New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-07-05

NV trss education for all lgn9rant vo.e,s si1
ammunition and order property and life, are unsafe ia
any Community where the voters wlo ,thers IN whom
tne isws on this subject spoke eteh anu
ssn,nssfIy aud without sssenting voce at. O. srbstan
tsv true that vrtue ralty is ytb more
n"nnar government iAe ole IN deed enacnus omt Who
q less 0r sincere friend to it. with
M On attempts TO shake the porance nsti-
n,'ops for the general diffusion of knowledge ,npce to
portion the structure OF governmeh annon should
bubble opinion II Is essential that pubic opiho"
Sc enlIg ened." u.o. q IGNORANCE
Jefferson n letter to Lataye ute Tpeapabe Of self
,epn,oent TO another he wrote: IL na.on IL az
70 be * norant and free IN state o. OH bs.
Jobn ADAMS said Reformation must oe Ibeir educa
people which be d. e only ID themselves the
Education Of the Whole people and Ru nations should
bear the expense Of Erecting thousands Of useless Off
ever De MIS- IN nineanne wars they wouu hein9
q fundamental maxim -s OF s1 !"
should grow 0t up xtend these quotations Dr.
Samuel Adams, 81 So abe Revolution held and uniformly
EXPRESSED sin ar opinions Inc tsrsnces Lands were
no less States and the Territories for
caticppl purposes from tne and approved
or wilmington and the other early
oot of the Congress OF Tue S nrinanee
~ Ts7 for the Of the Northwest Rs
This ordnsnce contained the to good gov
Ion 5 fhe Sappness of mank nd, schools ana tne
Of educston, shall Extensive grants of land
Ere made by Appropriate legislation tor Tue ~
the rs Ordinances and the
Hesitation under it. with their great nht have stood
epes a Atis anu almost Century Of trial
t s sS re- s able to say with the historian Of the ora
that ponan IN sccurstel u and yet
So nightly exceed. the antoipations OF te neen
The Of siUad n BY and in
ment and government OF the Nor.nwes'o thev sopnd
nen sl ssesdy there It was impressed upon the soil
Itself while it yet bore up nothing pat tne lore, mn
az Nv magic uron this territory contained at the last
century almost twelve millions Of people ana tnei prog
resS s s, Of To- impressive declarations Of the fathers
and OF their olsmn official acts we neea n1t m erss
n.nons nor to show that the subject within the
scope of the constitutional authority oil the "aonAi
Government.
,xcpr.sr OF IGNORANT VOTERS IN THE SOUTH
ITn,ortunatelv that principle which was the corner
,ons Of the institutions which Washington and JEFFERSON
and the Continental Congress sought to estaonsn III no
Northwest Territory was omitted In the measures
sdopted for the reconstruction of the soutn inoso
measures established universal suage Inc Hn pr
yided for universal education This wsala nave ve
comparatively mt ,ns eateps Of the evil s
No only Two well known. Inc totai niinpeI VI ,o
voting age coudnotread and write IN
poieas tbousaud In 1880 the number Of nit
crate voters had increased to one million TREE
the sr. exceed in number the majority os 81
votes az ' o a the tsate voters
sonth have In the last years increased almost Two
hundred thousand THIS n xee o. cast in an one Of
twenty of the States at the last Presidential election
en-, w not ss De seen saae SINCE the
churches By phaIthrSPc aha Far from IL
The of the census are spread before you to show
the magnitude Of the work we are considering anu 70
Of our now united people Under slavery there could be
no system OF free schools The general eanca9h poan
iscted only the large propertyhoders Of the South
were provided with educational facilities They had 10
their own States schools academies and colleges ana
the best colleges Of the North and the universities OF
Europe open to them But when tne war ond
til ever before befe wealthy ana CIVILIZED
community Their lands remained. put tney were as
destroyed currency and credits persisted WITH
the CoIfederacy without capital without orea w spe
in no condition to establish free schools Inc coiorea
people were eager to learn no seem ut We know not
how many centuries OF barbarism behind them ana GER
tany with two or three OF r
knowledge and experience IN relation 10 tue compluA
methods and organizations of social life In hgniy civil
The announces Of the situation the South are mani
baek. u and IL whites the lack Of Familiarity With school
organization the Indifference and hostility 70 edaca
The inability Of the coored people to bear the expense
of schools either public or private, are all results OF
slavery and stand Ike wall IN the way VI euuc"'onA
progress.
THE DUTY OF EDUCATING THE NEGRO
lido not debate the question Who was responsible for
slayeryf l. Is perhaps enough to say that the union
and Constitution breated into TIE Nation the oreath
OF lfe To the Union and 20 the Constitution W are
indebted for present prosperity power and prestige
and the st Inspiring future which lies before us
The Union and the Constitution 10 which woowe al tlat
and have beeD, contained and Recognized slavery
All who took part In forming the Union or IN framing
the Constitution all who maintained them down 10 tne
war which brought emancipation are In some ana
can citizens who are n way responsible Tor slavery
and Its nsequences - the sons OF Africa Ihey are
here crimes OF and the misioItunes
OF theirs" And IT especially these colored people VINO
now eagerly and with upiited lands mpore the sau1n
out which they discharge the duties which the
Constitution requires by making them cinzens ana
In history of popular education nothing s better
settled than ihs: The only power able TO establish and
support an efficient system of universal education IL the
Government In the south by reason OF slavery aud is
III SS state authority L sir ~ impossible The colOred
people held in bono ana therefore In Ignorance,
free and citizens and by the most solemn
expression OF the Nations WILL aud now therefore, the
duty TO e them ny education Tor citizenship ana SUI
frsge lie deceived upon the whole people
TIKI NEED on PROMPT GOVERNMENT AID.
The Southern States, with commendable zeal. have
begun the work The best minds ia those States support
81 Taeinelligent and able general agents Of the Pea
bod fund.- Of the Slater fund.- and OF many phauthropc
enterprises in the South, ali in reporting that the
educational OF the Southern State governments is
general in capable and Trustworthy hands.
What 10 now needed 10 peculiarly aid, that
aid which the Nation 10 abundantly able TO
furnisf. Ignorance II widespread, anywhere H. our
country mpens welfare Of every other part OF the
United States and Of the whole Nation. To educate all
the citizens of re United states highest
duty and highest interest Education Is the friend
OF whatever Is W be dean ed In civilized society IL
Is bottle only that which 1B bad. There 1s safe
foundation fo- tree governments wthoutit. Let In
conclusion fees 70 your minds weighty words spoken
nifty years ago by Edward Everett:
We have In the order OF Providence allied ourselves
10 family OF sister communities We have called them
into full partnership in the the OF
events has put crowns on their heads sud sceptrcs In
their hands and we must abide the result"
The real Government IN ths country that OF opinion
and with the means and authority for universal ednca.
ton In our hands 1t Is optional with us whether the
10 which have lnhiected our H.