Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-12-15

piishment of good result, as the con-
seriousness that we are engaged in the
right work. TO labor as we ought; to
accomplish what we desire; to satisfy
others that we are in earnest, we must
feel the importance of the duties we have
undertaken. We must take a cheerful,
hopeful, and courageous view of the stu
alton. 1t is true that, with an empty
Treasury, with burdened people, with
a lost credit, it is difficult to find more
cherries prospect, yet it may be that we
can find the silver lining TO the cloud,
and, by patient delving, dig down to q
subsoil of sweetness, beneath the very root
of bitterness.
Surely, every tide in human affairs will
have its turn; and to the practical states
man, fully acquainted with the inexhaust-
ible resources of the State, the heavy
gloom that has gathered around our tinan-
cial condition, is only as a summers mist,
dropped across the path of the sun. He
reads men, events, tendencies, parties, all,
as mere instruments to be welded for the
public good-and although for the time
defeated in the conflict, by those who
look to present ease, instead of ultimate
good-knows that the final triumph is
sure and certain. This is the strong side
of the philanthropic statesm2n's charac-
ter. 1t is hard to reach, and when OBJ
tanned, it is hard to hold, when the clouds
grow darkest, and all is gloom and al
most despair.
Let us consider simply some of the
causes which operate amongst the friends
of popular education in the State of Ten
nessee, against this temper of good cheer
and hopeful confidence, which | have ex
pressed. which fill our ranks with despond-
ing men, men who seem to be shiVering on
the brink of utter h0pelessness; men who
look, speak and work as if nothing had
been done, because the State does not do
all that they think it ought to do; who
are ready to dwarf the work that has
been done, and cry, "All is lost !" merely
because the plan pursued is not the one
that they proposed.
Assuredly, there is too much of this
amongst the friends of education. 1t
breeds croaking5 in our camp, when we
need unity and strength. Some of this
unhealthy drift is the fruit of a naturally
desponding temper-yet l frankly confess,
that the sources of encouragement and
dependency are to be found all around
US, and that they can only be removed,
by united effort to carry into effect
faithfully the system Of common schools
now on our statute books-known as the
county system.
OF course | would propose, for success
full working, a State system, with COM
petent Superintendent, through whose
Office, and by whose intelligent aid, as
from a common center, the full benefits of
well regulated system, could be effec-
lively and systematically operated; yet, as
a member of the Legislature, l say to
you, that at present such system cannot
be enacted into law.
Two objections stand in the way of its
enactment, either of which is insur-
mountable. The first, is the want Of
the means, necessary to operate the sys
tenn, owing TO the bankruptcy of the
State Treasury. The second, as a cor
ollary-our inability to raise the means,
required for the successful management
of well regulated system, introduced by
the State.
The Legislature is unwilling, at the pre-
sent time, whilst concedng the advantages
of systematic education to the citizens of
the State, 10 levy the tax necessary to
raise the money-and without money, the
act would be mere waste paper, or worse.
The members say that their constituents
are already burdened more than they can
70 70 "a -
be alone for the purpose of paying the
State indebtedness-upon the hOmely
maxim, that the State must be just before
it can be generous.
As friend of popular education, can
but admit the force of these objections.
1t is fixed fact, that every dollar realized
or converted from the assessments made
now under the revenue laws is required to
pay the current expenses Of the State, and
the report of the Comptroller of the
Treasury shows that the collections fall
far short of doing that. Aud when you
couple with that statement the unwilling
ness of the members of the present Legisla-
ture to increase the rate to an amount
sufficient for the purposes desired it will
be al once realized, that the adoption of
the State system, is ut0piau.
Speaking for myself, can with truth
fulness say, thai have never faltered in
my earnest desire to fix the rate of taxa
ton on privileges, incomes, and property,
sufficiently high 10 raise revenue enough TO
payoff all the current expenses of the State,
our floating debt, the past due interest,
aud create a sinking fund which 10 time
will pay off every dollar of the debt of
the State, whether original, or as en-
dorser. But on this important question
| am in the minority of your State Sen
ate; and would be untrue to my CON
victions of duty, as well as my unfinch-
ing adherence to truth, if l was TO hold
ont to you hopes that cannot be realized.
1t follows, therefore, that the means
necessary to put in successful operation
system of common schools, adequate to
the wants of the community, cannot be
reached by taxation through acts of the
Legislature. 1t caa only be effected. if
at all, by persistent efforts on the part of
the friends of education in each county,
through the County Courts of the re-
spective counties. To the courts your
special attention must be directed, and
am confident that by united efforts in
many of the counties of the State during
the ensuing year, a tax Will be assessed,
and the means collected, that will enable
US by careful and judicious expenditure,
to inaugurate the good work, and in a
very few years perfect it.
Need | say TO you, that for reasons not
necessary to be here stated, our recent
system of common schools was very dis
tasteful to the people of much the largest
part of the State. was not one of those
who thus felt. l have never joined in
the crusade against 1t. From my place
in the Senate stated that it was with ex-
IRENE regret l gave my vote for its repeal,
believing that it had not been sufficiently
tried to test its merits, but the depletion of
the State Treasury and the impOverishment
of the people demanded its repeal, and
&c necesSitHte rel, | acquiesced in it.
But there are other causes of despOn-
dency, which lie much deeper in the
minds of the thoughtful, and which fur
nish grave doubts to them, as to whether
the tendency of the times: does not
demonstrate that learning, instead
of being a blessing, is rather a
curse; and they say, look at the
tone of our public press, and at the
upheaval of all settled thought, and can
good come of instruction that produces
such results9
admit that the press, as a whole, is
not doing what in our opinion it ought,
for The public good, and the public well
fare. IL is a necessary, and ought to be
in all cases, a benefcent agent. AS to
the extent of its influence there is no
question. As to the quality of that III
fiuence there is room for grave doubt
Often does the range and the temper
of its discussions dishearten good
and peace-leving men, and force
them to feel that it is an open ques-
ton, whether it does more good than evil.
Now ,and then we know that it handles
the most sacred interests of society, with
/ coarse familiarity or untImed leyity. VerV