The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1871-05-17

" e see the property holder, anu
the virtue and intelligence Of
the State, subjected to the tyran-
ny Of armed strangers and cxlled
paupcrs. The growing disatfcc-
ton Of public sentiment on the
one side the growing abandon
mcnt Of principle and responsible
" upon the other: form the certain
elements Of an intcrminablc war
fare, which, if not appeaScd by
timely reformation, must at length
ctiirrycscc into an anarchy that
will sweep of all the good Of pres
cnt institutions, and found On the
dcsolatcd void a new nodded
Commonwealth. Society is one
mass Of com bnstiblc matter. No
mass so heated ever waited long
for spontaneous combustion.
To the reflective mind to ono
acquainted with the spirit OF a
people whose passive abcyancc Is
not to be mistaken for impotcncy,
and whose expressions arc we'll
nigh bordering on desperation,
the moral characteristics Of the
land, bodc fearful omcns for some
great and impending dissolution.
The people will run the risk Of be-
ing less free to be more safe. His
tory is rcplcte with instances
where the Ossa upon Pc}ion OF
oppression has been sustained, un-
til the weight Of the supcr,ncum-
bent mass, by virtue OF its gravl'
tation. bUrieS beneath its ruin any
barrier that seeks to repcl ii.
1t is not only the burden Of OK
actions, Of which the people COM
plain, Us the reckless and impro-
vidcnt miSappropriation Of their
hardly cxtortcd contributions to
the public treasure, under which
they have grown restlve. The lS'
norance. the gross and profane cx.
travigancc winch characterize cv'
cry branch Of the public service
remote it may bc from the seat
Of government, but sufficiently
contiguous TO every county scat
to rcntlcr its acts odiOus and dis
graceful, calls for speedy anc
thorough reorganization. Ncspeak
more particularly concerning tho
Department Of Public Education
Of which you arc ;ae head, ant
which is underthe direction, in caci
county, Of Three Commissioners
appointed or elected for term o.
Of years, and supposed to be cn
dowcd with sufficient education
themselves, TO be capable Of .iudg
ing Of the qualifications Of teach
crs, who are appointed or licensed
by them. Surely, ii this is 4 ben
eft and u boon, which in lis libc
raj and comprehensive policy
threatens il persisted in, to entail
Il magnitude Of debt upon future
generations, you sir, as ExOlficie
Chairman Of the Board Of Super
intcndcnts Of Education, shoulC
sec 20 it. that so important atrus'
is confiied to fit and appropriate
heads. These positions III tho
Counties arc filed, as You mus,
be aware, mostly by freedmen o
the most ignorant ana stupIc
class, sometimes by aliens Of al
other color, incapable in most in
stances Of fulfilling so sacred
guardianship, and ovcrwhich there
is now exercised u negligent ad
ministration, except in the dIstrl
button Of the funds. 1t is indcet
Il deplorable humiliation. to wit
ness the misrepresentation O.
what, under iudicious and conscl
cncious administration, should con
tribute to elevate the public mind
converted into 4 reckless, unprln
cipIcd and unholy patronage, that
may be merely tho education o
letters and not tic education o
principle. There can be no oblcc
lion to the utmost illumination O
the public mind; nor do We share Il
the antipathics Of those who wouIo
refuse even science to the mass
nor do VIC advocate i rctrench
mcnt Of the means and not Ct tho
mode Of dispensing this compul
sorry education. The sagacity O
Burke ShrcwdIy pronounced ''cd
ucation the cheap defence of ma
tions," but lie characterized will
no less force and business the com
pulsory cxpedicnt for the relief o.
Indulgence 'ihc sMiic Gnd pron'iSc q
Jcuct0Ieuce mhich is nctcr rcAli-ed !
that 1t is downright fraud. Now
for the remedy, which We trust
vou will not consider too trivia
for the gravity ofyour considora
ton, which is not too trivial tC
promote or diminish the interests
of the people. We have Il right
to demand that these almoncrs o.
the public charity shall, as ions as
it lasts, be selected with Educa
tionaI qualifications at least, to be
able to read and write correctly
and to be able TO exercise Il dis
criminative Judgment over th'
qualifications Of the teachers EN-
pIovcd. rs Chief Supcrintcndan'
Of Education, cX-oiIicio, yo"r pre-
rosativc might be exercised IL
discriminating whcthrrthc Boards
arc competent and tit to Discharge
the duties required o. them. lol