Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1867-03-29
aai8ffllanG0nS.
DIR. McCOsH ON THE UNITED
STATES

DR.. McCosh recently delivered lecture
in Belfast on bis visit to America. We give
a few extracts Speaking Of the education
Of the people he says
That country owes its greatness to its
wide spread education The truth Is, the
Constitution of the United States, with its
universal suffrage, would not stand year,
1t would be shattered into fragments but
for he intelligence Of the people The
greatest difficulty of government there arises
from the influx Of ignorant Europeans who
are flatterpa and misled bv q oia-- 81 pUilLl-
clans iOWeT than any we have IN our country.
/ am persuaded that without their schools,
lower and higher, the United States would
soon get into inextricable confusion. like the
South Americans. or fall under a military
despotism, ike France. But with it's high
and universal education the country has as
fair prospect Of stability as any nation on
earth. Surely the progress made and the
power acquired of late years by Prussia and
the United States, the two countries IN
the world in which the great mass Of the
people receive the highest edueation,-is a
clear proof that it is knowledge that is power
in a nation as well as among individuals.
The fact should read a lesson to Us who have
not get, amidst the contest of classes and Of
good national system Of education. The
education in the United States is happily
(what can scarcely be said of the Prussian)
a Christian education. The system origina-
ted in New England, but was extended over
all the States, except, indeed, in the South,
where It was found Incompatible with the
continuance Of slavery. The law tavors
education; in some States il makes it com
pulsory, but in fact it is mainly promoted
by the spirit of the people The young pc0
pie remain longer at school than they do in
this countay, and, as a rule, the common
people are all well educated. The artisan
class here, male and female, like the middle
class there, can talk with you on the topics
Of the day, and they know the history of
their own country and Of ours, and the ele-
meuts Of science, mental and physical In
every town there are not only elementary
schools for younger children and grammar
schools in the higher branches of English,
but there are High Schools for classics.
mathematics, and science all provided by the
States. The colleges are very numerous,
and are found far west on the very outskirts
of civilization, as in Iowa aud San Francisco
Some OF them are yYt IN state OF infancy,
but they are healthyichildreu, and promise
In due time 20 be vigorous men. Some OF
the older colleges in she east are quite equal
to om own, except indeed, they have not yet
such large rewards DOR higher scholarship,
and that their hardw0rking professors are
disgracefully underpaid. As proofof the
interest taken by the people in their insritu-
tions, | may mention that during the late
war when the wise men of this country were
predicting that the nation was going on to
bankruptcy and ruin, 40 less a sum than
-TlIs,.- rod
by phjianthr0pic people to the establishment
and extension Of universities and theological
semiaaries The consequence Of this is
that there are intelligence and physical com
fort among the common people, not to be
found in ibis OF in any European country
wish | could convey you all to a New Eng
land village ofthe betters sort, such a lived
in once and again. reckon it the finest
sight in America, one of the finest sights
in the world to a phianthropis,. The
houses are not in close streets like ours, but
are separated from one another, each en-
b0sOmed In trees, with a garden, and each
with four 6ye OF SIX apartments. There l.
sure 10 be a school and a church, or chur
ches, in the village, but possibly no public
house within five or ten miles. Nearly
every man there reads his daily newspaper,
and many Of them see monthly religion
or literary magazine | was in villages with
several hundreds Of population, in which
there was not single family 10 whom you
could offer piece Of cast off clothing OF al
bread without giving offence. To my no
speakable qualification, found Ike crn-
munities springng up all over the Wcst, il
Ohio, Illinois, Wisconsin, and away beyond
the Mississippi, in Minnesota aud Iowa.
The rich land there is being occupied maiuly
by New Englanders, aud by the most indus
trious of the English, Scotch. Irish, German
and other European settlers, who carry with
them the best virtues Of the Old World, to
find in tho New World fitting field for call
ing forth their talents aud their activities.
RR-FIe liyesin true repose who bri.lles