Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1870-03-24
LEARNING MAKES THE NAN.


American people + usually consid-
cred to have eyes and ears nther for
the comedy of life than for its senti-
.ent or its tragedy. They are accused
Of burlesquing things the most serious,
and are supposed to be farcical even in
most solcmnly unitarian pur-
suits. We presume there must be
some foundation for an opinion so
universal. Perhaps Americans are not
alone in the love of humor, though we
may be peculiar in II treatment Of
the comic side Of life. Certainly
American newspapers, as q class, are
different from the staid and
stately journals Of Great Britain and
some other countries. Probably types
have a dignity in other lands from
which they have fallen in this. A
prominent subject Of newspaper joking
has been found in the eagerness of the
freedmen to learn to read and write.
Almost daily We read some new ex-
upon the matter. Some of
these things are very funny, and others
have not even the color Of true wit or
the grotesqueness Of broad farce. The
figure the writer cuts Is the only
laughable feature Of the efforts OF
many Of the inventions Of these modern
Joe Millers. But Is there not a serious
side to this matter, which even a white
man Is bound to respect? Suppose a
co!ored man of twenty, forty, fifty,
three score, or even three score years
and ten, does try to learn to read? A
more amusing thing is related Of the
Sandwich islanders than has ever been
told Of others. We remember that
these poor heathens were said to reada
book in this wise: The volume was laid
upon the ground. The students laid
themselves down prone on their stom-
achs, all round it, heads in the center,
looking In their aggregation like an
Immense dusky-hued ray-lower; and
with eyes sidewise, cornerwise, and
every other wise intently directed to
the letters. Together they rhymed out
their lesson, and got 1t not only by
heart, but by stomach. This was RI
diculous. But the kanakas too might
laugh, for they Were the winners. Is
1t not more ridiculous, and painfully
ridiculous too, that any white man,
upon perceiving that everybody around
him can read, while he cannot. is will
ling to remain in ignorance. Is it not
astonishing that the delrsion should
have become fixed, that the a, b.. abs
can only be mastered In Infancy, and
that if a mar happens to have passed
his childhood in Ignorance, he cannot
learn as q man what he did not as 4
child? If the removal Of slavery in
this country has effected nothing else,
the cen and events in these Southern
schools furnish a demonstration Of
white negligence. The avidity with
which these dusky scholars Of all ages
seek to learn, should shame the igno-
rant man Of the Caucasian variety,
into breaking the chains of Evolutionary
helplessnsss. Whoever cannot read,
old or young, should learn. And who
ever can read should make something
Of his ability. In this country there Is
nothing in the case Of any person who
has brains and eyes, to prevent him
from doing what y child can do. Any
body can, who will, learn the sounds
of the letters Of the alphabet and
combine those sounds. There Is no
difficulty in so childish a thing.
Men and boys who cannot read,
and who think they cannot learn
the mysteries Of. the alphabet, are
constantly learning and applying
things much more difficult. WI need
4 crusade against ignorance of letters,
quite as much as against any other
evil. 1t is au absurdity-most absurd
because entirely unnecessary-that the
census should include returns Of any
appreciate number of persons in this
country who cannot read or write their
names. 1t Is absurd, too, that those
who can read should remain in ignor-
ance that having the key to knowl-
edge In their possession they should
neglect to use it. Reading is at once
the cheapest and the most satisfactory
amusement. And it tends moreover
to rest the body by the exercise of the
mind. Something Is added to the man
which was not in him before, when he
has gained by his eyes the results Of
other mems experience enriched his
mind with the fruit Of other mems
thoughts b; and reaped, without fatigue.
the profit Of other mems labors. II
the black man desires knowledge, be-
cause without 1t he is helpless, Is there
anything in the lighter shade of the
skin which can make ignorance power?
We cannot conceive why, In this par
ticular direction, anybody should be
content without the acquisition of i'd
vantagcs which are entirely within his
reach. Before we laugh at the freed
men-or while we laugh, for good hui
NOR Is not very damaging to anybody
every one should take care that he is
not really the legitimate object Of
mirth to those who value the privileges
that he seems to despise. lTE.s
The Republican party has failed in
many things. Corrupt men have been
placed in power; ignorance has been