Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1870-03-03
sUEFRAaE AND EDUCATION.



of tho People.
from the N. Y. Tribune, Feb. 1871
Mr. Bayard ignores the fact that he is liv-
ing under democracy, and fancies that he
is an aristocratic citizen of alimited republic
of that kind which in the very beginning OF
the nation was considered, weighed, and
finally rejected for broader and more liber-
al scheme. Democracy presupposes gov
ernment by the whole people, subject to GER
tain limitations of age and sex which nave
formed part of all political systems in the
past, whatever may be the disposition Of
them in the future. The question is not
whether restricted system" would be, as
the Senator says, wiser :" but whether
we shall be courageously true to the system
in which we have avowed a belief and to
which we have sworn fealty-whether we
shall say that all men are equal, and then
proceed by law to establish and equality.
This is not matter OF policy, but OF truth
and falsehood, and in perfectly consistent
adherence to the former is our only safety
for if we commence a restriction of suffrage
no man knows what the end thereof will be-
nobody can be sure that the governing class
will not become gradually smaller, until all
power may subside into the iron hand of an
oligarchy, or until continued restriction may
result in a royal rule. When any nation has
based its institutions upon doctrine, it is
| to allow that doctrine fair play. The limi-
| tation of franchises is the beginning of q
predestinate monarchy.
Again apart from the moral considerations,
with which we have here nothing to do, the
policy of universal education, which tho
| Senator, with in this case, perfect consis-
tency, condemns, is necessary result OF tho
system of universal suffrage. Mr.. Bayard,
with that perversity which men of refined
4 l. 4. ,.,h ,,Atp
| ed, thinks it better that some should bs
learned, and that others should be ignorant.
He clings to this last desperate notion Of the
Stakeholder, albeit Shareholders have be-
come extinct. He echoes the drivel OF
Gov. Wise, and protests that in poor people
reading ahd writing are fat felony. Again
we reply that this is question which Is no
longer iopen. Education is the armor OF
Liberty, without which she would perish
in the irregular embraces of her own vota-
ries. An ignorant democracy implies polit-
ica uncertainty, great natural mistakes, and
under certain conditions, great public and
private wretchedness with property held
by an uncertain tenure, and with intellectual
progress even in the smaller part OF tb
population, for the time, arrested. The
is at least the connection between kno
ledge and good morals, that the GUILTY.
man, if he does wrong, has not the
| CuSe Vi lghoiduCt, uui 10 oopab-h
drawing even delicate and nd
distinctions between the gootwn
bad But mob is in the sport of. hes
ignorance. the victim OF passions wIer in
not been taught to restrain, and obridle.
| stncts which it does not know hos Of it,
The mere acquisition of knowlespertains
self of secondary Importance, art,he pro
t merely to the economies of lifhed neces,
cess by which knowledge is Aculties, ana
sarily sharpens the intellectut its minnie
! demonstrates not only errwhenever eau-
absurdity. 1t is in this at the average OIL
cation is made universsed and aggregate
public character is efged. In the posst-
4 social capacities are.d, although he Is aa
i bility Of this Mr.. Bees not believe. ne @ Is
/ American Senatcaud will be greater tnaa
i sure that some nd not disturb his iaitn' ur
he rest. rest " we !, yu he area reality or delusion.
! notion whe,hat it is not American, ana
| We only Democratic.