The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1867-04-02
WAiSneY and Schools.

We have heard much said about the
disappearance of great men from the Stage
of public affairs, and doubtless it is true in
SO far as it is fact that great men die as
well as little ones But no man can peruse
the debates in the Pennsylvania Legisla-
ture and retain very serious forebodings OF
the extinction of the race of great men.
Having a leifure hour the other day, We
took up the official organ Of that body and
read a speech delivered by Mr.. G. O. Dcise,
the member for Clinton, Cameron, Elk
and Mexican counties The debate was
upon a bill to amend the School law, and
especially upon an amendment prohibiting
the employment of teachers of Incorporate
habits. We shall admit that Mr.. Deise is
a man of good intellectual abilities, rather
above the average of central Pennsylvania
politicians. Indeed after reaing his speech
against sobriety, for that is what it amount.
ed to, we were very nearly ready to admit
that he is specimen Of Budding greatness
Mr.. Deise seems to base been called out
by some remarks of Mr. Mann, of Potter
County, who advocated sobriety as a prime
requisite to good teacher Mr.. Deise
chose to discover in the amendment an at
tempt to legislate against the interests OF
the people. And he opposed it with much
zeal if lot with discretion. v neither it be
true, as Mr.. Deise with an originality re-
markably striking, declared, that the more
you touch the whiskey question the more
people sill drink, or not, we leave the pub
lie to decide; but wheG Ar. D. declares in
a speech before the representatives OF the
Commonwealth, that in Potter county
"they have female teachers employed tC
ferret out who drinks whiskey, and are
sometimes obliged to kiss You to tell how
your breath smells, we opine that he
copies the unmiueated blackguardiSm OF
the journals of his party. Potter county
needs no defence at our hands. Her peo-
PIE are as famous for their intelligence as
/ for their virtue. Her female teachers are
entitled to common respect, at least, and
| Mr.. DIS remarks are an insult to them, if
they are u any worth or Specification
whatever.
We agree with Mr. Mann, that man,
or woman, who takes glass of liQuor a, a
beverage is not fit to teach school. To
this Mr.. D. took exception, and PROFOUND
ed this poser. "W here would the gentle
man put Daniel WebSterl" He not fit to
teach SCHOOL," Mr. Mann's reply to this
Is not recorded but we reply that we put
Daniel Webster among the list of brilliant
men who fill drunkard's graves; and fur
/ thermore say, that il our opinion, he was
no more fit to teach school than he was to
lecture On Temperance and the blessings Of
a virtuouS life He was licentlous, in
temperate man; AMI his example is one
which ought to be covered up away from
public gaze Great intellectual gifts, un-
less coupled with a superior moral nature,
are a curse to any man, and disgrace to
the annals of a people. MIR. DeiSe, like
many another public man, has much pride
of intellect. We can tell him of better,
because di,iner pride, pride of character.
Without this pride, without moral imPu
ses exceeding all other impulses, no man,
or woman, is fit to teach school. Great
men do not find congenial labor IN the
school room. They fail to comprehend
the nature of human growth as it relates
to the development Of the individual. They
comprehend the nature OF national growth,
or the growth of man in the aggregate.
We now refer to- the great men as they ex-
ist in popular estimation.
With that other and strikingy original
remark of Mr.. Deise-that the first miracle
reformed upon earth was the manufacture
Of wine from water, we will dea briefly. In
the first place it was not the first miracle
done on earth. The Old Testament is full
of accounts of miracles performed by the
Judaic leaders, priests, and prophets. And
not only this, but Christ performed many
miracles prior to that Of the Cana Marriage
least. However the citation is new for
this ace. We recolIeet something Of the
sort having been used twenty yearsa 60
to check the progress of Temperance reform.
Mr.. Dei>e resides in Clinton county, where
man who can write his name readabIy is
suspected at once Of designs upon the sta
bles, as well as upon the integrity Of the
dominant party there, Much must be for
given the gentleman on that account. But
we doubt if there is a dealer in poor whis-
key in Tioga county, so Tar behind the age
as to advocate liquor seIIingon the strength
of the example Of Jesus Christ
Mr.. Mann IS entitled to public gratitude
for his unwearied efforts to mitigate the
evil of the liquor traffic Verify he hath
his reward [Tioga Agitator,