National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1885-01-10


into the mysterious horizon; every state
and section between two oceans pressing
forward in generous rivalry TO the front
Of tho majestic display.
And II. as the great Swedish seer and
the poet philosopher of America declare,
every appearance in the world of nature
Is tho divine symbol Of corresponding
fact in the domain Of things spiritual,
how appropriate that tho same upward
movement In public lifo which gave us
tho department Of agriculture should
have also given birth to its counterpart
tho bureau of education itself another
child Of that fruitful mother, the depart
ment of the interior; ushered into life by
one Of the most woighty of the congress.
sional speeches of Garfield; rightly in
augurated under the suporintendence Of
Henry Barnard, the Erasmus of Ameri-
can education developed into its present
commanding position by the one man
whom all competent American educators
recognize as the right man in the right
place" The bureau of education,
as time goes on, will more and
more arrest tho attention of every
intelligent patriot. IL is no disparage-
mont to any department of the national
government to say that the now south is
more indebted to this modest bureau and
its devoted commissioner for the best II
is to-day than to all othor agencies out
side the work of its own superior people
of both races and Of every class. Moth
ing will moro certainly commend the
coming administration to the foremost
mind and heart of tho country than tho
most generous appreciation, bipartisan
administration, and steady development
of this bureau; every moment of whose
history Is written in the souls of ten
millions Of the nations children and
youth.
And the third Of these new growths OF
tho new republic Is, perhaps, in its out
come, destined to nm influence more sub
tie, profound. and far-reaching than all;
because IL Is not department, Is bound
by no official chains, and deals only with
the immortal spirit of which tho nation
itself is but feeble and transitory incar-
nation. The national library at present,
like Shakspeare's Ariel lin the cloven
pine" imprisoned In the capitol, is yet
the schoolmaster of the proudest states
man within its walls. Under tho eye of
that most faithful servant of congress, the
librarian, IL is now instructing, restrain
ing inspiring every legislator with brain
enough to find his way through its
mazes and fill himself with tho knowl-
edge aud wisdom that shall mako him
fit to deal with great coming questions of
state. 10 is perhaps of minor Importance
when this precious collection is fifty
housed, except to the member of congress
whose vote against some adequate
measure is the most significant test Of
the quality of his own public manhood.
For If anything In Washington Is sure Of
final recognition by tho upper side of
American life, II is this magnificent col
lection, destined to become tho ri
val Of the greatest Libraries in the
world. The people will finally demand
both for the bureau of education and the
national library, the most convenient
aud attractive structure that the COM
bined wisdom of American architects can
devise; where every department of edu-
cation may DO illustrated in great
museum of instruction and where, be-
yond the most ample accommodations for
official use, the precious treasures now
piled in unsightly corners may BIO
opened, with proper restrictions, to tho
people. Hero, at last, will be established
q great exchange of mind, corresponding to
the broad exchange of social life that CEN
tors In the white house. Then will tho city
of Washington become the place most at
traotive to the cultivated people of every
state, . favorite residence of men Of let,
ters as it has long been of eminent men of
science. Already does IL number among
its householders q group Of the most dis
tinguished of the cultivated women Of the
country; woman journalists, esssyists,
and writers of romance. The Oldest Of
American historians here crowds his fly
ing years with faithful toll, and hither
comes tho latest unsuccessful candidate
for tho presidency to complete that ad-
mirable historical record Of the past
generation, beyond comparison, the most
valuable book Nproduced by that memoir
able era in our national affairs.
On tho day of President Grants first
inauguration Mr.. Seward said in my pres-
ence. For the next four years
THIS MAN WILL RE THE MOST POWER
Full SOVEREIGN
on the face of the earth" know tastos
dffor in regard to the outward pomp and
circumstance of sovereignty. But 1t
seems TO me that the young man who
should first come to Washington, stroll
into the morning reception at the white
house and take his turn at the national
haudshake with tho gracious gentleman
who receives tho people in his morning
cutsway coat. and should not go away as
proud as man could be of country that
can mako 1t possible that its chief ruler
and his family should thus deport them
heat nae to ba msda of b;n, would ho tho
sentence to eSile abroad or Writing
American international novels.
In one Of his letters Washington refers
to the great advantage to the students OF
national university from hearing the
debates In congress. without enlarging
on these opportunities, l would only say
that, after life time spent in the study
Of American educational affairs. should
SEND an inquirer to the full report OF last
winters debate on national aid to eduoa-
ton IN the senate OF the United states as
the most suggestive volume on that fruit
full theme. As that great debate swept
on II became, in truth. the nations in
sspired outlook over the. mighty royolu-
tion from which We have just emerged.
Never have the true relations between
tho union and the states been more clearly
set forth than In the arguments OF the
most eminent southern advocates OF that