Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1872-02-21
tUalohman s. Journal,
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY u, 1872
The Italian Prospect.

The Italian Prospect.
Fifteen years ago the foremost patriot Of
Italy and ospiran, for Italian freedom and in
dependence, declared that bis hope for Italy
could never be realized except in the educa-
ton and intelligence Of her people. He said
also that it would take thirty years to cdu-
cate Italy so that she would be capable Of
asserting and maintaining civil liberty The
old generation must disappear, and new one,
differently nurturcd aud trained, must come
upon the stage before that people would be
able to perform the duties and bear the bur
dcns Of political freedom
The forms Of constitutional government
and liberty have come faster than Daniel
MANN dreamed they would come, aud in
many respects Italy is the most progressive
kingdom on the continent yet education and
intelligence lag far behind the exercise Of po.
litcal rights aud franchises At the outset
Of the career Of the present King he dissolved
his parliament aud called another, in which
the whole kingdom was represented. Under
the auspices Of this assembly aud its success
sors the work Of education has been constant
y and untiringly pushed. And there has
been need Of it, For as the Caabriau PROV.
inces Of Southern Italy and the States Of the
Holy See have successfully come under the
ltalNO,g P5otRS electors Of population nm.
trained and utterly unfit for the Offices and
duties of civil liberty. And now that Italv
Is an united kingdom, and has no peoprapbi.
cal aud political divisions, there ia an impe.
rious necessity for increasing the means and
extent Of popular education.
In population Of twonty.four millions
there arc seventeen millions that cannot read
or write. The education Of the masses Of tbe
people has heretofore been 10 the hand. If
the religious orders, and they have confined
their training to oral instruction in a few RI.
diments Of ecclesiastical drill. And even in
the higher schools and institutions, the aim off
all instruction has been rather to inculcate
submission to the church, than to give a sys.
tematic and thorough drill in the elements of
language, geography, or arithmetic. One off
the Senators Of the Parliament, Brioscbi. in
speaking of the report Of the educational
commission, says, " it shows that if Popery
mad much longer retained the temporal sway,
education would have disappeared.
1t is now proposed by the government TO
establish numerous and sufficient schools. 70
be maintained out Of the public treasury and
TO make the attendance Of all the youth be.
tween the ages Of six aud sixteen compulsory
NO uneducated person will be capable off
holding any Office TO which a salary is at.
ached. Normal schools are to be established
n various parts of the kingdom, and teachers
ire to be carefully instructed and fitted for
heir work. Thus Italy recognizes the neces.
ity Of universal education and Intelligence. !
requisites for the privileges Of electors. 1t
about TO build the structure of its consti.
ltlonal freedom on the foundations of upiyer. 4"
Il popular training. 1t takes the education ="
At of the hands Of those who have been faith. =
SIS to the high trust, and commits it into new VI
inds. 1t is singular anomaly that ednca. -
on In all the elements and principles of
nowledge, in language, history, science, lite.
I'ure and political economy has been deemed =
'liaions IL. 81 tho church, disastTogs TO
bile '-4s oeen recognized by the State as =
very corner stone Of its liberty, its inau. r
'e, and its greatness. Is it possible that 70
State can only be made great and pros. ,'
rous by that training which dimnishes the -
thority of the church If it be so. then 80
ere must be an inevitable aud oeaseess con. ?"
1t between the church as the representative
religion and the State If what makes the
ter great, belittles the former and shears il
its influence aud authority, then between
two there will necessarily be prolonged Flu
life. Ma
Fu
But 1t remains to be seen whether the Ma
urch itself will not experience the adyan. l Sn
&c oil that which Creations and develops the
ate Education of the people will doubt. 20;
IS qualify its pretensions and modify its ser. -.
&c III many respects, but it may gain in vi, ~;
ltyi If 1t is wise, what it loses in form and -.
tward splendor. Education docs not neees. M
rily diminish reverence and respect for re. a.,
1on nay, properly directed, it inspires and 49,
larges the religious sentiments. There is -
natural conflict between its highest forms IA
d the highest forms of religious life. -,
herevsr that conflict exists it is artificial -
d selfish, and not natural or divine
There is no thoughtful American patriot
10 will not recognize in the reaction going ~
in the old world toward wider and higher .n'
pular education, the necessity of basing vet :"
IRE solidly our own free institutions on the "0'
truction and training of the people. As 'n'
ardians of the future it is our duty to make Oh
bic instruction more thorough extended, GU
to provide penalties against ignorance ms
! rewards for intelligence. pOU
sho
To the Life. OF
The (nDueottouf