The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1879-03-19
The Spelling Reform.

EprToRs CLARION; After eomplimenting the
new and beautiful suit in which Won make
your modest bow to the public on the 5th inst,
and after expressing my qualification al It's be-
coming fit, and the assurance of prosperity
which it gives me, / will say that / am more
than pleased to see in il that the Faculty of
our own great University has taken a forward
step the subject OF reforming the orthogra-
ply of "our beautiful English. Thequestion
is one Of the utmost importance to the English
| speaking people of the EARTH and il is but
right and becoming that the schools and Col
leges, and Universities, aud Legislatures, both
State and National, OF the youngest and most
vigorous and greatest nation among them
should utter the decree that will crush and
forever extinguish the incubus that has marred
their noble tongue for SO many weary centu-
ries. And l read in this action Of our Univer-
sity the beginning of this end for revolutions
never 60 backward, and this phonetic move
ment is a revolution and not mere reform
| alton.
On this subject, Mr. Editor can afford to
be enthusiastic, and over this action of the
University have a right TO rejoice; for ! have
been an active worker in the cause for more than
half a century; believing all the time that it
would at last triumph, patiently biding the
time of its coming.
In 1888, 1 first published my Humble
Petition of the Letter c, which made quite
little buzz in its little circle for little while.
Then followed my Disquisition ON the Di-
vision of English Words into Syllables.
Next, my Lecture on the Elements of Eng
lish Literature" and in 1910, il ! mistake
not, / produced my Calculated Analysis of
the Elementary Sounds Of the English Lam
guage.
True, these were all inchoate country news
paper or school-house ctiorts-mere groupings
in the dark after something the want of which
was felt, but the way 10 unknown. But they
served to keep the public mind awake, and the
ewes of the interested steadily agaze ON the
orient; and when the star did rise at Bath,
England in 1913 If / forget not, there were
hundreds, yea, thousands Of "wisc men" in
the West waiting to hail it welcome.
l Immediately sent by travelling friend TO
Mr.. Ptman Tor copy Of his work, which
did not reach me for many months aiterward
but when il did come IL seemed to me 80 per
fect--so far above anything that j had ever
even dreamed Of, that | at once abandoned all
my own crude notions plans, and inventions,
and adopted Mr.. Pitman's; and since then,
when before the public at all ON this subject,
l have ever been found close in the wake of
the eminent men and Institutions named IN
your University report
About 1850 the leaders of this movement In
Europe and America agreed to refer the final
revision of the phonotypc alphabet to a coun-
Gil Of one hundred--hfty in the old world and
fifty in the new-seleCted by ballot from
amongst themselves. ] had the honor TO rep
resent Mississippi in this Council. Our busi-
ness was conducted wholly by correspondence
in phonetic shorthand, and was progressing
satisfactorily TO a favorable termination, when
the war between the States interrupted our
communication, and ended my connection with
the Council
At a future time ! may give you some i'm
teresting sketches Of our proceedings, and racy
anecdotes of some of our eminent men.
In the meantime / thank you for bringing
this cheering document to my notice. and
subscribe myself.
Yours very respectfully,
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