Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1886-07-29


we had 105, 900 voters who cannot write
or read their own name. of which AZ, 94S
are white and 5S,601 are colored. II these
figures are startling in Tennessee, they
become frightful when you look further
south. In ten Of the sixteen southern
States'iheroarc more than 30 Eer eentiQf
illiterate voters; ia six Of them about 80
per cent, and in South Carolina about
% per cent, In a voting population in
the whole United States Of 12 900, 600, we
have 652 ,865 illiterate white voters, and
1,O18, ,4S0, illiterate colored voters-total
1850, 145 illiterates in the United States.
Now when we look at these figures and
| recall the Language Of Mr.. Madison in 1926
namely: "a popular government with
out information or the means of acquir-
ing it. is but prologue 10 farce or q
tragedy or both," how can we regard
them other than present warning more
emphatic and Impressive when we re.
member that In the last ten years litter.
acy has increased by 400, 900 voters. This
exhibit assumes still more threatening
magnitude when we consider the fact
that there is as large number of litter
ate women, or larger than of men. the
wives, sisters, mothers and daughters of
the voters.
But now let us turn on the lights and
contemplate the ominous facts as TO the
probable intelligence of the future
governing forces of the nation as reveal
ed by our educational statistics. Taking
Tennessee as fair average of the south.
ern States, these tables show that Ten
nessee has total population now in 1886,
of about l, 100000, total scholastic pop
ulation, ten to twenty years of age, Of
about 100000, and Of illiterates about
400 900. Let me impress this terrible
truth upon you indellibly--that you may
fully realize its awfully menacing import
upon the, memory and conscience OF the
patriots, and especially the parents OF
this assembly. Think Of II, four. sevenths
of the future rulers of one State unable to
write or read their own names. In single
file, touching hands they would make an
army OF innocents, ten to twenty years
old, 400 miles in length, and 100 miles
longer than parallel column of those
who can read The churches, all good
citizens Of the States, and the authorities
of the State itself, partially, at least,
awake TO the dangers these figures and
| ioNto 800 W bnt lnutCliul, IlOlult bO-
cial, and political interests of the com
monwealth and the nation, have been
struggling to provide against and neutra.
lize these dangers, by establishing and
cndeavoring TO enlarge, and sustain, an
adequate system of education for the
benefit Of every child in the State, and
with this laudable object in view, our
school taxes, State and county. the the
census of 70, amounted to not quite
500, 900, which gives to every school in
the State, OF thirty scholars, about $51 90
per annum, a sum wholly inadequate to
secure the services of good teacher for
seven weeks in the year; and, 1t Is evil
dent, that taxation has reached the ut.
most limit that our impoverished people
will bear. And thus 1t Is, in all the six
teen southern States Of the union. While
there is no people in the whole country
profonndably sensible. of the importance
of educating The rising generation, oil
more anxious to prepare their children
for q successful and honorable discharge
of the responsibilities of life. as members
of the social compact and citizens of the
republic; the cruel pressure OF poverty
resulting from the misfortunes of war
have disrobed them Of the financial abil-
ity to crafty the most cherished desire
of their hearts.
In view of all these circumstances q
working majority of the statesmen of the
United States Senate, under the noble
lead of the philanthropic Republican
Senator from New Hampshire, Mr.. Henry
W. Blair, who has erected for himself q
monument In the hearts OF the people
more honorable than the bloody monu.
ments of emperors and kings, seeing this
4 portentous state of affairs in the south,
| with patriotic liberality as broad as this
great republic, and with n tenderness OF
fraternal sympathy akin to that OF the
Savior--l speak II with reverence---an a
magnanimity almost divine, passed the
bill to which have referred appropriat
ing $77,0O0, 900 of the whole peoples
money, to aid the State governments, the
people of the south being the principal
beneficiaries in supplying the means Of
liberal education to every unfortunate
, illiterate little boy and girl, however poor,
, ragged and orphaned, In our whole coun.
7 try. The appropriation was to cover
, eight years. distributing an average OF
1885. 900 per annum, OF which Tcnnes
see would have received In the eigh
years about $4,000. 900. As there abou
5000, 900 illiterate children in the sixteer
l southern States, in a population OF less
4 than %, 900, 900, and about million il
literates in the other twenty-five State
and territories, in population of abou
s 10000, 900, this unparalleled proposition
d O tender to our sixteen southern States
0 to our 20, 900, 900 of people by the othe
Q twenty-five States and their 40, 900, ,00
4 people--of flve-sixths Of the $77, 900, ,00
c appropriated in the,bills; or $84, 186, ,66t
G reserving to their own people, numbering
IS twice our population, one one sixth OF tn
Q whole sum, or $i2, ,s3S, 1888. An abselut,
Q gratuity to the illiterate children Of tn
q south Of more than twenty-five and
b half millions Of dollars II ,r1ifE "a H.s.
J. If all history affords q single example
It Of fraternal muniicence, self abnegation
|. and magnificent magnanimity, whicl
( eclipses or even parallels this, have failed
4 to note 1t. Nevertheless. fellow citizens
1 the measure itself is only a brilliant illus
| tration Of the far-seeipg wisdom and en-
$ lightened statesmanship Of which educa
I ton Is the legitimate parent, for by tn
A localized brilliancy Of mind alone or
8 disclosed and disarmed the dangers whicl
environ liberty and threaten to engul
Z the republic. FN2i fIN h'f ll
n From all history and from critical rs
6 view of the Census Report OF 1880 an
/. other official statistics, the details O
s which II Is impossible topresent In on
/ limited address, summarize few brie
@ but profoundly important conclusions 70
II your information and close considers
: ton. arFfl liatief tHn H1ait
nj "First-That generally diffused intelli
u gence and integrity are essential to tn
3, prosperity Of Republican government Il
5. the nation and in the Statcs.''
Is "Sccond-That Republican goverr
10 ments which permit and foster ignoranc
7, and its twin sister vice, are already 0
b. the lightning express TO ruin dissolution
D. and will reach their destination on tim,
vi unless the brakes Of mental and mori
4. nnlfttra ara oil mt M. on1 kat.f an -