Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1873-03-12

already alluded. The Chinese are among
the best educated men i'm the world.
Leaving the countries of the Old World,
and approaching nearer home, we find the
American States, and especially the old
free States of the North and even Virginia,
Mississippi and the majority of the South
ern States, regenerated and redeemed, belt
ing around us like a wall of intellectual
fire, with its genial warmth, inspiring us
to more noble action on this great question.
Oh! that the devouring flames of mental
culture may girdle us about. May the
light from the camp-fires of educational
progress guide us to victory in this terrible
struggle. Are we to disregard the situa-
ton by which we are surrounded? Rath-
er may we not look to the grand old Cons
monwealth of Virginia, as she stands out
before us, with less wealth, more burden
some taxation, but yet far better school
system than Tennessee will have, even
though the present bill shall become law.
Let Tennessee emulate her sisters in free
schools and free institutions.
Mr.. Speaker, what are free schools ex-
pected to accomplish? Is it not the poor
who are expected to be benefited? Eng
land does not support her free schools for
the benefit of her lords, dukes and mobiles.
Not at all. These have the means of edu-
eating themselves. They need not the
charities of the world. Neither is it the
rich and opulent who are deserving of and
expecting to be benefited by good sys-
TEN of common schools in Tennessee.
The rich, and, indeed, all the property
holders can provide school accommoda-
tons for themselves and for the education
of their children. AS in England so in all
other countries, those who are blessed with
an abundance of the good things of this
life and of worldly advantage, can do with
cut free public schools. But here, as else
where, the poor, those upon whom fortune
has refused to smile, are those in whose
interest free schools should be established.
know some gentlemen are in the habit
of sneeringly making inquiry rs to what
is proposed to be accomplished by free
schools and a free system of education? 1
will answer in the language Of another,
much, every way" Education refines,
civilizes and qualities man for the duties
and responsibilities of life.
We need education for the advancement
of purer Christianity. We need it for
the protection of the channels of trade
and commerce. BY it labor will grow into
more dignified and honored standard
among men. Not to multiply words, nor
10 occupy TOO much of the time of the
House, / will add that the more n man
knows, the better citizen he will make.
And, 1T matters not into what department
of life he is called to act, the more useful
he is found when educated. He makes a
better mechanic, a better lawyer, q better
physician, a better teacher, a better politi-
clan, better merchant. Indeed what
ever he does, the better educated, the bet
ter it is done.
On the contrary, ignorance develops
crime. Tennessee is said by some to stand
second, as State, in the scale of illitera-
cy. Others say .ffth. Whatever it may
be, desire to call attention to great cor
roborative fact, tending to establish the
position / have assumed. Seventy-tive
per cent. of the convicts in our own peni-
Tertiary can neither read nor write Is
not this an astounding fact of itself, and a
powerful argument in behalf of education ?
And now, Mr.. Speaker, in conclusion, per-
NIT me to say that | make no personal
allusion to myself, with view of exciting
sympathy or attracting personal attention,
but it so happened in the Providence of
God, that i know the wants and necessi-
ties of an education, and keenly appre-
ciate the loss of such opportunities rs even
this bill, imperfect as it certainly is, will
afford the poor children of the State. Pass
this bill into a law, carry it home with
you and gladden. the hearts of those who
long to be relieved from the gloom of
ignorance that now hangs about them. II
the present measure is adopted, as l have
said, it will be imperfect; indeed it is so
much so, that If had my way about it, l
think l should amend at least half the Sec
tions in it; vet it is the best we can now
get, and take it, as it will give every child
in the State, in the very poorest counties,
three months schooling every year, which
is more than l received in all my pupilage
in school.
Let us pass this bill just as it is, and
wipe out the disgraceful fact that we are
behind all the States and nations of the
world in the important matter of public
FREQ schools.