New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-05-25
NATIONAL EDUCATION.


THE UNION LEAGUE CLUB-BEARINGs OF THE
EDUCATIONAL QUESTION on THE FUTURE OF THE
SOUTH
Judee A. w. Tourgee lectured last night at
the hall of the Union League Club in response to
an invitation by the Club on National Edu-
cation with special reference TO ts bearing upon the fu
ture OF the South" The hall was about twothrds filed
nv the members of the club Jackson G. Schultz pre-
aided and introduced the speaker
To address body Of men OF the character OF the mem
hers OF this club said Judge Tourgee is OF itsef dis
n,,shad honor To do 80 upon question which has
occnpied NV thoughts for long time is an added
privilege What desire to lay before you is the ques-
ton Of National education cure for existing evils
and ma preventive the evils OF the future The Cen
eral Government has received authority expressly by
the Constitution TO carry on National system
of education but only by implication II has been the
dream of many OF our leading statesmen Washington
tnoucht ~ National University by the banks of the
Ioomac Had hs wishes been consulted, he would have
nrcferred such monument to the one which grateful
nconle has erected whore the bogs insure
its isolation. Madison said popular govern
ment without means or access 10 educauoh
was prologue to farce or Tragedy
or perhaps both. Education does not make
man honest but It makes him able to detect dishonesty
II gives him more upon which to form his opinions
The honesty Of an ignorant voter is much to he feared
az the dishonesty OF an intelligent From this fact
cons the RIGHT Of Government to educate the gnor
ant The Government has as much night TO 90 TINS 81
has to insist fs1r n ' Three things arc
necessary secure good government VI
the part Of the people OF what r n hep
republic the principle that AL lts Voters hh'e
these characteristic.
THE NATIONS RIGHT TO EDUCATE.
I'm 10 the close OF the last war or rebellion tho ques
ton OF National education not one OF 30 great i'm
nortancc aa now In the Northern States, except In
few large ciiIes there was gathering OF iterae per
sons large enough to dangerous 1t was hidden from
the view OF the antbellum statesman that the danger
from ignorance the South was bound mp In slavery
II was charged to slavery and not at all TO ignorance
Tho RIGHT az the National Government 70 uproot ignor
ance Ia the same IA the right II had 10 destroy slavery
II is right selfdefence The Nation fft no inclination
fsngs upon its throat. This right was not named IN
the Constitution. because was impOsSlpe 70 see IDe
pcrfls thnt would demand its exercise It's an ncreh
al pOwer not he uscd until an emergency mas arisen
Has such emergency arisen tleht mere mSy we
asked how much education has the Nation q rght 10
provide should SAY only the "three RS reading
writing and arithmetic. 49,, , 49,.
Again has the emergency come which requires inc
exercise OF this right The result OF the war WAS 20
free the slaves the result Of reconstruction was 10 make
them citizens. The ignorance represented be-
scnted by the slaves themselves In $50 $50;
eI0 600 tcrato colorcd men. and 100000 illiterate
white men a total Of 4 % 900 erate men The total
number Of icratc male adults in the United states
wns $50 600; the voting population was 7,2G3,OOO;
and of this number in Southern states there were
. ~ 1000 The pcr centum OF Hlitcrac voters in the
United states was 20; In the southern states
alone, II was 45. OF the adult whites In The
sonh Oh per cent was tcrate and 30 per cent Of the
coored adults waa I'm the same condition. In South Caro-
lima 81 pcr cent OF the voters write to-day and
The rate is So per cent I'm Mississippi These statistics
Of course not strictly accurate but they proba
bly, within the truth The sixteen southern states con
tain onethrd o. the Young sug or tr aics have
1873 electoral votes - per cent OF majority ana - per
cent Of majority in the Senate when Ne"-iork II
cd
Foryye per cent Of the voters ~ the south do not
edy this Fortunately the time har come when
face IL or BE- killed by It, The colorcd man II bound 70
us by a rivct OF steel. and must lift him up or be
dragged down.
ONLY ONE REMEDY.
There ia only one remedy. American conservatism
consists in not dong what IA necessary until the last
minute II we could take away the night to vote from
the ieratc American conservatism would lead us not
10 put our hand to the matter until forced To do This
Is well illustrated In the history Of the Indian The
American church has tnmblcd him IN tho haste 10
reach the Indian I'm Asia simply because Poor 10 could
not hurt anybody It Is true tina. states have taken
from iliterates the right In Massachusetts, the
per of cducat.d pcsOns found II easy TO rob
the no per cent OF itcraic And there WIS certain
Justice in g. because everyone there had good chance
10 attend the schools But how would It be when came
10 take the power gave frum the 30 per cent OF
Inc Inhabitants Of South Catona II Il impossible We
have got face this evil OF be killed A. they say down
south, we have got 20 d" fish or eat bait
The principal dang, il In the .sinc OF icraicH.
But how are we to cure this 4 bill has passed tine
senate and will come before the House when II rcasfc
hlcs providing for the establishment 81 and for VA
tionai education which IL To- DC distributed among the
States according TO their per cent OF inter,
think that this bn "a inadequate. be
cause II provides for the crtabhmi M ~ fund In the
future instead OF at present. also because II provides
that the appropriated should ho shoyclcd out 70
under snch n process: and bccausc the Nation
ought 10 know what IA being done. and wbnt
being taught neither Of which l. provided for IN the
bi There fund, the Peabody fund. which Il al
mrnby managed It gives the Teacher their pay nficr
the work Is donc. II never payr n"r ihan hall uf The
EXPENSE aud II get" some one else to do the
Let the Government enact "a similar plnn Will such
IA ~ stem accomplish IL purposri
40 QIICkEH WAY.
nut" saws the obccor" cannot quicker way be-
found 10 divide the fold SOUTH trokery, some
Mlhonc.sm"
The good people Of the North have made three mis-.
takes since the war Flr,' when thcy inferred Tint
the south WIS what the Nnfh would be- " 80 prr cent ~
lllltffntrs NlH infrd into 10 when they Has't'd ihn
The age ~ nfa n nd not ended md thai nsr yfars II
war and bluodshrd hud chnugrd tln,r holdrfa
into nbolonlsis and the rl1'rS into toomoua when
they undcrook 10 cheat hrmH' yes nt the co"r ~ Tho
and tO shuttle 10 n 0n On 10 the Souih would have
+ hiS country take lmckwnrd step, nl would bn,c
not take hnf much Time ~ u took to make us what
arr because the mcmbcrs OF hni race have behind
There Is nothing which viii accom- li"h this surely
una stunning and business lie way. IN the first uncc
this is matter Of justice This education NUT be- done
y soehody When We rolled This all on 10 the soub VS.
accomplished q mastcrful piece ~ mcnnncss We
rcapcd the benefit OF slavery without any ~ It's ry We
pq, It's i9 into o NIL, NO. Zane, aH 1 rn 'Ia Down
back 10 cure lie evil results.
THIS idea Of education rs a supplement to rcconstruc.
ton II growing. In 1872 and 1876, I went before
committees OF tho Republican Convention "a urge NY
views; They heard what had to say
politely, but that oil. This wear
Inc President dcvOtcs Onetbird ni his message 10 H.
How Will IL be received In tho south The BOurhons
who want the world to 20 backward afraid Of IT,
But / believe that II viii hmd its way there.
This proposition carries the flag OF ucacc
and power from the Government into every
log cabin In the South. II hits At the root Of
state Rghis believe IA believe my llfc that Tho
only way gather the threads Of existence IL for
the great, growing North 10 recognize IL rcnposi
co.harer In The sroIls " sIaycTy and % PM fhc