Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-07-22
srsvxtcd by lcng sraditlop. by antecedens
dcpendencc, by AnsfTaccabie physical char

4
dcpsndencc, by ansGsccabie physical char
acseristics.
Two conservative pcculiaritics. n not ex-
eeIlcuces. OF our system OF governments
sesm 70 he disappearing, and should arrest
The attention Of the patriot:
t0) a novel feature Of our republic was
its dual system Of Federal and State Gov.
ernments, united ~ the extent OF the
powers Tolerated, separated As 10 powers
withheld. ThIs was one d our coutribti-
lions to the science Of politics. The drift
10 now toward centralizstion. States seem
70 he sinking into subordinate muaici-
palitics. National relations. Interests, and
powers are expanded; State interests are
contracted. secession for redress OF
| grievances IA as dead ~ African slavery.
but the States are no less valuable than
the Union.
| () The advantages Of q written constitu-
tion. with well-dsilned grants and limlta.
lions, are practically ignored. Compress
| sion within the limits OF exact language Is
1 sneercd as rs Utopian. and permanent
changes have been wrought without re-
| course to the certain determinale bodies
provided for amending the instrument. A
constitution violated Is not a constitution
l abrogsted.
The people, In the aggregate, outside OF
political organism and preestablished
\ rules, can do no act which has legal vital
ity. An absolute Democracy Is where the
| will Of the people. whenever. wherever,
| or however expressed. Is the supreme law.
In establishing our Government our
fathers were guilty Of no such folly.
Power unlimited Is absolutism, whether In
the bands Of the many or OF the few.
l The bellot-box. rs o remedy for Ills. Is
| exalted, while intelligent suffrage Is under
valued. Citizenship and suffrage are not
| equal In logical or political extent. II Is
sn error to confound them. Suffrage Is
pot o natural right, nor ca nsceSSitdte o
| political right, nor commonly consequence
\ Of citizenship. Suffrage 10 q sacred trust,
l . matter OF wise discretion, 10 be de-
termined by Its bearing on tho general
l ends Of FREQ government. Sclf-govern-
l ment "a slow growth. Universal SUI.
| frags 10 myth.
| Giving suffrage 10 mass Of unIettered
and suddenly -emancipstcd negroes wasthe
| severest strain to which our republic has
been subjected.
A certain minimum Of education Is the
right Of every child, and the child will fail
TO secure II unless the State provide.
where the minimum Ia TO DO 6xed Is not
q prjori determlnablc, md the tax on pro-
perry Tor securing 10 Is question OF prac-
Heal politics. The thesis, Citizenship and
Educdfion, implies some general education
and some special education OF civic char
actsf. Citizenship In free, representa-
tive, constitutional republic presupposes
more enlightrnent than Is needed In a less
popular government. In the absence OF
general education there IL no guaranty
mi
curity for property, no hope for free insti-
tutions.
A free government has possibilities
which can be evolved only under the favor
Ing environments produced by right edu-
cstion. An untutored democratic voice
sometimes declares for imperial despotism.
A plebiscite In France enthroned peridy
and tyranny.
II governments furnish and control edu-
cation, o chief end should be to fit the
youth for good and useful citizenship.
Educated and patriotic citizens are TO
remedy abuses, effect reforms, secure bet
ter and honester modes OF administration,
to make our governments the embodlments
and guarantors OF Justice, integrity, equal
ity, and freedom.
As citizen and freeman, every one is
entitled TO education. Humanity Is above
citizenship or nationality. Man existed
before the State and will live after 1t. A
man Is moro than citizen. He has moral
nature, an infinite destiny. Earth does not |
limit responsibilities and aspirations. What |
he 10 10 be demands discipline. progress.
freedom. II 10 arrant blasphemy that race,
or sex, or class, or man Is net 10 be de- |
veloped 10 the fullest possible capabilities. |
Thst education Is worry defective which has |
no reference to mans nobler nature-the |
spiritual, the immortal. The present and |
the future are indissolubly allied. One |
who recognizes bis relation 10 the Divine,
the etei nal, hts citizenship in heaven. best
DISCHARGES civic duties on earth. False to
God, false 10 society. The better and no
bier part OF man must not be ignored.
Tho above address was listened to with |
intense interest from first 10 last. The au.
dience frequently spplauded during its de-
livery, and there were many outbursts OF |
laughter over the brilliant flashes Of wit |
and humoy which came from the speaker
"Distinct a. the pillows, but one as the |
sea-" was said OF the Federal aud State
In this city forty years ago. |
That Ia now better illustration than 10 was
when 1t was first employed. We have
reached the stage Of development which
PATRICK HEsBY foresaw was to grow out |
Of the Federal Constitution. Not only does
the Federal tax-cellectsr follow the State
tax collector In his rounds, but the Federal |
Government has become magnifed and the
State governments dwaricd. We accept |
This condition OF things as one that was
and propose to accommodate
ourselves to il, and TO eat the fruit and sit
IN the shade OF this colossal governmental
rec. We will take the sweet and the Bit
er together. We will glory in the great
ness and power and predominance Of
Tree Government, and not be too proud to
receive benefits at its hands. We expect
and desire Federal telegraph system, and
Federal aid TO our State school-systems.
We favor, and shall on all proper occasions
advocate, the appropriation OF millions
upon millions OF dollars OF Government
money to the improvement OF the James,
he Mississippi, and all other meritorious
rivers. We won't say that DR.. CURRY Is
abreast with lis in these cases. But he Is,
20 far as education Is concerned.
DR.. CURRY seems TO believe that written
has advantages over an evolved
md unwritten constitution like that OF
England. The late GEORGE FrTZHUGH, in
his "iSocioiogy for the South," written
years before the war between the States be-
gan, said that written constitutions had
never bound and would never bind arbi-
trary, or despotic, or preiudlced rulers, or
rulers determined not 10 be baked OF their
objects. The written constitution guaran-
Ieed the institution Of slavery. The
rulers emancipated slavery. The written
provides that new States shall
not be formed out Of old ones without the
consent Of the latter, The rulers formed
West Virginia without the consent OF Vir-
yinia. Nay, they did worse. They set up
4 bogus government, aud got its consent
What o mocktry. The written constitu-
tons provides the manner Of amending
hat instrument. The history OF the thir-
tenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth amend
ments tells how Its provisions were disre-
garded. We call attention to the facts.
Each reader knows them, and may indulge
In bis own reflections.
citizenship and suffrage" are not the
.afne thing Cerfaipiv fhav ara nat II, . |