New-York tribune., 1879-02-24

h.,ora Solivnrv Thesa incidents occurred In town
NOT over forty miles from Boston. The inhabitants
were chiefly farmers, although in Winter every
farmer either made shoes built carriages. With
tho exception Of a few maid servants, there was not
foreign born person within its limits. lhe menta
condition OF the men who grow up and remain amid
these surroundings Ia not an enviaDle one Inc
much taked-of intelligence Of the native New
Highlander is often imaginary quantity, il the
Ncw-Enelauder has had only the advantages OF his
native town.
Do not let II he supposed that l have forgotten
the other side Of this dismal picture. The New-Eng-
lander comes Of good stock. His brain fibre Is OF
hrst-cass quality. In growing villages, towns and
cities. where he comes into competition with othors
wherever. in fact, he acquires any kind of an" ed
ucstion . he NAV he trusted 10 excel There are
too many l,ahinp men in New-York, aud in fact IN
nearly every large city in the country, VINO ere
proud Of their New-EnGland birthneht Tor
any one 20 attempt 10 DENY successfully the
capabilities of their race. But in the case
of those who stay at home. without the
education Of books or Of competitive lilo, there en-
sues a downright inanition or atrOphy OF the men
tai powers. Those who fiji the town offices and
elect the members Of the Legislature are too often
the reverse Of intelligent They have not Kept
pace with the average development Of orr National
civilization and the main subjects with which our
politics are now dealing are 10 them As sealed
books TO expec: them to fnllow any Intelligent
coursc regarding fnance the currency the National
b9nks or TO discriminate between the theories OF
paternity and aiSsfs fdjre government, would bo
as idle as to expect 10 gather grapes OF thoTnS or
figs of thistcs They are not competent IN any way
10 handle thc questions upon which they ar" called
by their votes To express an Intelligent opinion.
They have no intelligent opinion to express. and,
consequently, they express that which strikes
.I.fv I1ill fup1 wit IL
tary pressure. The demand for more grc"nhHcks,
the cant of reform aud retrenChment, assertions
respecting the monopOllZng tendencies "I tIlr
National banks, appeals for the scailhS do"h ol
mortgages cOnurc up vague ideas of great wrongs
needing 10 be rghted, ard they follow not the man
who gives them wel-reasOncd argument-Whlch
they cannot comprehension the one who eXhorts
them to think Tor themselves, which they are un-
able to do but the blsthcrskte who cooy promises
To initiate the millennium and make all thlHE' p"Ilt-
icallv beautiful. That Maine pOlcd so large
z Greenback vote no surprise to persons
familiar with the real life of New-Fngland
towns, and who are not blinded by the supposlt!"n
of an intelligence which does not exist, the result
Of au imagined cdaCa non which Is not 10 be found.
That the fire did not invade New Hampshire also
was The result of sheer good luck. the accident OF
the match not being applied at the right time and
place There is probably az much iniialnnable ma
tcllal there m proportion TO the lnndDltdhls as III
ManeOT Massachusetts,.
The remedy for this state of affairs is not 10 be
considered III concluding paragraph. have pur-
pcScd only IN this communication to call attention
10 the deploraby inadequate condition OF pubic
education in many parts of New-England. large
mass of the native-born population have not re-
ceIved even the rudiInents of the mental training
necessary 10 enable them TO ace undcIstandmElY
the political problems of the hour. Whatever de-
iects may exist in our higher education
(which was all perhaps that Professor Eustis had IN
mud when he gave his address, ii II certain
that our common school education, III many places
outside of the cities aud large towns may be char
actcilzcd as even worse than rotten, for there Is
not enough of it to get up respectable exhibition
of decay. Our agnculturistS and mechanics, ma
tiVe-born though they be, cannot he relied upon
to form an intelligent opinion III opposition TO the
plausible representations of the men who propose to
remodel the universe during one term Of Office. he
demapogue may still ild employment IN New Eng
land. ROWLAND CONNoR'
Boston, JAN y 1879.