Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-05-26

extracts from different periodicals, show
ing with what aVidity and generous conf
denoe the opening OF q Well-appOinted nor.
maj college in Tennessee would be vel
/ coined BY all the South, and thus corrObo.
rate by many witnesses the strong language
OF Vice President Mckee, Of Center College
Kentucky. If Nashville proves unworthy
the emergency and cares not for the prize,
let the university cities, Knoxville and
jackson, or GAINESVILLE, OF the destined
manufacturing emporium of the south.
Chattanooga, or else the commercial me-
trOpo!is OF three States, Memphis, seize the
opportunity OF securing an Institution, des-
tined to do so much good to a nation and
to confer high honor upon its site.
Forty, thirty, years since, would not anN
one in Tennessee have been esteemed a
little touched with enthusiasm if he had
hesitatingly ventured the hope, much less
opinion, that in his own time, advantages
such as those Of Massachusetts,, would be
enjoyed by any Of his people? Neverthe-
less, such progress has the cause Of popular
education made, that this is true here in
the Nashville Of to-day.
But without the district school it can
never be said Of The greater, especially the
rural portion Of Tennessee. For all this
large extent Of country, for all the thOus-
ands Who till It's soil, in vain do the halls
Of the State Industrial University at Knox
vile, and Of the great ecclesiastical seats of
learning, stand with open doors. Here the
first step cannot be taken, since the primary
school is wanting, and so we have two
sharply cOntTaSted regions in the
same Tennessee. The one, upon
whose inhabitants all the light Of
knowledge doth shine; the other envelOped
in gross darkness. BE assured this con-
trast will not long continue. It is forbid
den alike by christianity, by the essential
idea Of American democracy, aud By the
new life Of modern science. The old de-
lUsiOn is passing away, and it is no longer
considered the true destiny Of the masses
Of mankind to remain forever unthinking
animals, men in name, in fact beasts Of
burden. The doctrine Of the immortal in
dividuality Of the soul is the germinal
principle which for nearly two thousand
years has been changing the face Of society.
Hence the equality before God Of souls,
hence the gospel preached to the poor,
hence the first idea Of universal education.
Hence, Of a truth, the starting point Of
democracy, a government for all the peO-
pie, through and by all the people, and in
which Of necessity, as rulers, all must be
trained to govern. And now the rapidly
succeeding and woodworking discover
les Of science show beyond contradiction
that the hopes Of christianity and the
visions Of democracy are not utOpian.
If man viii but heed GOl's word, and live
according to natural facts, avoiding the
ruin Of war and the waste of luxurious
intemperance, there would be time
and means enough for each hu-
man being to lift up his
soul, at least one daHin seven, above the
drudgeTy Of life, and in the eleyating exer-
ciseS Of thought, knowledge and worship.
Steadily, steadily is the tendency Of all the
governments in Christend0m in this direc-
tiOn. Nothing arrests the attention Of one
who INSECTS dry statistics more fOrcibly
than the rapid progress made by the claims
OF the masses in Europe for knowledge
within the last twenty years. This fact is
emphatic and patent, whether we look
into the budget Of aris.Ocralie and Bible
loving Britain, or into that Of republican
and Roman Catholic France, or into that
Of imperial and free-thinking Germany, o.
into that Of autOcratiC and Greek Catholic
Russia. knowledge for the masses, the
tOiling, working drudges of the earth, the
peculiar idea emanating from, distinguish
ing and giving glory to the great Ameri- /
can democracy, is OvertUrniug our parent
European world. The idea IS destined 10
prevail throughout the globe. And while
thus making Roadway abroad it is con-
stantly growing stronger and more deep
rooted in each American State.