The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1875-05-12
DIR. HENpERsos's REMARKS.

Mr. CHAIRMAN AND GENTLEMEN OF THE
CoNvENrIoN-When an officer has served
term and his acts have been open to the
public scrutiny, and even the adverse
criticism Of the honestly mistaken or the
wantonly malicious, an Endorsement by
the people, such as / have this day re-
ceived, is productive of a pleasure that can
only be fifty and fully appreciated by the
person who is the recipient of the honor.
l confess that have coveted the deserved
appreciation of my fellow-citizens, and
that have worked 70 secure it, and the
boon that desired is now, by your unani-
nous suffrage, my prideful heritage. j
have known all the while that integrity
and industry could alone secure the APP
prevail of the discriminating Democra-
cy of Kentucky; therefore have consci-
entiously endeavored to discharge my du>
ty But not solely for the reward OF this
hour have l toiled. I have sought to be
mindful of the fact that public honors are
never comfortably worn when there is
disappearing protest in ones own breast.
i have submitted my every measure and
act to the court Of my own conscience,
and, to-day, / stand before you acquitted
BY the verdict of that solemn tribunal Of
any violation OF confidence reposed in me
with reference to the trust committed to
my direction ThatI have erred 1 can afford
to concede. But the experience that
comes of mistakes is sometimes the richest
endowment for future usefulness, for all
these failures induce a skill, which ia so
much added power working into the final
achievement Nobody passes at once to
the mastery in any department of indus
try or science, and when be succeeds in
becoming a master in his work tits evil
dent, not only in the positive excellence Of
his performance, but in the certainty with
which he shuns defects; and these imper-
fections he has learned by experimental
failures. In public and in private action,
it is true that disappointment is often the
school of achievement, and the thwarted
efforts the very agents that help Us to the
accomplishment of our purpose at the last.
At any rate, have done the best, as /
understood it at the time, and, with a
ripper experience and an undated purpose
to labor for the elevation Of my race from
the low and miasmatic plains of ignorancs
and vice, here pledge to the Democracy
Of Kentucky fidelity Of official life that
shall embrace the truest interests Of all
who have connection or concern with the
common~school system. Nothing of q
personal, partisan, or sectaIian nature
shall ever swerve me from the path OF du-
ty. In the. execution OF my ofhcial obli-
cations l know no party, no sect, no friend,
no personal interest The Democratic
party in making me the nominee for Su-
perintendent OF Public Instruction de-
clares itself, in the most unmistakable
manner, committed to the cause Of popu-
lar education. All over this State, BY
public speeches, annual reports and con-
tributions to the periodical press. my
trumpet has given no uncertain sound
Alike in the Bluegrass and the mountain
section; alike IN the Green River and the
Big Sandy valley, and the jackson Pur-
chase; alike in the cities and the country;
alike before the Legislatures OF our own
and sister States, have advocated a sys-
TEN of public instruction supported upon
liberal scale. l have contended thai IN I
perpetuity OF free institutions depends upon
the intelligence and virtue Of the people,
and that an uneducated ballot is the wind
ing sheet Of liberty. ....
! have believed and said, in unmuffied
tones and terms, that the most powerful
factor in modern civilization was the COM
mon school, because it recognized the re-
gency of cultivated mind and vindicated
Lord Bacon's aphorism that knowledge
is power" The glory Of nation does
not consist in the number and power o.
its troops alone, or in the fertility OF its
domain, or in the variety of its ceriel pro-
ducts. but in the character Of its citizen
shin; =.
gill fares the land to Fastening ills prey,
| Where wealth accumulates and men decay"
In the language of Lord Brougham
"Let the soldier be abroad if be will; b,
can do nothing IN this age. There is an
other parsonage; parsonage lees i'm
posing in the eyes of some-perhaps in.
significant. The schoolmaster is abroad
and trust to him, armed with his primer
against the soldier in full military ar
ray"
A spirit broods over the world which
demands the education of all men. Item
compasses the earth like the atmosphere
we breathe. 1t binds like the gravitstior
which spins the stars along their sunli
paths. Despotism trsmbles in its tenn
pied stronghold, ss mind, determined Il
be free, thunders threatening at its gates
Man is resolved to be educated Thrones