The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1875-03-28
Educational Statistics.
rBy Prof. j. S. Erm.ntrout.


7 do not think that these can be taken as
an ipfailible test, either of the propositioh
which afirms that secular knowledge is the
first cause Of virtue, or OF that "hicn al
firms that ignorance of such knowledge is
the first cause of vice !; if for DO other rea
son than this, because, as We all know, W
ner cent out of every 100 poor, lguorant
nersons without money to buy mp alo, anu
without powerful friends TO block up the
path of Justice, when they break tue law,
fall into the bands of the pnilceue n. ana
are invariably punished whereas, ~ per
cent of your rich, bioated ptoprietnrs, WI"
have built up their thrones OF gold by tx
tuytion. and by oppression OF those same
/ moor ucnple, succeed in evadlng The Claims
of Justice, or, II they do pot always ger en-,
/ scot free vet often oAiy with SOM sHght
| npnishment. as blind for the public eye,
/ they contrve by the sharpness OF their
wits. never to- daI ken tie penitentary with
| their presence. The poor fellow, whom
necessity drove to the stealing or area
herring, Is cuffed by the constable, on the
slightest resistance runs the risk OF having
his brains battered to jelly, and is cast In
TO his darksome cell. The superciiious
nabob. on whom the loud, long suppressed
crv of Justice at last compeis the authotl
ties 70 Law hands; to his iordship captain
police takes off his hat, gives him the Sd,
Lutte courteous, says by Your !ea'e' auu
extends to him the civilities of the prison.
Moreover the illiterate criminal, who Is not
versea iii the cTauks and crannles OF SUP
terfuge, and knows nothing or the a'eys
and caves of tue educated rascal, for the
, most part vio;ates the law in the Sr"an
| light OF day, whilst your slippery, we'll
fed, highly schooled. inteiIc ctual Villain
, shrouds his crimes in the darkness of night,
= and buries them in the grave OF silence.
r The forger of checks, or the cnnnteIielter
! of money may-and mostly does-rnn 90
q in his guilty career for ten, twenty "r more
h.t
II deeds, and the key of the penltent!ary is
= turned on his back. The adulterer, tower
~ lug in intellect, but puny in morality, high
G in the estimation of deceived public, but
@ low in the Judgment OF truth, derldinS the
Y simple virtue of his ignorant neighbor, but
Q rejoicing in his knowledge of the crooked
# WAYS of cunceament, often plies his meta
q rious trade for a score of years before the
Nemesis of outraged purity puts bullet
through his heart, or consigns him 10 q
felon's cell. The "ChIIstian Statesman,
forgetful of his high duty, bent on mere
q pelf, ambitious of promotion at all hazards
|. defiies with his presence and prayers
Il Young Mems Christian Associations pre-
n sides over meetings of Tract Societies
n marshals in terrible array "praying bands
j. of women :" and all this for years before
v some Credit Mobilier OF Indian Agency in
n vestigation shall have iroped out the scalS
"a folds of his hypocrisy and viilainy. The
. names of such gentlemen do not swell thu
n list of criminals in our prisons and peni
" tentiaries they wrapped up in thu
le robe of secrecy they know all about th
re rules of addition, subtraction, division
" aud of silence. SO it happens that sucl
ut characters perpetrate their crimes, un
h. whipped of Justice, hundred times over be
ne fore they are cataiogued in the calendar o
D. crime, whilst the poor ignorant man, on TIL
Dc very first attempt at overt vice, will hav
10 visited on his head the thunders of bro
or ken law. As snch persons are we'll verse;
in reading. writing, cyphering and geogra
of ply, it would be we'll for the public good
a if the Legislature passed an act to coerc
Y. the educated rcgues of the country to g
3 to church every Sunday, that they nigh
he learn something about the A B of commo
I'd decency and morality, OF, at least, to som
a. school to learn the Lords Prayer, the te
x commandments and the Apostles Creed
he The National Educator.