Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-02-07

A FieId-Day in Old Robertson for Com
mon SchOOIs-Large and Enthusias-
tic Meeting of Cftizens-Address OF
Col. J. B. RtIIebreW.
TO the Editors Of the Union and American:
SPRINGFIELD, Feb. 5, 1872.-Notwith-
standing the snow and the general disagree
ableness of the weather there was quite a
crowd in attendance on our Circuit Court
which was TO have been in session to-day
but was not for want Of court. Judge
Rice, it is supposed, missed the morning
train from Clarksville and consequently
failed to open his court to-day.
In the absence of a court those in favor
Of leYying a tax for common school pur-
poses called meeting at the Courthouse at
eleven O'Clock, which was addressed oy
Col. ]. B. Killebrew, the Agricultural edi-
tor Of the UNION AND AMERICAN, ]. l..
Watts and G.. Il. : "t- Col. Killebrew
made the opening ~ rulch " as one of
his most mastery efforts. He began by
saying that twelve months ego to-day he
addressed the people of Robertson county
on the subject of agriCul' .ure. a very i'm
portant subject, one that furnished food To
the world, but that his subject TODAY was
one Of more impCrtaD ,;e, one of food to the
intellect. He then gent on in a remarkably
forclble manner to discuss the question of
general education as preventing crime,
comparing the criminal statistics under a
good cCmmon school system with those
under the reign of ignorance, or where
edu .atiOn was denied the masses, proving
by figures that can not lie, that criminals
and criminal prosecutions cost the State
more than it would take to educate every
child in the State. He showed the impor-
tance Of a common school system, and
strongly favored the county system, increas-
ing skilled labor, the great desideratum of
the country, arguing that no county
Wsuld insure intelligent labor without a
school system; that men of worth seeking
homes would be attracted to those counties
having schools. He said that the laboring
Loan could well afford to work for less
wages where he could send his children TO
school, and that the man Of capital would
save enough in the mere matter of labor to
more than five times pay the tax. Skilled
and intelligent labor, he said, increased the
value ofland and property in general, pro-
ducing facts and figures that were simply
irresistible and unanswerable.
Without attempting to give even a synOp-
sis of the whole speech, we will say that
the effort was one that could hardly be sur
passed on the same subject, impressing
every one present with the importance of
the question Of general education. Indeed,
the arguments presented, and almost every
available argument was presented, were, as
we said before, simply unanswersble. He
spoke Of the strong probability Of an educa-
Gonal system by centralizing government,
with all Of its expressions; of the esteem
In which a good school system is held in
the older and more prosperous States; of the
certainty Of some system being adopted;
that it was a demand of the age that could
not be resisted, and strongly urged the peO-
pie Of old Robertson to accept the offered
salvation. Marked attention was paid all
the speakers, and il. is hoped that the pro-
posed tax Of three mills on the dollar will
be voted on the first Saturday in March. )
S.
Another correspondent writes:
SPRINGFIELD, Feb. 5, 1S72.-To-day was
the opening of Circuit Court in our county
and among the events Of the day one that
deserves special note. We were stirred,
warmed and encouraged in one of the
graRdest causes that ever engaged the en-
ergies of any people. Col. J. B. KiIlebrew
has taken up the glorious mission assigned
him by the agent of the Peabody Fund, in
behalf of common schools. Most faithfully,
earnestly, truth btuLIyand boldly did he throw
the full GnimlCs of his soul into the great
work, to the extent that the friends of this
cause with one accord exclaimed, when
the speech was ended, "Nobly dOnel"
His effort for truth, light and prosperity
must surely make a grand development,
concealed as yet in the womb of time; as
surely so as truth must prevail over error,
and light over darkness. Among the
champions of this cause, our young lawyers
J. L. Watts and G. r. Scott lifted their
voices eloquently in its defense, following
Col. Killebrew. Many friends will they
make by their bold advocacy e schools, and
they have evolunteeredt to canvass our county
In this worthy epterulisp