New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-03-28
OUR SICK MAN, AND HOW TO CURE
HIM;
Or, shc Educational Problem IN the Cotton
states.

HIM;
Or, snc Educational Problem IN the Cotton
states.
EDITOR REPUBLICAN,:
A little more than a year ago, Mr.. Dexter
A. Hawkins, chairman OF the committee or
education Of the New York City Council O
Political Reform. prepared an excellent
paper on Compulsory Education"
The readers of the REPUBLICAN, will re-
member it, as it was republished at the
time in your valuable journal. No other
paper in this city reproduced it.
But while the Democratic press through
out the South was trying to pull MIR. Haw.
kins' statistics and arguments to pieces, his
remarkable paper was having in other
States "a circulation Of over 2, 600 0O0 copies
and an influence almost unparalleled"
The New York Legislature SHORTLY efter
passed bill making compulsory education
a law in that State. New Jersey, Kansas,
3 Nevada and California swung into line with
New York, while Massachusetts, Connec.
ticut and Michigan had. for some time
previous, been conducting their schools
under similar law. We, therefore, have
at present eight States OF the. Union, com.
prsing some Of the most intelligent, con
ducting their school system under their
law.
Mr.. Hawkins has spoken again, this time
in Boston, on the seventh instant His
subject was Our SICK Man, and How to
Cure Him; or. the Educational Problem in.
the Cotton States
Believing that il contains matter Of the
deepest interest to the South at the present
time, l offer extracts from the document
for publication.
Mr. Hawkins quiet humor in his opening
remarks regarding the treatment Of "our
sick men" in olden times, is followed by
clear and most interesting presentation of
the growth of nations through enforced ed
ucation IN later years:
The fortunate geographical position of
The United States, with no powerful neigh
bOrs to encroach upon our borders or dis
turb the public peace, happily frees us from
The malign influences OF pressure from
without that weigh down and distract
other nations. We are freed from the study
Of many complicated external Questions |
talent and treasure, and are enabled to give |
our whole attention and means to our own !
internal affairs. But we are still mortal. In |
every nation at frequent periodic, some
province is disturbed or State dsatTected: |
the government and the people, or some
portion of them, are not in accord.
The Institutions are not suited to the
genius, the inborn character, of the inhab-
itants, or they require higher or q lower
degree Of cultivation and enlightenment
than actually exists. If this Giscoyd and
unfitncss is general-pervadeS The who.e
CommUoity-the government is failure,
and change inevitable; for every nation in
the long run obtains, and must obtain, that
form eff government and method of admin
best suited to its necessities, as
certainly as in the world Of matter water
fnda its level.
One raceis submissive, obedient, ignorant
and inert; they enjoy aad thrive under a |
paternal but intelligent despotism. The
Egyptians are an example of long standing !
Of this class.
Another is self wlled, reliant, enlight- s
republic. The New Englanders (Yankees) 7
may be taken as a type of this class. t
When the lack OF harmony between peo- S
pie and government is not general but I
local, the discordant locality may be H. +
kened to diseased member of the human S
body, or sick man in The community. G
Every nation and country. has its sick
man, and will continue to have so long as | 0
humanity is imperfect; hence his presence b
y no cause OF national encouragement, | Il
but rather a perpetual and ever. present Fl
stimulus to improvement and development, | a
The study, care and cure of the disease II
benefits alike doctor, nurse and patient. h
The Garden of Eden was favored with | v
me of these bloF sings in disguise, and he r. I,
-n ,l,l. |
hough be has doubtless improved intellee. | A
ualiy since he ate Of the fruit of the tree of Y
and some gay morally also: for | "
ccording 20 the statistics of crime, the | q
'ercentaee of fratricides has greatly de. | Il
resseG since the time of Cain. I
In the days of Noah the sick man formed n
he majority of the human race. and seemed | d
D be in so bad a way that the only method | %
cure finally adopted was 10 drown him il
Ut. This was, perhaps, the origin OF
ydropathy. q
The Hebrews were often afflicted with a d
ational invalid; and, according to the Ola 81
testament and Josephus. they were cured | p
him by being sent into captivity TILL the o.
sordecs that troubled the body polite p
ere purged out by adversely. Pr
In the days OF Rehoboam, the sick man,
ough minority of the population, COD RI
sted of ten tribes. lie seeded; and, after ST
vicious and disturbed exist bt
CO Tor go Years, was cured by being tn
'allowed up by his more healthtul aud ! fla
gorous pagan neighbcrs, and disappeared re
terly anu forever from the pages of his
~. ..-...t to
The remaining two tribes preserved their in
tional existence for eight centuries longer, of
len the disease of ignorance, corruption, | ch
,iudice and moral blindness seems to | col
ge so thoroughly permeated their whole res
ITEM that their extinction as q nation or,
s inevitable. ii
VERY nation in Europe has had It's sick l
q. and the medicine for 2O00 years regu- of
" administered was force. This may re- We
90 the disease for the time, but does not tho
9 it. 1t is sure to break out again IN we
"a other and more violent form. bro
te Christian Church used it with great cat