Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-03-12
tso,. ne Auau.,n co. pi.na,ca.


Foon The Augusta co. DisPdfch-
Book needed.
One would hardly think it possible that
there still exists vacancy in our libraries
which the book-matsers have yet to fill. But
such is the case in our opinion. 1t istrue that
the mind and the morals of the country would
be much better conditioned If nine hundred
and ninety-nine of every Thousand books now
in existence had never been written, or if their
ashes could be scattered over our barren fields
AS true of school-books as of our misceila-
neOus literature, and yet we want new
school-book
No science is thoroughly understood until
first principles become automatic famiarltles
habits of the mind. so to speak. Most minds
fail to acquire even slight conception OF
science until they are aided by elementary
text books. This is quite as true OF the SCI
ence of government as of any other. This
science has a vast number of related topics,
each science itself Each of the more i'm
portant rights of the people, in their political
capacity ought to be completely understood
in its basis nature. relations and method of
preservation.
In society when the governed are not gov
erning. it does not seem surprising that the
masses should be ignorant of the nature and
laws of the power over them. 1t is of course
the policy of despots to keep their subjects in
ignorance of all that coerces them. But it is
surprising and alarming to the friends of re-
publcanism, that in a nation like ours. there
should be an almost entire and universal ig-
norance of the real nature of our government.
1t surprises the rejecting mind, because,
where the people claim TO be the source of all
power one would naturally suppose desire
to exist of understanding the proper and safe
way to exercise such power. He who affects
the independence of being his own ruler, ought
to feel an exalted pride in ruling himself well.
Again, the prevailing ignorance upon almost
every subject of government. alarms, because
one sees in this country nearly as good field
for the tyrant as in those countries where the
one-man power is acknowledged. If this pow
er does not appear at the present time in the
form of Gar or of a military dictator, it
has already appeared in the progress of DEM
agogueism, the forerunner of vassalage.
But not alone the mind of republicans ought
to be educated in the principles of government.
Their hearts, too, should be taught to love
freedom, and detest despotism, to revere pa
triots and hate tyrants. How wofully do we
all fail of these things.
And ii is not from the stump, or on the eve
elections. that the desired education of our
people is to be attained, but in the school
room aud by the fire-sidr. Grey heads must
not be- the pupils Fixed characters are not
to be moulded to new forms. nor furnished
with new springs of action. Our sons and
daughters must be tutOred ones. He who has
lived in ignorance of his rights until the
weight of many years is upon him, will never
become an unwavering defender of liberty in
the autumn of life. Patriots and heroes were
ever made of children. And herein consists
in great measure the dcgeneracy of our times.
That the household conversation turns not as
often as of old upon the characters and deeds
of our ancestors, upon the causes, objects,
thoughts and glories of our Revolution.
Ceasing TO know these men, our people are
ceasing to value their legacy.
But we must hasten to make application of
our remarks to IA case in point. The institu-
ton of Slavery is the Distinguishing feature
in our society and i'll our government. 1t
separates us from the world. Though ranked
under the general head of property, it is
property of such peculiar nature that it adds
another to the list Of interests, to be studied
and comprehended that they may be protect
ed.
Yet, upon no subject, in the range of
thought, has there been, within the last fifty
years. "A greater variety of opinions. All
sorts of notions, touching its morality, its
value. and its prospects, have been advanced.
All sorts of doctrines, touching the subject,
have been defended, abandoned, or revived to
suit the views of spectators, promote the
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT of political aspirants-and
all this in the South, where, if anywhere, the
whole theory and practice of the institution
ought to be understood and settled. We Of
ten hear the remark, the North knows nothing
of the matter, but it may well be questioned
if nineteen-twentieths OF us know much more
about it ourselves, and for the plain reason
that we have never studied the subject as a
science All that has been written on the
subject is to be found among the other crudi-
ties of Congressional :" Buncomb" or in the
musty law books of theorisms.
The institution of negro slavery, as it ex-
lists in the United States, deserves to be treat
ed as a science. As a political and govern
mental question, it is the paramount one of
the day in the South, overriding and embrace
ing all others. By its solution Republicanism
will learn its fate and Continent its destiny.
Now we think book is needed to treat of
this science-an elementary book, fitted by
it's style for the comprehension of the chill
dren who are to inherit the institution. We
want it - adapted to the use of schools" not
colleges, but every school in the land.
In making this book we must have the aid
first, OF the Historian. He should briefly
state the facts of slavery in other centuries
and in past ages, and then give fuller ac-
count of African slavery in this country.
Thus the way would be prepared for the The
ologian who should set forth the pro-slavCry
argument as drawn from and founded on the
Bible. Next, the lawyer should point out the
laws which establish the condition OF the ne
gro among us, which work the rights of the
slaveholling States in regard 10 that species
of property. The cthnologist should point
out the peculiarities of the African race. The
physician should notice, ii necessary, their
diseases as Il race. The practical planter
should suggest the best methods of managing
them on the land.
The tendency of slavery to render perma-
nent IA Republican form OF Government should
lie pointed out, and the blessings which flow
from the relations of master and slave must be
dwelt upon.
Lastly, the whole must be reduced to form,
and adapted 10 the school room by compe-
tent teacher.
A first book will be followed by better
one, on the same subject, until our peo-
pie will, in few years, comprehend sub
Ject, upon which their ideas are now chaos.
Then If it be true, that there is good in Alri-
can slavery, the good will be appreciated and
we may reasonably hope that it will be de-
Tended.
Who will write the book?