The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1873-07-27
S. G.
Sunday Morning,July: a7.zis73.$ I
Importane,. Of eSxiect o In atem.hts.

the dogma, everyone to his own liking,
and kissed the COW in verification there
Of. would be nightly pleased, if still in
the land Of the living, with the inde-
pendent and contradictory opinions
entertained in this State upon several
public questions, by persons in courtesy
supposed to be capable Of correct jadg
ment. There are, for example, some
who assert that the State hos been badly
cheated and plundered by set of ras-
caily adventurers, who have trebled the
public debt, bankrupted and destroyed
the usefulness OF all public institutions,
made downright roguery q fashionable
amusement, and merchandise OF Offices,
and honors. and plundged an orderly
community into chaos again. Others
assert that everything is rosy under the
rule Of the oarpet-bag and the sway Of
radioalism; that new citizens of the
carpet-bag persuasion. who are in au-
thority by aid Of black votes. are raridly
developing, not:exhausting the resources
Of th8Sate, and by their thrift, energy
neutrality-suspicious. Integrity. are bring
ing it into favorable notice before the
world. = is eminently prosperous. they
say, under leaders distinguished for
gehiua iny government and purity Of life.
Here is aeertainly wide difference OF
opinion, utterly irreconcilable by any
process that3we know. To use homely
phrase. each would say, ''rhere's lie
ont. and we did not tell it." The same
diversity Of view appears in particulars,
and in; matters OF small as we'll as in
those of large concern. AS illustrative
of this contradictory spirit. we will only
refer further to the subject Of ednca-
ton.
In the year l87l-72, the sum OF $780,
900 was appropriated to maintain the
public schools. Not cent of it was
paid, the school teachers were compelled
to sell their certificates for fifty cents or
less on the dollar, to close their schools
and seek other employment. The Su-
perintendent of Education made dole
fnl report. The agent of the Peabody
fund could only apply $1,000 in aid Of
education here, because there was no.
thing existing to which, according to the
scheme OF distribution which governs
that fund, he could make any additions.
It is only given to aid schools, not to
create and fouad them altogether. Lock
aghin at the University. The young men
of the country no longer throng it's
courts, or seek its lovely academic
shades. They turn from it as from pes
thence and consagion. Pipe We ever so
much, they will not dance to University
music. Neither they nor their parents,
who pay the appropriations to support
it, and who value their own recollections
of happy days spent within its walls, can
stomach it any longer. They seek the
schools Of Virginia and Georgia and of
the Northern States. The prestige of
the University is lost. It fails to draw
any longer. If there is anything TINT il
dead as door nail, it is the higher edu-
cation of the University, and the educa-
tion OF the masses of the people, by
funds appropriated from the State Trea-
sury. This seems indisputabe, and yo:
the good cid souls kissing the COW to
show her independence of thought and
action, is email feat compared to asscr-
tlons made In the face Of facts, that call
circumstances and obstacles considered,
the progress, THAT is, in knowledge and
edncation,) that has been made in this
State. is matter of congratnlation.
We have taken up this latter instance
more particularly because Of its superior
claims to onr attention. It must be
manifest to every person of even small
discernment, no matter what his politics,
nativity, color, religion, or status in
society, that the only hope We have of
any improvement in the condition Of the
people must rest upon their education.
We are ready to clasp hands with any
man who honestly seeks to bring the
people "out of The prison of their mean
estate" OF ignorance apd prcjuiicc
This is common ground, to which all are
xyr1oome with th eir combinations =, i,,, =