New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-08-30
AGRIcUL TURAl AND MECHANICAL COLLEGE
Closing Exercises, Friday, August 2S,
1874.
Remarks of Hon. Alfred Shaw.

Ladies and gentlemen, and pupils of the
Louisiana State Agricultural and Mechan
ical College-The absence of the GOverno,
devolves upon me the honor of opening the
exercises of the day, and presiding tempo
rarily over this meeting. l join with you
in the regret that he could not be present as
chairman of the board of control.
The progress of our institution has been
rapid, but we trust to have LAID its fOunda
tion in an enduring manner. In 1862 Con-
gress commenced legislating TO the end
of endowing State agricultural and me-
IN 1865 and 1867. In 1870 our State came
in possession Of the first installment of the
congressional donation. The limit allowed
for the establishment OF the college re.
guired it to be effected by the first of July,
1874. But no legislation was had in our
State TO that end till act No. 125, approved
April 7. 1874.
The institution was opened in June. We
nave closed the first scholastic term, and
the college has drawn an attendance of
pupilsand evinced a patronage and par
tiality ON the part of the public calculated
80 give us the best augury OF future success.
But able speakers have been selected to
illustrate the objects and progress of the
s1ollege, and l will not trespass upon the
sime allotted to them. take pleasure in
.irst introducing to you Hon. William III.
Burwell, who will address you.
Address by Hon. William NJ. BuryeII, on
''The Political Economy of Popular
School Edncntion.''
In regarding the theories for promoting
che strength of a state and the happiness OF
its people, we must note, running through
all early history, a doctrine of unqualified
popular depravity, incurable popular igno-
rance and a consequent incapacity for other
service to society than absolute servility
20 their governors.
Regarded as a rabble, liable to seize upon
the property and disturb the peace of
society, rulers denied to the people any
means of doing mischief through participa-
tIon in public affairs, and established
standing armies to guard the government
against its own subjects. Even the priest
hood in the earlier ages seemed to consider
the lower orders as flock to be pastured,
folded and shorn by class qualified espe-
Sially as shepherds.
1t was an early and Divine revelation
shat all men were equal in the sight of God
1t was proclaimed from Calvary that the
prince and the peasant, the spiritual shep-
herd and sheep had been intrusted with the
same immortal talent and held to the same
a5ternal accountability.
Practically, indeed, this revelation has not
been observed. The prince is still distiu-
guished by superior political attributes
from the peasant, while the spiritual guides
still deplore the incompeteDcy OF ignorant
and dependent masses to redeem the obi
cations imposed. upon them by the moral
taw.
At later period the great discovery was
IN AIDE that mankind is equal in native viz
tue and force of intellect, and therefore in |
individual capacity, if qualified by educa- |
zion, to govern or servo society in some |
capacity or other: When we look back to |
Moses or Plato, or later, to Shakespeare or |
bacon, 1t becomes obvious that Bishop |
Berkely was tanciful in regarding Times |
nobiest offspring as its last" except that |
she later era will have added opportunities.
ne quantities and capacities of human |
nature are similar in all ages. We may +
suppose moral atmosphere of human |
thought and action, compounded of good |
and evil, rs the air that we breathe ia com.
posed or oxygen, nitrogen and carbonic acid
gas. The analogy may not be complete.
but the record of all history shows that
generations succeed to the same acts and
motives of theirgpred ecessors, and that the
mental and moral forces of man are ahout
the same, These qualities are distributed
among men with an impartiality which dis
regards the vain distinction of rank or I
1t would follow that in all forms of gov.
eminent in which the capacity for useful
ness is restricted by rank or obseured by
ignorance the government loses an admin.
istrative capacity and productive force
very essential to its maintenance and dura.
ton. !
When we add to such results the impuI. |
sve effort OF hope, ambition or necessity |
acting upon "a whole population, converting |
each into competitor for the social or pubic |
service, the effects are beyond estimate. |
In peace this system of universal popular |
prepares officers of the national |
and subordinate governments, professional |
men, artists, engineers, manufacturers and |
operatives. |
In war it organizes and leads the national |
armies and navy with men competent to |
compete with any in courage, science and |
ability, with soldiery, every one of whom |
has good name to cherish or a brevet to |
WIN.
AS specimens of our rulers who have
isen from the ranks of obscurity we may
1--WE one President who was fuller's APP
prentice, and another who commenced BUSH
less life as hand on a fatboar. In war
We have had, among other eminent exam
,les Sheridan, whose early opportunities
we're limited, and Cleburne who, without
Military training, manifested extraordinary
alent for strategy, and brilliant courage in
he field. Each of these men, If born in the
ountry of their ancestors, Ireland, could
ever in life have aspired above the rank
f a non-commission ii officer. They could
ever have been commanding officers by
nth or purchase Their country wouid
ave thus lost services which, under the
UNIVERSAL equality Of the republican sysi
i'm, were rendered each available to the
ause il which they were respectively ems
J. - kn%t Nv