The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-07-05
ponu,ar rduoation.

Hon. W. PoRcHER MILES, president OF
the South Carolina College, Is well known
throughout the country. Virginia had the
honor Of entertaining him during his seve-
rsl years OF recent residence In this State.
He seems to have withdrawn altogether
from the political world. We have hereto
fore had occasion to notice several Of his
published addresses. We have one Of them
now before us. Its title is, "Univcrsal
Education; How to Purify the Ballot-Box."
Some Of his suggestions ought to find q
iodgement In the breasts Of the statesmen OF
this country who are now in active politi-
cal life. We Gull few extracts:
elbow can the plaincst citizen, the most
(so called) practical man. fail to see, that
10 make people prosperous their intel
lect must be developed and educatedv''
How indeed? And how can all be edtl-
Gated unless the State itself provides the
meanss Again:
"The whole civilized world is waking
M TO the realization OF the truth OF Burke's
great apothegm, that education Is the
cheap defence Of nation And notably
IN our country has a prodigious impetus
been given, In recent years, TO the education
Of the whole people. And logically so.
We may say e1 neceSSitdte RET. with uni
vcrsal suffrage as the very founcation-stone
of our political fabric. how essential IS u
that thai foundation should be sound and
capable OF bearing the weight which 1T has
TO sustain. II every man is to vote he ought
TO be able to cast his vote intelligently. His
vote Is not mere personal possession, 10
be used for his personal interest; but q
grave trust, committed to him by his lei
iow-citizens, TO be exercised for the pubic
good"
Again:
$50 long as every male adult has right
TO vote there is the greater necessity, ior
the sake OF the common veal, that he should
have that amount of intelligence requisite
for its proper exercise, and winch some
degree OF education can alone give"
''Is not 4 general and thorough system
OF education the best means OF insurins
the security and stability of political insti-
tutions, the development OF the resources
OF the State, and the consequent increase
Of its wealth and prosperity, and at the
same time the elevation to higher plane,
Intellectually and morally, Of the whole
people!"
President MILES quotes MACAULAY as
follows:
"Whether man is well supplied with
sugar is n matter that concerns himself
alone. But whether he is well supplied
with instruction is matter which concerns
his neighbors and the State. II he cannot
afford to pay for sugar, he must go
without sugar. But it is by no means tit
that, because he cannot afford to pay for
education, he should go without education.
Between the rich and their instructors
there may, as Adam Smith says, he free
trade. The supply Of music-masters and
Italian masters may be left TO adjust itself
TO the demand. But what is to become OF
the millions who are too poor to procure
without assistance the services of decent
schoolmaster?
These extracts we commend to our
friends of the Democratic party OF Nir-
GINA. The public schools OF Virginia,
as they grow more and more popular year
by year, ought also to be constantly i'm
proved, or rather they should be so in
creased in number rs that every child who
desires to enter them may be enabled to do
so. To he an enemy Of popular education
is to be one living in the past. The charge
is often made that too many OF the Demo-
Gratis OF Virginia are "down among these
dead men," We trust that the charge is
not true. But true or false SO far as few
members of the party are concerned, it
must not be allowed to be true Of anybody
whom the Democratic party shall put for
ward for any office.