, 1872-05-22

OiOAAS ~ONNNS AoFS AAAO'
ed that portion of the community to be
humbugged by o hybrid system of learning
to read, called "Phonetics,' and introdu-
ced by their venerable Inspector, seeing
that there are none among US, according
to this opinion, upon whom the duty de-
wolves from the Government ~downwards,
and from the governed upwards, who are
equal to the task of deciding what can be
done for the education of the people.
Mr.. "Whoever," then, when he becomes
Inspector, will certainly believe this pub
licly expressed opinion !; and may hold
himself at pleasure to introduce any plan
or plans and simply because he will be
styled "School Inspector" and will con-
sequently enjoy a fat salary, he may sup
pose himself to be the intallible man,
and Justly so-knowing that all around
him are so many greens, and his plan or
plans, whatever they may be, the only
ones that will suit, if even they have the
tendency to retard our non-progress;ve
ideas on schoo! affairs 80 or SO years Ion
ger.
DELAYS here in all our matters are the
acme of our beatitude; consequently, they
dL6 GSSClElully AOCCoohI u liz PiOHNA w
velopement Of all our institutions.
But to the pet idea of Messrs. Rosen-
stand and Sarauw, the substituting of pa
rochial schools. The duty of the Govern
ment seems to be very clearly defined, by
virtue of its relative position to the peo-
pie. These pay a certain portion of their
income to the State, to support a Govern
ment, and to enable it to provide those
means whereby their general welfare can
be promoted. The State, then, is under
the binding obligation to provide for the
education Of the people, this being one Of
the highest,-if not the highest-means
whereby their welfare can be promoted.
Although from time to time the urgent
necessity may arise for any Government to
r~elinquish a part of the power invested in
it by the people, either for the purpose of
emulation or encouragement, or for the
mutual development of those views which
would best promote the welfare of the
common wealth, according as the march
of civilization may demand it yet, it ap-
pears to me, Mr.. Editor, that there are
certain points involved in the power in
vested by the people in the Government,
which even Republicanism under its most
radical form must admit, ought to be held
sacred by the State, with the most con-
sentative tenacity, as being invulnerab!e.
And, surely, the educating of the people
is one of those points which the State
should hold with pertinacious tenacity,
constituting as it does, the l~ife-giving and
DEMONSTRATING power in every enlightened
and well-organized Government F.; and the
plan of carrying it out should unquestiona-
bly, be its sole prerogative.
IF the fragrant charge of dereliction of
this duty could be substantiated against
the Government, then might the people,
through their representatives or otherwise,
cry aloud to have the duty %relinquised to
others, who would see to it that their edu-
cation was properly carried on and the
most proper authority to whom this duty
could be assigned would be the Church.
It is..here that parochial schools could estab-
lish their peculiar claim to Government
subsidy seeing that the State had neg
lected this most responsible item in the af-
fairs of the Administration but all evil
dence is wanting to prove any dereliction
on the part of our Government in this case,
and on the contrary, all evidence is present
to establish the fact that the people have
no cause to Glamour that this sovereign
~ &c A. CkoAo sLo~1J ~ Jolo~oAo1 ~