The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1868-12-24
THURSDAY, pECEMBEa q, 1865.
How Shall we Sustain Repub-
Iican Ascendancy.

After having achieved a great Nationa
gictory in the election of PFesiden
and also an Overwhelming triumph in on
own State the political excitement astend
ant on these events, has considerably sub
sided, In the absence Of absorbing eof
itical issues, it is now a proper time to
consider the question, as to how Repugil-
cansim may maintain the asendancy IN
future time. Thus far the Republics
party has contended againss popular pre-
judices against Ignorance and the enc
mics of progress. The iTvsterate hate
against the the colored man has been a
strong element of opposition the repug
nance to universal suffrage and the equal
right Of all men beforethe law have been
perseverance, resisted by low oppeals TO
the Dreiudices Of the masses
The great reliance of the EeQlbli can
party fey future success, rests il tae intel
fgence Of the people. Education con
ned with sound public morality is pre-
ninently the hope OF. our free iastitu-
ions An educated, people, will most as
euredly be Republican people. This
was most manifestly evidenced, in the re
cent political canvass, as 1t has been IN all
preceding elections Of nationalimp9rEanc
Wherever was found the Academy the
College, the Seminary and the Theologlcai
School, there were found c4nters OF Ike
n
the true idea of human rights 0ursl3tsr-
airy institutions, have been proven the.
strong holds Of Ropubiieanism. The FREQ
schools Of the land and the higher insti-.
tutions oflcarning. fqssered by them have
saved the country from fnisrule, anas, ny
and violence.
Let il titaa. b. thepurpose ofall who,
hail the emancipation 81 millions Of the
race, within the past few years, from
physical and mental bondage, to apply
themselves e the enlightening of the ig-
norant Let there be renewed attention
given, to Increase the efficiency of our
schools-to make education general and
universal. Ignorance ct the ballot box in
the years before us, is more to be dreaded
than armed foes from without our For-
ders.
Multitudes exercise the. right OF SUI
frage, who know little or nothing of the
genius of our Republican. institutions
they are wholly unacquainted with the
machinery of the government, and com
prehend not it's essential wants and ne
cessities They simply know that they
belong to. the pofts, and must vote the
ticket put into their hands by their lead
crs. This mass of mind needs TO be en-
liahtened the older classes through the
agency of the newspaper, while those
growing up to manhood, must lee reached
through our free schools. The next few
years will be critical period in our his
tory; We hayenow a large political weight
Of mledacated mind, invested with the
right of suffrage If the nationlc can be
carried safely through the coming eigh
wears, the crisis will in human plohabllit.
have been passed Especially wiiltili
be true, if the friends of liberty snd Pre-
oress. devote their energies to the ad
xancement Of our free schools and highs
institutions of learning, and at the sam
time moral and religious instruction, b
vigorously prosecuted byala legitlmld1 4
agencies throughout the country. Til
great army. of young man to come U
from these educational preparations E
citizenship, will and must, save sthe &
public from the dangers OF an ignorar
constituency .
IF then education is essential to Il
safety end perpetulty of our free COVER
meuf, it legitimately follows that theasta
has a right to protect ITSELF by maxim
education an imperative duty, when it
neglected from choice. If the liberties
the people are hazarded, and society
moved and heavily taxed for the punls
ment Of crime consequent. upon ignorant
the government has right to interfe
and make education compulsory. 1t
useless to object, that such action Wou
be an infringement upon personal RICH
Our laws in multitudes of instances, ha
made the means of prevention compulso
laws in all enlightened countries int
fere with certain individual rights,
the better security of the people ineth
persons and property. In many Of
States the laws very properly forbid