The hydraulic press., 1859-04-09
The Prime Want.

town. 1t was clear exposition of the
peculiarities of California society, and
full of wise suggestions. Exhortations
of this character are certain to be infu-
ential for good The preacher held that
the first settlers of country are meas
urably protected from the well known
evils incident to inchoate communities,
by virtue and intelligence elsewhere ac-
quired. They may pass through the
rude scenes which characterize the early
history of every new State, without
permanent bad consequences to them
selves; but the generation that grows up
around and succeeds them is not so for
tunate. The first native generation is
apt to be neglected in a new country.
Every adult is absorbed in schemes for
the promotion of material interests, and
too commonly forgets the greater impor-
tance of educating and properly direct
ing the youth who are to take his place.
Hence, society deteriorates, instead Of
assimilating to the well setteled commu-
mites from which the parent immigra-
tion came; the progress of the State is
retarded, and years elapse before reform
arises to effect permanent publication
These opinions Of Mr.. Jones are JUS
titled by the history Of California. Her
children have been too frequently al
lowed to grow up in ignorance, and even
now there is not ample provision for the
instruction of all, nor is our system of
public schools anywhere near self-sus-
tanning The people at large are not
sufficiently alive to the great Importance
of the subject, and the child does not
always receive at home the kind and
degree of attention which are required
for its moral security. We see the
painful results of this in the thousands
of vagabond children who are found in
our towns, and in the large number of
young law breakers who already afflict
the State. A great proportion of the
prisoners now confined at San Quentin
and in the county jails were brought
here innocent children, and through the
neglect of parents, Or Of community,
grew up in vice and graduated as GRIM
inals. They were abandoned to the
guidance of their own weak instincts, to
the influence of corrupt example--and
here are the natural fruits
These are disagreeable things to ad-
mit-but are they not true? 1t behoyes
us to face them boldly and apply the
remedy The prime want of the State
is intelligence-e7 growing, widening
intelligence. AS Mr.. Jones remarked,
that man is not lover of his country
who refuses, or neglects, to aid in Sc
curing instruction to the rising genera
tion; who withholds his support from
the institutions which promote intellec-
tual and moral culture; who selfshly
ignores the claim that society has upon
ali her members. If we would not
consign this lovely country to demor-
allied and unhappy future, we must
rouse from that apathy to public interests
which has proved SO mischievous. We
must act as though we intended to re-
main here fOrever-as most OF us surely
willard extend a hearty support to
all institutions or movements calculated
to further intelligence, virtue and phi
lanthropy.
LEGISLATIVE "A great deal of bus
mess has been transacted by both houses,
but not much of solid advantage to the
State. The day of adjournment is so
near that many important matters are
bound to be slighted or overlooked.
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