Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1877-07-27
So in Advance

my representations of public men:
but the moment the papers attack
private citizens they are subject to
punishment.
The third and final theory is edu-
cation. Education IS not entirely.
but almost entrusted to the people,
and what have the people done?
There is now 100000 pupils at
tending the schools, and $4,000
teachers. The annual expenses of
carrying on the schools are S95, ,OOO,-
600, S35, 100000 of which is purely
sustained by private subscriptions.
NO other nation under heaven can
compare with us in the extent and
variety of our educational system.
and 1t is by these means that better
work in the way of freedom is done.
Other nations surpass us in some re-
spects, but, upon the whole, we sur
pass them, by far. We have in our
land 100000 libraries, with a COM
bined collection of 45, ,5OO,O 900 books,
ninety per cent. of which are fur
nished by private parties. 1 have
given these figures for examples;
time would fail me to go through
the other elements of our education.
There is In the United States TO-
600 miles of railroad, built at an ex-
Pense of $4,000, 900, 900, and costing
the people S5OO,OOO daily. These
too, have sprung from private inter.
ests, and are wholly under the con-
troll of the people themselves. Con
trast, then, our nation with any that
existed one hundred years ago-with
Russia, for instance. Politicians tell
us, if we had a monarchical govern
ment, we would be much better off.
If we had a man who would never
die, all-wise and perfect, put him in.
Although a good despOt is better
than a bad one, unless we can find
one possessing the qualities mention
ed, the change would be ruinous.
The object of government is to ele-
vate the people. The best way to
govern them is to try experiments,
and afterwards bring out what will
be to them government of full
power.
1 lately read a book from a Rus
sian author, which states that all
powers are consecrated to the auto
cratic government, and no man has
privileges except through the auto
crat himself. Even his field must be
PlOwed and reaped by order of the
autOcrat. Think what would hap
pen if you, citizens, were obliged to
get an order from the President be-
fore you could harvest your crops !
l say put men all on their own re-
spousibility and their own Judgment
begins to act. The American gov
ernment's great blessing consists in
setting humanity free. 1t says, "Go
and do as you please. 1t is better to
lose One-half your property and be
free, than to save all and not have
your liberty" This is the power of
our government against all other
powers of the world, Let me illus
trate by another and better way
Cry of at must be a good one
then" In monarchial governments
the taxes go directly to the govern
ments. In America, one-fOurth of
the taxes go to the county, one-half
to the townships where they are
raised, and one-fourth to the capital
of the State. You at once see that
the largest portion is expended un-
der the eyes of the people from
whom it is assessed; which is better
by far than to have it all go farther
away from home. Defalcations in
the county treasures often occur,
and in State treasures the defaults
are more frequent. Carrying it into
the Capital of the United States, the
dishonesty is still greater. Hence
the wisdom of our government, that
does not allow absolute monarchy to
rest anywhere.
The United States is the only great
nation on earth that has no peasant
ry. In other governments the peas
antry constitute the most numerous
classes of citizens. Monarchial gov
ernments believe in educating a few
that they may educate the rest. The
moment you do that you have a
great outside class, and they have no
part in the government. Hence they
do little thinking. Let a man feel it
will do him no good to think, and
be takes but little interest in think
ing. l have yet to see the first Amer
lean peasant. Ours is a bad govern
ment for war, especially for an ag.
gressive war; but let US be engaged
in war that the people think is just,
and an enemy strong as Mars him.
self would be conquered. For ex-
ample. what other nation would
have attempted to emancipate T.
900, 900 slaves? Hence say no ma
tion under the sun would be filter
for a just war; but for an unjust
war, thank God, no nation would be
weaker. Despotism would some
times be a convenience. Once, when
returned from Paris, in passing by
store in New York, saw
that he had built around a small
house. 1t happened that little, old,
pIucky lady lived there, and, al
tbouGb she had been offered large
INNS to remove her house, she said,
ssMr. Stewart, you haven't money
enough to buy this building, and |
am going to stay here" And she
did stay. There was not power
enough in the National government
% remove her. l said to myself,
That's grander than Paris" In
America, that little old women has
he same privileges as the million
lire.
In one sense our Government is
Inferior to the monarchial-it is
more expensive. Liberty and free
government cost more than mon
Irchy, and they ought tO-they are
worth a thousand others. Men have
ought to remove impossibilities.
The principle that new work cannot
,e done on the old plans has made
,ur nation a glory. Our fathers step
,ed back and said: "We'll put truth
md error in the arena, and let them
ight it out together" In the high
aith that right would conquer, they