New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-12-04

whole care Of their clothing, housing. feeding
| and educating. by these means, argues Mr'
Crow, education will become in reality what 1t
now ia only in theOry-universal. Camins VIII
take to needful learning as young ducks 10
wotcr. while the family prerogative will re-
min untouched, and no tyrannical forcing
will weaken that spirit of independence pccu-
liar to American character.
We confess the course Of Mr.. Crows reason
ing is not quite clear to us. We ore ut loss
TO understand the justice of restricting the
education granted to willing receptive minds,
in order to attract the vicious and idle; VIC
know no moro tyrannical system than that
which would arbitrarily remove the child from
its parcnt to place it under State guardianship,
and no surer means of destroying all sense OF
independence or individual responsibility than
this wholesale paupcrizing of poor children. Tho
matter should we think, be resolved, rs far
rs possible to the barest facts, and judged
by the simple broad truths Of common sense and
Justice, without any passionate appeals to love OF
liberty or irrelevant defamation about tyranny.
Crhc slightest reference, wo have noticed, to that
tea in Boston IIarbor usually sulliccs to mako
hazy any American brain) Mr. Crow states
tho case rs lying between the State and the
child. The State is, we must remind him, an
association of adults for mutual protection and
defense. A child is not citizen, except III
embryo it does legally occupy the place of
vegetable or an animal is utterly destitute OF
subjective choice and cooperation. The pa
rent alone il responsible to God and the State
whether it shall continue in ignorance or not;
whether, when it is of age, it shall take Its
place in the great association rs an intelligent
partner or Il brnte. We believe that in justice
to itself the State should demand of every
person claiming the rights of citizenship
1T least an elementary knowledge of its duties;
and rs this knowledge mast come from the
volilion Of the parent and not the child, the
State should enforce the rights OF the
child from the parent. SO much Tor the
claims of the State; now for those OF
the child. The little pickpockrt, to whose
sensitive shrinking from tho tyranny which
would compel him inside of a school door Mr..
Crow pledges the enthusiastic support OF the
nation, came into the world without his choice.
So far, his prrcni5 have forced on him starva-
ton, vice, and misery; his whole training has
been compulsory. Back of his wrctchcd fam
y life stands the State power, with
us mysterious Hlacuin'Iy VI i'"'' anu
puni;lrments, ready to grind him to
pieces if he infringe on them. The chances
are ten to one that it does go grind him. The
mill is ready: first the Jail. then the pcnit"n-
tiary, then the galows. Here also ia crmpul-
sion. His only chance of escape lies in the
hands of hi, parent to give and withhold at
his pleasure. The child has right to demand
it ; to demand that he shall at least be made
able to read the laws which, at the penalty OF
his life, he must obey.
The question is one that now touches nearly
our national life. The country is receptacle
for ignorant and degraded Outcasts from every
land it is for us to decide whether they shall
he compelled to accept Cor their children the
help the State offers to lift them to the level
OF intelligent human beings, or be suffered to
leave, like breeding barnacles q weight and
mass of corruption upon us which may sink
,Is at last