Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1888-01-28

Educational Bill. As we said
last week, it has received IA
vorable comment from the
leading journals Of the United
States and the Philadelphia
Rcfo1says,it carries one back
to the days Of Webster. Clay
and Calhoun. when there was
more talent in the Senate than
now. And one of the Supreme
Court Judges says it is the
best constitutional argument
that has been made in the
Senate for a number of years.
After a thorough discussion
Of the Bill in question Senator
Wilson closed with the follow
ing remarks
Il just now said that | was
in favor Of educating the col
orcd children of the South as
rapidly as it is expcdicnt and
safe to do so. Those who look
on from a distance may won
der why it should not be done
as rapidly as money can be
made to accomplish the task.
Sir. as there is no royal road
to learning, SO there is no
shorthand method of trans
forming a rude, unlcttercd,
naturally indolcnt, and moral
Is wcaH-naturcd race of pco.
pie into fully developed citi-
zcns, competent for the dis
charge Of their high functions.
Most assurcdly it can not be
done by a too rapid develop
mcnt of the mental side OF
their nature, without some.
what of a corresponding adj
vance in the other sides Of the
moral and the industrial. -
Such a course would only
cause a race of people whose
circumstances, as a rule. rem
der it absolutely imperative for
them to live by manual labor,
to dispisc and neglc t labor,
and to be turn, d into misera-
bic lazzaroni instead Of useful
citizens.
In the name OF all that is
sacred and just, let them be
educated, but let them at the
same time be practically
taught that habits of industry
and thrift are the great and
absolutely requisite levers by
which a landless and and mon
cylcss race is to be lifted up
in the scale of humanity. This
can never can be done solong
as they and their parents are
taught as this bill has been
made to teach them, that the
elements of an education are
the be-all and cnd-all of citi-
zcnship.
Sir, there is not a State in
the South in which colorcd
children have not at this time
by far better educational facil-
tiles than the masses OF the
people in any State of this I'm
ion had in the early days of
the Republic. And who does
not know that under that old
system, when children went to
school for a few months in the
year, during which their help
was not required ON the farm
or in the workshop. and man
fully laborcd at home when
work was to be done. reared
hundreds of thousands of the
best, ablcst, and most useful
men OF our country in every
vacation of life
Aud such being the case. il ever
there was a line OF policy at any time
or among any people. TO which the
maxim OF "icsiina lcnic" fully applied,
in my opinion i, is this Of education
of the colored children of the South
The end OF that policy is good citizen.
ship, an end which those who have had
an opportunity TO observe on the pot,
il they arc candid, will concede may
be seriously INSTRUCTED by too great
haste in only one line OF advance.
Sir, ! shall be most grieveously mis-
understood IL. from these closing re-
marks. shall he regarded as other than
firm and abiding friend and advocate
Of educating colored youth. Any
Southern man who does not, from his
Utmost heart, desire such an end, is an
enemy Of his country. and especially
OF the section in which he lives. only
view the question in a practical poin,
OF view, natural TO a man who lives on
the spot where the work is to be done.
The Senator from New Hampshire. in
in the iullness Of large and generous
heart. views il from his Northern hills
in the light Of burning sentimental
philanthropy, which flames the higher
in proportion to his distance from the
scene Of action.