The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-06-20

ana Will not DC quickly iofSo1ccA' ~
country can afford many such and hope to
maintain name for fairness and just deal
ing Let Mr. Dempsey take warning in
time.
Horatio Seymour piscoursing ON Ed
ucation.
Madison University is an institution
founded and supported by the Baptist de-
nomination. 1t is located in the pretty
village of Hamilton, some thirty miles
south OF Utica, and has been much in
debted to the liberality OF wealthy Baptists
in this city, particularly the late Mr.. Col
gate. About quarter of century ago it
was proposed to remove this institution to
Rochester, proposal which led to ani-
mated discussions, both in the Baptist de-
nomination and in the village OF Hamil-
ton. The late witty Senator Nye, then
leading lawyer Of that village,
which is the shire town Of Madison
county, took q lively part in the local dis
cussions. Instead Of transplanting the in
stitution to Rochester the result was o
schisn or split leading to the establishment
of the University Of Rochester, which drew
off several of the atlest and most learned
of the Madison professors. But the Madi-
son University was not much weakened by
the secession, and it has continued to thrive
up to the present time. 1t is theological
as we'll Us literary institution, and the
Rev. Mr. Vosburgh, of Jersey City, among
many others, was one of its graduates.
Among the most distinguished OF the pro-
fessors who were drawn away to Roches-
ter was the Rev. DR.. Conant, per-
haps the most accomplished Hebrew
scholar in the United States, now veneer
able resident of Brooklyn, and the Rev. DIR.
Kendrick, who is still the Professor Of
Greek in Rochester University.
Governor Seymour consented to deliver
this address because Madison University is
located in his neighborhood, and the fact
that it is Baptist institution while the ex-
Governor is an Episcopalian naturally sug-
cested his liberal and admirable remarks on
sectarian seminaries of learning The fit
ness of Mr.. Seymour's line of remark on
this branch of his subject will be apparent
when we recollect that most Of the
leading colleges Of the State were
founded and endowed by particular
denominations of Christians; that they
are all sharers of the Literature Fund of the
State in proportion to the number Of their
Students; and that tuition fees are regularly
exacted. Almost every college in this State
has three sources of income-namely, the
liberality of the denomination which
founded it and endowed professorships,
its distributivc share Of the annual Income
of the Literature Fund, and the tuition fees
paid by its students. With the exception
Of Columbia College, which is rich, none of
these institutions could afford to dispense
with any of the three sources Of
income. This system is founded on the
oldest and most approved statutes of
outcry against, appropriating public money
to seminaries supported by religious sects
impugns the established educational policy
of the State Of New York, which has been,
for the greater part of century, imbedded
i'll its legislation.
But this is not the dominant topic Of
Governor Seymour's address. 1t would
seem to have been his main object to expose
recent protests against anything more than
the barest elementary education Mt the pub
lie expense. 1t is ut least certain that such
ON idea finds no warrant in the past policy
of this State. Time ont of mind the
income Of the educational funds has
been regularly distributed, year by
year. among the colleges, academies and
common schools of the State. Mr.. Sey-
mour stands by the old landmarks and
vindicatcs the settled educational policy
of what Mr.. Seward once called our ''motel
republican Commonwealth" The policy
OF encouraging higher as well as ele-
mentary education is INDICATED by reason
rs well as by precedent Every member
of the community is benefited by the
diffusion of intelligence. People are
educated by intercourse more than by
schools, and the highly educated persons
in every community are those whose con-
versation is most improving. Woe to a
social circle in which there arc no cult
waited minds 1t is for the interest of every
community that it have skilful physi-
cians, sound lawyers, able clergymon
and intelligent public officers, which is
possible. only when there arc adequate ia
ciiities for the higher education.
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