Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1873-01-23

obedience and heresy and sects int,
the world, and printing hath divulg
ed them and libels against the bes
government. God keep us from
both"
That was sound doctrine then ant
under that political system, but i
would be fatal to our present system
if reduced to practice.
With us it is sound public policy
to enlighten the people, from whom
all political power must righ .ly ema
nate.
The theory that man is entitled tt
self-government is sadv .ncing through
out the civilized world like an ire
sistible wave. This is due to the
more general spread of educated in
telligence among the working masses
Of mankind, a fact which has led g
distinguished political writer to OBJ,
serve that even bayonets think"
Let the youth OF South Carolina
be educated so that they may stand
abreast with the foremost in this ad
vancing march of intelligence, The
common schools should be multiplied
and punctual attendance upon them
should be enforced by law. The i'm
mense number of absentees from the
schools already established renders it
imperatiyely necessary that the Gen
eraI Assembly should, without delay,
enact statute to enforce the attend
ance at school of all children of scho-
lastic age, whose physical and mental
conditions will permit. TO thatend
1 invite the earnest attention of your
honorable bodies to Section 4, Arti-
Gle 10, of the State Constitution,
wherein it is declared that it shall
be the duty of the General Assem-
bly, to provide for the compulsory
attendance, at either public or private
schools, of all children between the
ages of six and sixteen years, not
physically .or mentally disabled, for
term. equivalent to twenty-four
months at least; Provided, that no
law to that effect shall be passed un-
til system of public schools has
been thoroughly and completely or
ganized. and facilities afforded 10 all
the inhabitants of the State for the
free education Of their children"
No sagacious statesman will doubt
the wisdom of this constitutional
provision, or the policy Of rigidly en-
forcing it by statute. Even if com
pulsory education were not expressly
authorized and enjoined in our or
ganic law, the right to enforce it
would still be unqnestionable, on that
principle of self-defence which per-
tains TO States as it does to indi-
yiduals.
A State has the same right to ar
rest the growth of ignorance in its
population as it has to check or sup
press an incipient pestilenco. In
deed, it's right and duty in the for
mer case address themselves more
lorcibly to the public conscience, and
more deeply concern the common
of the physician may stay the march
of the destroying pestilence, and the
due enforcement oil known sanitary
laws may break its force, but the
fearfu' evils that spring from the
misdirected power of great multi
lude controlling the government Of
free State, and themselves controlled
by ignorance and its twin-brother,
crime, inAict a disaster without rem
edy, and eat like a cancer into the
very fibre and yitais Of society.
An excellent system Of pn6llc
schools, modelled upon that of New
England-the land of the school
house-has been thoroughly organ
lied in this State, and the facilities
for free education, as designed by the
constitution, are now afforded our
people, and therefore the compulsory
attendance, at either public or pri-
vate schools, should be enforced by
law, as required in the constitutional
provision cited.
The facilities for popular education
should be annually increased, and the
proceeds of the tax levied for that
purpose should be sacredIy set apart
for the liberal and unfailing main
tenance Of our system of free com
mon schools.
In every valley and upon every
hill top the school house should be
seen, standing as the true bulwark OF
free etate-a fortress well designed
and strongly built to arrest the narcn
of ignorace and vice.
1 ask for this, the fourth annual
report of the superintendent Of elu-
cation, (the Hon. j. K. Jillson,) the
careful consideration of each mem
Der of the General Assembly. can
not sufficiently commend this officer
for the untiring diligence, and the
rare fidelity and efficiency with which
he has discharged his important
trust, amid the greatest embarrass-
ment..
He deserves we'll of every friend
of the people. and may be Justly es-
teemed an educational benefactor to
the State.
The State Orphan Asylum.
This institution, situated in Char
lesion "a different one, however, from
that SO handsomely supported by the
City, seems to be in serious need OF
assistance. It has l4o pupils, all Of
au1ons a'e eal9rs}. Last year the
General Assembly appropriated ; St3,-
600 for it, only $500 Of which has
been paid by the State Treasury.
From the Governor or'sremarks, it must
be dirty and sickly affair. he
strongly commends this Asylum to
the sympathy and support of the
people and the General Assembly