Columbia democrat and star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1867, 1867-01-23


to them
The Importance Of common schools, in
republican Government, can never be fully
estimated. To eductae the people is the
highest public duty To permit them to re-
main in ignorance is inexcusable. Every
thing, therefore, should be encouraged that
tends to luild up, strengthen and elevate
our State IN the sure foundation Of the edu-
cation Of the people Every interest and in
dustrial. pursuit will be aided and promoted
byits operations every man who is educa-
ted is improved in usefulness, in proper
ton as he is skilled in labor, or intelli-
gent in the professions, and isin every re-
spect more valuable to society. Education
seems to be essential to loyalty, for no State
In the full enjoyment of free schools, ever
rebelled against the Government
Pennsylvania should be the vanguard in
the great mission of education. She should
remember that as she has been the mother
of States, she should also be the teacher of
States. ''The great problem of civilization
is how to bring the higher intelligence of the
community, and its better moral feelings, to
i bear upon the masses of the people. so that
the lowest grades of intelligence and morals
shall always be approaching the higher, and
the higher still rising A church purified of
superstition solves part of this problem, and
good school system does not rest.
Nothing, after the education of the peo-
pie, contributes more to the security of a
State than thorough military system The
fathers of the Republic, acting upon the in
stinct Of preparing for war in the time Of
peace, embodied this knowledge among the
primary Obligations of the citizen Yet the
rebellion found usalmost wholly unprepared
Our confidence in our institutions was so
firm that the idea of an attack upon them
from any quarter, much less from those who
had been the ''spoiled children" of the gov
ernment, was never believed possible. how
ever threatened. The first clash of arms
found usequay undeceived and unorganized
and we very soon experienced that the con-
trivers of the great slave conspiracy had not
only strengthened themselves by the stolen
ships, arms and Notifications Of the Govern
ment but had for years designed instructing
Their youth in the science of arms; and when
the bloody tempest opened upon us they
were ready to spring at the heart of the Re
public, while the citizens, in whose hands
the government was left, were compelled to
protect themselves and their country, as best
thev could
The general and essential principles of
law and liberty, declared in the Constitu-
ton of Pennsylvania, shall be watchfuIly
guarded. 1t will be my highest ambition to
administer the government in the true
spirit of that instrument Care shall be
taken that the laws be faithfully executed .
and the decisions of the courts respected and
enforced, if within their authorized ju-is-
diction. Influenced only by the conside.a-
tions for the public welfare, it is my impera-
tive duty to see that justice be imparatially
administered. That merciful provision, the
pdrdoning po1rer, conferred upon the Exc
cutive doubtlessly for correcting only the er-
rors of criminal jurisprudence, and secur-
ing justice, shall not be perverted to the is-
discriminate protection of those who may
be Justly sentenced to bear penalties for in
fractions of the laws made for the security
and protection of society. Those ''cruelIy"
or excessively" punished, or erroneously 1
convicted, are a,ona entitled to its benef-
cent rro lection. an only such should expect
lis exercise in their behalf e..
Whenever the people deem it cxpedient
or necessary, from actual experience, to a. |
ter the laws, or to amend the Constitution, it !
is their undoubtedri ight to doso, according to |
repeat, what have said elsewhere, that so !
long as the people feel that the power to al |
ter or change the character of the govern |
ment abides in them, so long will they be |
impressed with a sense Of security and of /
dignity which must ever spring from the
consciousness that they hold within their own |
hands a remedy for every political evil cor
rective for every governmental abuse and /
usurpation.'
When we reflect upon the terrible sacri- !
fees we endured to maintain our liberties,
and anticipate that glorious period of our
country when the whole continent will be |
dedicated to human freedom, and when the |
despotisms of the earth will construe our /
example into a standing threat against their /
tyranny, we cannot disregard the considera- |
ton of this important subject.
As before remarked, Pennsylvania con
tributed over three hundred thousand troops |
to the national cause. Deducting the loss of |
nearly thirty thousand by wounds and dis |
aosa incurred in the fold what m Immense
army has been left to circulate among and |
to educate the mass of our population! Pro
perly comprehcnding this thought, we
have at once the secret of our past success
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