Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1867-07-11

our yOuln De tuucAltu, nut IL ~ AZ
solutely necessary that it should b.
done, and that all the means for IL
accomplishment should be speedily
adopted and practically used,
What will become Of the Vest, >
says the great Btechcr 'if her pros
perity rushes up to such a majesty
Of power, while those great lnstitl.
tions linger, which are,necrssary to
form the mind, the conscience and
the heart Of this vast world :"
As We all see in this country, no
business enterprise stands STILL.
"This is All age Of lightning'--of
Railroad speed, and almost Rail
road recklessness in every thing!
Go TO the vast lakes that lie along
our northern borders; harbors
are thick along their shores, and al
most every wave bears on its heav-
ing bosom, burthen of life and
wealth Go to the ocean, on either
hand-the white sail Of commerce is
everywhere. Go to the rivers, that
mark with silyery lines, the bound.
aries Of some twenty common
weaIths, and traverse our States in
all directions-hundreds of steam
boats navigate their waters. The
States are bound together firmly by
the iron and steel tracks Of Rail,
Roads; and everywhere, we knit
our thoughts together, with tele-
graphic wire " And this steam and
lightning, like the swift current ofa
swollen river have given an impe-
tus to every department Of business
enterprise. | find no fault with this
indeed, am glad that such is the
case. But is there not danger that
in this whirlpool of business--in
this boiling blood of enterprise
the higher, and nobler, and purer
purposes of life may be forgotten
and the nObler, fairer virtues of lu-
manity be swallowed up in the mad
scramble for wealth and power? Nv
friends, connected with this head
long, if not insane, rush for riches
and power, there is a question of
deep and vital import and interest
to every lover of his country and
his race. Do the intelligence and
virtue OF the masses keep pace with
these other improvements in our
glorious Vest" All must
admit-all do admit-that without
virtue and intelligence, society has
no balance wlleel-n0 regulating
principle, Our speed toward wealth
and power may be rapid as lightning
and strong as the whirlwind, yet if
these elements be wanting, we are
without chart or compass; and the
3wifter our progress, the more terri
Die our destruction.
But some may say that these
great Improvements are Of them.
selves an index to the intelligence
md virtue Of the masses. He looks
'ut upon the growing cities, rising
Is by magic-the tremendous X. K.
runks, running in every direction,
nd rapidly extending to the Pacific
o complete the mighty highway Of
latiOns the splendid steamers; the
nterminable lines of telegraph, and
kinks, Surely the people must be
where such improvements
re found" D." But this is not nee
ssary conclusion. These works
re the projects Of few great, en-
minds, and are not, nee
ssarily, any evidence of a general
Intelligence among the masses. As
familiar illustration: 1t may take
ONE fifty men to constitute tho
'fticers, directors and contractors
IpOn q Railrord. 1t may take
hOusand or more hands to build it
The fifty may be intelligent, but the
thousand lahorers need possess the
knowledge only Of the simple u8e
If the tools with which they labor.
How much betteR would it be for
9th lab6rer and employer, if not
My the projectors were men Of
ltelligence, but likewise, the thou
and laborers, men Of thought and
ducation. And righthere the idea
enforced UPON our attention, that
lie only correct or safe system OF
1ucation in a, Republican country
Ike ours, is one which offers to the
liId of the day laborer, equal op-
to cultivate his mind,
ith the child of the wealthy EN-
oyer; and that the only sure guar
lty We have for the preservation
our Liberty and the happiness Of
Ir homes, lies in the successful op-
alton of such a system.
Let me he understood, for deem
lis an important point. 1t is the
Dast and glory of our institutions,
lat our grand system of Public
affords equal facilities to
| grades and classes. The child
the rich man and the child of
le poor man, should be educated