Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1868-06-03
Letter from Rev. DIR. Lord.
BADEN BADEN, MAY 8, ]


long enough to look over the old castle anc
the more recent university The university
is not so large as that of Bonn or Halle
and my time did not permit me to become
conversant with it's system of study. | find
Germany has system of public education
more perfect than exists in any other Euro.
pean country. In fact no other country has
any system of universal public instruction
The system which prevails here provides by
law for the education OF children to the age
of thirteen years. Children of both sexes
can thus obtain the rudiments of an educa-
tion. and can do but little more than learn
to read and write, and secure mathematics
enough for the ordinary business of life.
At this point the provision for the instruc-
ton Of girls ceases, and their education is
completed so far as the public school is
concerned. 1t must be continued, if at all,
under private teachers; and | learn that
such instruction is very defective. But
boys can pursue a course of instruction
in the trade schools, in order to acquire
knowledge fitting them for the practical avo-
cations of life; or, if deemed competent,
may be trained for the university and the
professions. The universities are well en-
dowed and furnish instruction at small cost
to the student. | think that the tendency
of the German education is decidedly to
free thinking. There is no despotism of
public sentinel here to prevent or to punish
the most liberal thought and discussion.
The reaction of Romanism in this country
is Rationalism, the admitted freedom of
thought on all subjects, without any pre-
jndice to the thinker There are no watch
ers for heresy here.
The New England or American system
of education is far more complete and ex-
tensive than this. 1t carries the scholar
much further, and it provides as well for
the instructive of girls as of boys in the
highest grades In these two respects we
are greatly in advance of any other country
And SO long as our political integrity must
rest upon the diffusion of knowledge and
virtue, our system is the only one compat-
ible with the safety and growth of our in
stitutions. The great difference which
exists between our country and these old
world countries, and the great advantage
which we have over them, is not in wealth,
or splendor of the arts and magniicence of
external civilization nor In the culture
and learning of the educated classes nor
in the universities and schools of sicence
not in the decorations and equipage OF
life; but it is in the general elevation Of
our people; in the higher level to which
our system of religion and education has
brought the mass of minds. What we
lose in the one way we gain in another
Nor is it doubtful gain. Every where
in Europe we see, what we never see at
home, the lower classes.-l0zcer, in every
sense of the word, depressed morally
socially, politically. The fields are full
of women engaged in all the outdoor
drudgery of life. In the rural communi-
ties the people live together in herds, like
their own cattle, with but little regard for
the ordinary decences Of life The agri-
cultural population of Europe, so tar I
can Judge, can hardly be better off than
were our slaves. The mark Of servitude to
caste, to their condition, is fixed indelibly
upon their faces. There is no hope of their
elevation, but In expatriation to some more
favored region. The middle classes will
compare well with the same classes in our
country. The higher classes are more
corrupt.
There is one noticeable peculiarity il
| European countries. The government /:
omni-present and omni-active We can
hardly move but in the channels which il
directs Every trade is hedged in by law
| Every business of life is controlled by it
| There is no freedom to change ones call
ing. There is but one way in which to %
into all trades, professions, callings, indus
tries, schools, universities, picture gallerie
and depots There is but one way out o
them all Over every thing in life govern
ment writes fits inqreSS0 and its ''uSc1td.
This is the way in, and this is the way out
And soldiers and officials stand at ever
door to see that you 90 in the way. A
the engineer on the Baden road said to me
:. We have great freedom of thuught here
but no freedom of action. Government
controls the whole course of mans life.
Yesterday | was desirous of littl
fishing in one of the beautiful trout stream
which run through the Black Forest. W
took carriage over to the Mork, abou
six miles, where we were assured that
could find permission to fish, rod and line
and fine fishing ground Full of the e1
citement of the gentle sport, | hastened t
the scene of expected pleasure and victory
[ braved all the jests Of my companions
who laughed at the idea Of Yankee
catching German trout, and finally rcache
the Ell Dorado of my hopes. But, alas
the proprietor must send to town to get III
. permission, and when [ should have got
could only fish a certain very small di
tance, and must pay ten francs for tn
doubtful sport, and fish with a fly, and
, pole that could not throw fly any MOI
than David could wear SauIs armor.
f the sport was up, and turned disconsola
back to Baden But coming down IL
mountain, [ saw gentleman fishing in tt
stream with an attendant carrying a secon
f pole. l jumped from the carriage, a
costed my friend, (for what fisherman
not a friend of all others of the gent
a craft and by signs and happily chose
words made known my wishes. By tn
Y freemasonry which exists among all love
! of trout, he understood every questio
= every tone, and, most difficult Of all, ever
: word. He gave me the pole of his a
: tendant, furnished me with flies from h
: own book, and with worms from his oy
Y pouch, and offered me the brook to fish /
[ was at last in my element, and for ;
hour [ did not distrust my ability to bril-
S some of my inny friends out Of their el
t ment. But all my persuasions were frui
e less, and | had nearly made up my mil
: that German trout did not understal
; English, when l felt the electric shock of
h trout, and in a few minutes hud the plea
J. ure of landing noble fellow on the ban
palpitating with the ardors of an unsucces
n full contest Then another and anoth