The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-08-12

peace, no citizen should be compelled to bear
arms; but that, in time of war, every able.
bodied man should be required to perform
military duty, or pay monetary equivalent tor
exemption.
His Champion ship OF the Public School
System.
His chieferergies in the Convention, however,
were devoted to the perfection and advocacy of
our present admirable public school system.
Governor Wolf, Democrat is entitled to the
credit of being ia the main, the originator of
this system; but to Thaddeus Stevens we
indebted for its final triumph. The basis of the
school system had been established oy an act of
the Legislature during Governor VOLTS admin
straton; which closed with the year 1885, nearly
two years previous to the assembling of the
Constitutional Convention. Assoon as it became
the law Of the State, The opposition which it had
encountered from the first was redoubled, and
so strong was the prejudice against it that
large majority of the members of the succeeding
Legislature we're pledged to its unconditional
repeal. Their triumph was at hand, when, N
the month of April 1885, Thaddeus Stevens
arose in his place and pronounced an Grafton of
unequalled eloquence which turned the tide of
opinion and saved the honor OF the State. In
the course of this mastery effort Mr.. Stevens
said:- -
In giving this law to posterIty act the part of
the phusntIropist by oesto wing upon the poor as
well as The rich the greatest esr.ny boon which they
losopher by pointing, II YOU not lead them up
upon your ,oStssep.; Here; then, II you wish true
What renders the name Of socrates 10, mortal out ms
circumstances. ana in con,empt OF every dan
But csoTsse even vito sas s 6sneyG ,S'.
which aiskss US bow with Involuntary respect At The
.a S %
ps,re and Duration 70 that ferrsd by eduea.onI
Ss
a. Homer-en vrgil, Horsce, and oieero9 Aud g
was in Centuries past when those statesmen and ora
tors charmed and ruled empires with their elo.
Les al. therefore, who would sns,a,n the oharac
his law. Those SSo would add taereto the glory OF
ssTS Gan to
that but tIIe less dsDgerou; 60 the public
,nS iionsesrted Richsrd was the Keen se%etsr Of
nsbiItS ina 70 compressHS the savantsses Of general
s &c inc Ssn SS Ss
poorest or from dread OF poPuiaE yengeance: seems
heart OF the phiAnthropi or the nerve OF she hero"
Governor Wolf, who was doubly opposed to
Mr.. Stevens politically, being leading member
OF the Masonic fraternity, as we'll as stout
Democrat, was still such devoted friend to
popular education that his heart was completely
won by MIR. Stevens successful advocacy OF the
cause in which both took such a deep interest.
He at once summoned Mr.. Stevens into his pre-
sence, and when the champion of popular edu
cation entered the apartment Of the Governor
the latter fell upon his neck and poured forth
his thanks in broken tones and tears.
but, although the cause OF popular education
had thus gained decided victory over Ignorance
aud prejudice, the spirit of opposition to il was
not yet dead, and in the Constitutional Conven.
ton it actuated large aud powerful faction
who were in favor of establishing o marked
distinction between the rich and poor. Thad
deus Stevens stood up manfully in the cause o.
the latter, and earnestly opposed any and every
attempt at branding as paapers the children o
poverty aud declaring them to be unworthy o
the advantages of free education. He main
tanned that it should be made the duty of the
Legislature to provide for the establishment o
such free schools threug hOut the Commonwealth
as might be necessary to afford ample opportu
nifty to all. He advocated the doctrine tha
every child In the State whether of rich or pool
parentage, should be entitled to as liberal al
education as could be given gratuitously in
well arranged and thoroughly cla'sined schoo
system; while the efforts of those who favored
the establishment OF a separate system for thu
sole advantage OF paupers we're far from re