Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1880-01-19

that would entitle him also to tn
prefix Of Honorable? To my think
ing, it would be a happy thing 70
this country if half our members O
congress were dumb like you-if the,
had the aptitude that you have, to un
derstand things and make them
selves understood. 1t would
save millions to the public
treasury and result, no doubt
in a better system of laws as one hal
of the public time is now spent in fool
ish talking. Indeed, if half of oul
public men in the North and the
South had been as dumb as oyster;
before the great civil war, there would
have been no war, because II
was unquestionably brought about by
foolish talking which began in Faneuil
Hall and ended in Montgomery. And
we would have better prospects Of
peace and justice now, if certain mis-
chievous gentlemen on both sides of
the line were suddenly bereft. of the
power of ~utterance with tongue or
pen. In my reflections about you and
those who, like you, are blessed with
the deprivation of speech and hearing,
| have thought you were favored
above all people-because you cannot
say foolish things-you cannot hear
the name of God profaned, and you
are a stranger to the scandals and
harsh things that men and women are
constantly saying about one another
who are cursed with the gift of speech
and hearing.
But | am of the opinion that the
wonderful art of instructing the deaf
and dumb now p%racticed in the school
at Knoxville will have the effect to
qualify the students for some of the
highest public stations in this country,
and they must not imagine themselves
shut out, by a silent tongue, that
blessing in disguise. | think l have
seen several highly educated deaf and
persons, just as capable of writ
ing a good law and explainingits effect
as the average politician of the times
he may be blessed with what
Mr.. Weller would call the git of the
CAB very gallopin."
But to return to titles, | think they
are out of place in a country like this.
The fathers who established the gov
eminent studied very carefully to on
graft upon it the utmost simplicity
and plainResS so as to distinguish it as
governmentoft the people, who are the
real sovereigns, and make it as little
like the a~ristocratic monarchy from
we sprung as possible. Now
Gen. Washington is Justly called 1.-THE
Of the country" and was un-
doubtedly the founder Of our system
Of government as it existed before the
late civil war. But the general wal
descended from an a~ristocratic English
and great and good as he really
was, he had a tinge of aristocracy in
his own character. 1t is related of
him that in q council one day with
Mr.. M~uhlenberg, the speaker of the
first congress on the subject Of titles,
the general expressed the preference
for the title of High Mightiness'' as
the proper title tor the President.
Now, | have heard this story but | do
not believe il. Mr.. Muhlenberg was a
very tall man and SO was Washington,
and Muhlenberg replied, well, gen
eral, that title might do very well if
you or | we're President, but if a very
small man was President, it would
sound rather ridiculous. 1t seems
that Ben. Franklin, the philosopher,
was the best representative of pure
Republican simplicity Of that day, for
be despised titles in civil life while of.
he recognized the necessity
for them in military life. When they
we're discussing the subject of honor
azy titles to be given the President
and vice. President and after they had
upon the title Of your Ex-
c~ellency" for the President, old Ben
yravely proposed that the vice Presi-
dent be called your Supernumerary
But titles in this coun-
try, my boy, are too common and
nothing unless the person is
actually in some high Office. l have
nearly all of them from private
up, and | like plain mister best
because it is not made vulgar by
universal use.
Nov, Charley, ! have written you a
Iong letter. 1t il Tather 9 strange one
10 be written to so small q boy but
when you have studied and under
stood all l have written, then you
will see why it is / have referred to so
gapy things and used so many words
that aye strange to you. |
received some tine ago, a number of
your newspaper, THE Silent OBJ
server and was glad to see that the
trustees of the school are publishing
little paper-that the boys may
be taught che art of printing. You
must nov and then write something
for the paper. The habit Of thinking
and putting your thoughts down into
writing is the best educator in the
world.
The chief object, indeed, of all edu-
cation is to learn how to use our
faculties 10 the best advantage. q.
You must be Q good boy, Charley.
and never do anything wrong, and
then you will be respected and loyed
by all persons that know you. But
if you are bad, untruthful or dishon-
Get in anything, however small, no
good maa can ever be your friend.
Remember me kindly to all my
friends in the school. | feel
the greatest interest in them
and very often think about them
and especially to the interesting little
girl, Jplia Gertrude Curtis, now dead
who used to write me such sweet let
ters. | never think Of Der that | do
not recall and apply to her the beauti-
fqi lipes Of our present Secretary Of