Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1860-02-11
Mr.. Wiley's Report.

This Report is now in press and will soon be
ready for delivery 1t contains much of interest on
the subject of education The Superintendent gives
cheering account of the progress of Common
Schools and of education generally throughout the
State. We hope to find space soon for extracts
from this interesting documcnt:-
This report is made to your Excellency at time
of trial TO you, and to all patriotic guardians of the
public interests
The popular heart, North and South, has been
deeply stirred by the recent startling but natural
developments of principles springng originally from
opposition to those teachings of inspired Writ which
humble man and eXat God.
There has long been growing disposition, in
tain quarters, to defy humanity and practically to
ignore the idea of mans sinfulneSs or fralty; and
this cannot be done except in open contradiction to
the lessons of all experience and to the doctrines of
the Holy Scriptures.
Such conclusions, too, strike at the root of all au-
thOrity, Divine and human; for every law is a re-
straint abrdgemen OF natural liberty and there
FORE an outrage when imposed on beings whose IN
stincts all just and holy and thus entitled to
qualification. These most absurd and most danger
GUS doctrines once swayed, for brief period, the
heart OF a wholc% nation; and it was hoped that
they would he forever disgraccd by the bloody hor
rorS, the unparalleled atrocities of that Reign of
Terror But the recent exhibition of opposition to
all established authority, springng up armed from
the bosom OF American society, and distinguished
with the sympathies of large class of protested
reformers, has divuged the existence of this fearful
moral cOntagion in midst; and now while all
uncertain of the extent of the Infection there is
natural and general disposition everywhere to fear
ali outbreak of this most dreadful Scourge of hui
mainly
These very acts, so fraught with danger to every
class of people, demonstrate the utter fallacy of
the doctrines in which they have their root; and
were there other evidence, these alone indicate
with sad and ovcrpowering force of argument the
dcpravity of man. and the necessity of divnely or
dained authority to restrain those instincts and pas
sions whose full development in action would cause
the determination of our race
Their natural fruits are suspicious evilsurmis-
ngS alterations bitter hatredS raternal srifes in
short, to blight that confidence and mutual depend
which hold society together and to convert the
whole human race into horde of plundcring and
murderOuS lShmaeteS, everywhere lying in wait
for each other and fighting over the natural foun-
tanS and fruits of the earth. They to put
much lower estimate than we ought even on our
fallen humanity; and, as a natural consequence,
tend TO arrest, for the time the progress of every
benevolent agency, to unsettle the foundations Of
all order and SubOrdnatiOn, to destroy all national
and social cohesion, and TO split society into nnu-
merabe hostile fragments, converting whole nations
into the condition of the panicstrcken camp of the
| host of INDIAN where every mans sword set
! against his fellow.
mstrust their nearest neighborS, the public of
the country have high and most difficult mission
to fill; but there is rule which, if faithfully IL
Illustrated in action will certainly lead to safety and
success. 1t is rule which no people can afford to
! violate, but one more easy of observance by pop
ulatOn like that of own beloved State, than by
! those whose former departure from it has involved
| us in present troubles.
1t is the rule of absolute right understood in the
! pure light of Gods infallible Word; and surely
/ people, who for generations have made the teach
ings of this Book the only standard of public and
private morality, cannot be in danger of being sud-
denly and universally overcome by those fanatical
decisions which originate in persistent attempts to
wrest these Scriptures of truth to the purposes of
| human vanity and pride.
| We are therefore, comparatively strong in the
conservatism of sentiment, the soundneSs of the
popular heart caused by the long custom of imbib
j ing our moral philosophy from the pure fountain
! of truth; and first, greatest and most perma-
! nent interest people, as we'll individuals, is
| to adhere strictly and honestly to this method of
reasoning, and this principle of action.
Let us then, manifest to the world our confidence
| in the strength of our social and political fabric
based such solid principles, by continuing calmly
! to administer them in their proper spirit and by
i the light of inspired wisdom
! In such state we ought not to anticipate fierce
! and bloody hostility between races and ranks and
I classes merely because there are different races
diversity that creates danger but the spirit which
anmates the hearts of individuals, and is reflected
| in the public administration.
| The very first human government was the family
! of Adam, and it ordained by God himself-and
in this society," consisting of only two persons and
they 'one flesh" there was subordination, subjec-
ton of one to another for mutual good
! And there can be no society, in a wicked world,
without diversity of interests and classes; and the
peace of every social and political system depends
on Just recognition of the mutual dependence of
every rank on each other and of the mutual oblga-
tons which this interest imposes This sense of
mutual interest and reciprocal duty has often been
illustrated in incidents connected with the history
of slavery in midst; and glorious fruit of this
true policy displayed before the eyes of all the
world in manner most honorable to the servant
and to the governing race, in the refusal of the
former at Harpers Ferry to use weapons thrust in
to their hands in destroying masters apparently
able longer to maintain their authority.
There is as much danger of prejudice between the
rich and poor and between the different professions
as between master and slave; and while the love of
money is the root of all evil it must tend continually
to ALLEVIATE from each other the hearts of those who
love it above all things and have it, and of those
! who thus love it and have it not. And all at
tempts to enhance this alienation and widen the
breach between classes of citizens, is just dan
gerous efforts to excite slaves to instruction;
and the principle which would justify the latter,
would inevitably lead next to the destruction of
those professions which falsely considered by
some as more honorable than other honest callings
then to the violent plumber Of the rich and finally
to a fierce and endless struggle among the plumber
| ers over their respective shares Of booty.
But why should we, in North Carolina, fear such
attempts as these to lineage and let loose society
the worst passions of our fallen nature?
True, such instincts exist; but these beasts of
prey guarded with something better than hu-
| man restraints, material bolts ard bars. We
have here pure Gospel, faithfully preached; and
wherever the character of State illustrates gen.
eral indoctrination of the people in its precepts,
there is a seal upon the lions mouth
Such a SAVIOR is our most conservative power: and