The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1878-11-12
THE COMMON SCHOOLS,
Governor Hubbard's Able Address.

neeticu,'s State Teachers Convention, at
Hartford, on the goth ult., Gov. Hubbard
delivered the following address, which is
well worthy of careful perusal:
want to say word or two this even.
ing of the common schools in their rela.
ton to the State. Much has been said Of
late of moral and secular education in
reference 10 their relation to each other,
Into this question do not propose to
enter, not that undcrvalue religious
morals. On the other hand l think them
absolutely essential to good government.
Robespierre said, in the whirl and swirl
of the French revolution, " If there be
not God, we must invent one" and it
was profoundly true as a mere maxim of
state craft. But 81 cular, not moral, edu
cation is my subject to night, and keep
to it.
And the first thought I wish to sug-
gest is this. Government, with US, de
Ponds on universal suffrage; universal
suffrage on universal education; universal
education on the common schools, and
so the State, itself, is founded on the
common schools. Louis XIV. declared,
in the height of his power, )" The state is
myself an engraved on his can on,
Utttm ratio regnm, the supreme power OF
kings. With US the voters arc king, and
the ballot 10 to them what his cannon
4 were to the French monarch, their sn.
preme power. But supreme power when
Ignorant 10 supreme weakness under a
p, Il I h,l h.t n, n
suffrage without intelligence Is only an
other name for universal anarchy. and
this is the end Of free government the
world over, and the beginning OF absolu-
tism. The two Napoleons were the d.
rect product of an ignorant universal
suffrage. They came in as the ''saviours
of society,"" and were accepted as sub
stitute for popular anarchy and choice
of evils. Whenever q people are found
incapable of governing themselves, the
man on horseback is sure to be found on
hand to govern them. So, then, for sell
protection, if for no other reason, We
have got to render the ballot intelligent
This is the first article of my political
creed, and "a am here from a sense oil
duty, at this convention of the teachers
of the state to manifest my interest moi
only in the work they have in hand. Blu,
in the workers as well, and to keep my
eyes open and nv ears not smut to every
thing that concerns this vital interest
want to see labor, which is the first inter
est of society, OF government and Of thu
world-made to think as well as work
think, first, for political uses, that it ma,
learn to govern itself; next tor industrial
uses, that the brain may lend cunning te
the working hand; to think at the plow
at the anvil, at the forge, at the loom, a
Blanchard thought out the turning lathe
Mccormick, the reaper, Howe, the sew
ing machine, Hoe, the printing. press
Bigelow, the powerloom, Goodyear, tn,
vulcanization of India rubber, and Eddi
son is thinking out, from day to day, in
ventions and discoveries which almos
outl un the dreams Of professional scien
lists. These, sons of the common
school, are the true artists, and thei
q works the true fine arts Of the world, com
10 rod -m,ith -..hi.L 'L- ~-''Osa ARTISTS un,
tine arts of painting, statuary and music
are barren and secondary creations.
Another reason why want to see Ia
Dor better educated, is that it may lift il
self up to still better compensations, ane
to still larger shares in the honors Of tn,
state-not by Ignorant uprisings agains
law and order, not by pulling down CAPT
tai, which is the savings of labor, nor by
boosting up demagogues who are tn,
common cheats Of labor, but by its owl
merit. intelligence and brain force. l
has been said that every common soldier
in the French army, under the system O
promotion from the ranks, carries in his
knapsack marshals baton In like man
, ner, in free state, under a system VI
common schools, every poor mans soI
: carries IN his satchel ever, possibility Of
wealth and honor, Even under the her
/ editary peerage Of Great Britain, Richard
Arkwrlght sprung from BARRIERS shol
to fortune aud knighthood. James Wat
went up from the workshop, and Georg.
Stephenson from the coliery to West
minister Abbey, and each Of them added
more by his inventions to the true glory
of his country than Beaconsdeld and his
: parliament by the addition of an mperi
al title to the British crown. Our owr
. b story is full Of like examples George
! Washington. Andrew Jackson and Abra
ham Lincoln, rose from the common
schools to the presidency. Roger sher
Patrick Henry and Henry Clay to tn.
| highest civil renown, and Benjamin
Franklin not only to this, but TO thu
highest honors, both OF American aud
British universities And. to come tt