Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1871-01-19
For the Herald and TribI
KANSAS LETTER.

1t is only by comparison that our ills,
our advantages. progress or stupidity are
made evident, and the man who disregards
or the community which ignores as obse-
quious, this method of determining their
standing in the present era of unprece-
denied universal advance, is Substituted
the man is guilty of ~culpable stupidity
the community is adopting a superficial
regimen which will dull the faculties and
crush out the vital energies of their sue
c~essors, as surely as Hasheish smothers the
life of its victim, establishing a somna-
lence with characteristic equally fatal to
happiness and posperity of either.
There is a positive, individual or faction
opposition to great, popular advances,
which is based upon selfish, or other equal
ly discreditable grounds. and though trac-
ed to its source, and accounted for more
readily, is no more culpable than that neg
ative influence which by its very inactivity
bushes a people into drowsy obscurity.-
Thus the recent Chicago stationer's protest
against the Postal Card innovation, was
retrogressive in principle, though made
abortive by its Transparency it required
more capital and chicanery, than has ever
been invested in opposing the economical
and general dissemination of knowledge
among the youth of Tennessee. But the
good people seem to regard this subject as
one to be dealt with as a bad crop of
wheat-entirely under the control of Prov
idence-and sacrilege to cry out against
either, or adopt the rational remedy at
their disposal. When Jim Fish ''watered
Erie," how did he make it a success? No
one is foolish enough to suppose this adroit
rascal could hope anything by supInely
waiting for a respectable Providence to
intercede for him! No. He proceeded
s'through the proper channels" to procure
the necessary Legislative action. We
agree that this was a maneve worthy the
''heathen Chinee," but it nevertheless in
dictates as clearly our weakness.
. Every one is aware that our Legislature
repealed the school law because its mem
bers were mad-stark mad-'if reasons
were as thick as black-berries, they would
scorn to give one'-beside they had none,
and if the Sermon on the Mount, had been
read to them as q resolution of their pre-
decessors, 'twould bave been wiped out as
h~eterodox. at a dash. When the fever is
over reason will inevitably follow--and
since the irritant is removed, we may hope
soon to be heard for our cause; then is
the time to strike. Washington County
has, perhaps, never been more intelligent
ly represented than by the present mem
Der from iJonesborough, and the people
SHOULD, by special convention, instruct him
as to their wishes in this matter, and if
necessary, the whole district should unite
in memorializing the Legislature to have
this great wrong of plunging the rising
generation into darkness and Ignorance,
righted. Do they ever think that the red
skins who haunted on the Nola Chucky, a
few years since, game no wilder than them
selves, and screeched up the ravines of the
Alleghanies to smile at the echo on their
reservation beyond the Mississippi, are to-
day, enjoying under a beni6cent general
school system, and graded schools, such adj
vantages as we refuse our own blood? 1t
is even so. H. A. X.