great truth, and say also, that all men in public
LIE and private life less affected by the
influences that surround them. Then in the Con-
gres5 Of the United States representing twenty three
millions of people, and much the larger portion Of
that people directly connected with the interest of
| agriculture and the mechanic arts-how many rep
| reseutalives have they there? Their products
amounting to three hundred millions of dollars in
grass, hundred and fifty millions in cotton to-
bacco and rice; to say nothing more,-and when you
to look at their representatives in the Congress
| Of the Nation, they stand as twenty three L repeat
do not say this in invidious sense, but refer
to 1t a great fact Then how many are there
amongst people of the profession so numerously
represented in the Congress of the United Saes2 1t
is known that there about twenty thousand
lawyers in the United States, and they have a repre-
seuatOn of two hundred members in the Congress Of
/ the United States, whilst our twenty three millions
| of mechanics, traders, artisan and agricultursts
have representation of only twenty three members.
| | must be permitted to say again. that do not
aude to this to be inyidous, but mention it simply
great fact in history, and for the purpose of
introducing another idea here and that is that it is
high time the agrculturalists and mechanics of our
country had commenced educating their children
/ educating their sons and daughters so as to make
abor respectable. This gained, would be an i'm
pOrtant point and it could be done in 4 very short
time. 1t takes but short time to accomplish the
greatest revolutions. Ii is thus that these leading
interests might to be efficiently represented in
every department of the government, by being
I thoroughly Unidentified with its agricuure,-iu-
stead of being SO dsproportiOnate, represented by
/ the consuming, If not adverse interests. But
we must take they are. and facts as we find
them, not as we would have them.
Following this idea a little further-the Import.
ance Of having the interests of agriculture and the
mechanic arts properly represented, protected and
defended, and of having this object accomplished in
few years, should see to It that the men levy
ing and collecting our taxes, should be those who
are identified with the producing portion of the
country. Thus II is that these great interests will
certainly to be faithfully and honestly repre-
| scented.
In all this I am not saying that those who now
represent the country do do so according to their
best judgement and in all good conscience. But as
1 said before all men controlled and swerved by
l the influences that surround them.
But then, right here, in connection with these
great interests with the improvement OF the soil
I and the implements Of husbanSry, let US turn our
attention little more specifically to the idea already
thrown Out-the education of sons and daugh-
ters We have mountains filled with minerals: we
are blessed with abundant water power: We are
blessed with a soil Of unsurpassed fertility and
above all, we blessed (hank God , with numer-
GUS and most promising boys and girls throughout
the country having good health and good minds de-
handing culture at hands; and now, blessed in !
the abundance OfOtler things let arfa
tion to them.
Why is it that we so often hear our people talking
CONTEMPORARY about school teachers from the North
ern States? We can scarcely have a neighborhood !
school without teacher from the North Why is it |
so? 1t is own fault. They educate their child |
rem at the North. That is the reason. And let me |
ask every young man here, if he out looking |
around for wife-a partner for Lte,-would you |
sir, prefer educated woman to be the partner
of your bosom and the mother of your children - |
know you would; and hence it is that our North |
school girls are picking up the best young men |
in the country. But We bring up daughters |
tenderlv. We afraid for them to do a little do
nestle work about the house. Oh, 1t would ruin |
hem-impair their constitution and all that tell !
you. my tellOw-ctlZens, the day il coming when it
will be SEEM that the integrity Of this government
depends upon the education OF our daughters. And,
a friend Of my country and her institutions, l |
would say, respectfully, TO every young lady within
the sound of my voice, 90 home and make yourself
all your daughters teachers-qualify them to be |
school teachers and then if in after life their pro-
pery should be taken from them, what more honor
able position, than that of young lady teaching a |
common school? Aye there is, perhaps, one posi- |
ton more honorable and estmabe in society, and |
that is the position of intelligent worthy moth |
err which the daughters of Tennessee, may all at
tain Then let all our daughters be educated for |
teachers, for there is really position more elevat-
ing in society than this Your good school-masters
i IL.
off about right especially in reference government
al affairs.
remember the report of a conversation between
the First Napoleon and celebrated lady, with re-
ference TO the wants Of the youth of the French
people. Give them good mothers said the great
man. in the spirit Of a philosopher. Good Pro-
tessOrs may make good scholars but none but good
mothers make good men. Out of the sxty-nine
soveregns who have ruled in France, only three of
them loved the people, and they had good moth
Why not, then, attend to this thing, and let our
daughters become teachers, and then, after they
shall have been thus prepared teachers, if they
shall think proper to change their position by unit
ing with husbands, and taking the responsibilities of
marriage, every way more suitable and agreeable
they will be only much better qualified to discharge
the higher duties Of wives and Mothers as well as
daughters. Then whilst we are improving our agri-
rcuiture, our soil, our stock, and making rapid ad
vances in all the arts, let attention be turned
TO the more important culture of the minds of the
children of our country. Let our daughters become
teachers; and in a very short time we shall ear no
more cOntemptOus talking about Northern teachers
for we shall have them amongst ourselves and all
children shall be cared for and instructed in all
that pertains to the most coveted happiness and re-
nOWn amongst men,
| know that these notions may seem crude and
inappropriate TO some but they are founded in truth
and all would say further here, IS that whilst we
are improving IN all things, let cOnspre together
to elevate the position of woman. Let us turn our }
attention to mankind by raising up suitable instruc
tors for children. As far as woman is con- :
some may think differently, l af- +
firm that her destiny is to this government
None eau have more exalted idea of woman than ;
| and | express that idea when l say let her be. .
come the instructor Of children. Let every wO- I
man in the land become the instructor of her own =
and her neighbOrs children, and all things will 90
on we'll declare again. that one can cherish Fl
higher estimation Of woman than | do. g
Woman yes, she is fair and lovely: Il
There s none on earth above her, A
To see her is to love her"
Then. whilst we are all mindful of the latent eT- Il
,ellcnce of woman. let conspise together to ele-
,ate her her true position in society: go on
With the tide of improvement in agriculture and n
these great works Of progress go IL
land in hand. G.
We have seen that mechanics as well as agricul- Il
uralisJs occupy an important position amongst the n
,eoye of this country. pl
Let US now Iook at the works of mechanism. Let FL
Is CO. for instance, up to your State Capitol and CT
ook at the magnihcence Of that building-its m
i've columns and slightly tower and all that As Of
the work, the mind naturally suggests
he inquiry: What hand constructed Who built tn
nat housc?-and fixed with admiration of
he mind that splanned and the of labor that pt
ased up this beautiful temple of the State. Are m
ot these men of some Importance to the country al
Then again, when look at the ships of the bl
ommerce of our country, whose sails whiten every
ca as they take off to market the product of the ly
olive are constrained ask again, whether the tn
zen that made these ships are not of some impor Pl
snce to the country az
Then again. when we Gene TO your railroads, III
,reading every State in this Union; when we con-
mplate their deep and tunnels of the hills; wi
hen we behold the coming of the mighty train; be
hen we hear the resounding tread and shrill Whs
e of the iron horse, breathing nothing but fire, ye
caring along with him the traveller TO his destina-
on, and the produce Of the land to market-we ou
aturay inquire Who constructed these wonderful 20
ars Who dug down these hills? Who leveled Ga
nd tunneled these mountains 1t is thus that the Ke
] l.. l t Tho