Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1903-02-25

but not less important GLASS, who
would hereby fitted for the useful
offices of private life.
But it appears all such pleasing
hopes are to terminate. The children
of the poor are to be torn from the
fountains of learning, as soon as they
have tasted them, and the reign of
ignorance is to be revived.
1t grieves me, sir, that "a solitary
individual on this floor should advo.
cate the abolition of the free schools,
buttthat the venerable member from
Edgefield, one of their former friends,
should, at the close of his long and
patriotic career, exert his influence
to destroy them, seeing the good
they have done, and the greater
which they promise, is equally sur
prising and painful. If could
analyze the feelings of that gentle
man ! might discover much manly
exultation at the reflec''on that his
vote had contributed to establish this
noble asylum of unfortunate inno-
cents. | did not think he could find
it in his heart, to turn the little ones
out so soon, when they had scarce
learned to read his name among
their benefactors. And dream not
that they ever will find it among
their foes.
Let him look back and rejoice
that this institution so hourishes
even in the bud. Let him look for
ward, and anticipating the fruit
which it will bear, and the bounties
lit will dispense, let him recoil from
the meditated blow and throw away
the axe with which he assails it's
roots. What will be his feelings
when it is prostrate--leafless and
desolate?
1t is urged that owing to the
sparse population of one or two dis.
tricts, the free schools there are
comparatively useless--and therefore
the whole system ought to be abol-
ished. This evil time will of itself
remove, and what kind of inference
Is that which would abolish general
a..
good to get rid of a partial illp
There is cloud, Mr.. Speaker, which
the sun cannot penetrate--wky does
it shine at all ?
There are rocks simpenetrable to
the dews of Heaven, why are not
showers withheld altogether2 There
are barren places that produce moth
ing, why is not agriculture aban-
doned? No, sir, let us rejoice in the
good we have done and regret not
that we cannot do everything at
once.
1t is contended that the children
should be boarded, as we'll as edu-
Gated, at the public expense, because
their school rooms are remote from
their homes. The evil may be rene.
died by their occasional removals,
and it is obvious that the measure
proposed would be costly and ruin
GUS.
One gentleman has said that his
constituents disdain to be enlight-
ened at the public expense. Pride,
sir, is no friend to wisdom, and let it
be remembered that many, very
many, of his constituents have not
the means of private instruction. /
am sorry If he has correctly said of
these that they disdain our assist
ance, or, in other words, disdain to
be enlightened at all in that event,
unfortunately, they are not singular.
The barbarians who overran Rome,
breaking up the trophies of her
genius and arms, like the gentle
mans constituents, disdained to be
enlightened. The aborigines of
this country hug themselves up
in their native sensaality, and
like the gentleman's constituents dis
dain to be enlightened. The mole,
who hides himself in cavern from
the rays OF the sun, like the gentle-
mans constituents, disdain to be en-
lightened. Nothing is said, sir, of
abolishing the college; we can sym
pathize with the rich; why abolish
the free schools? Have we no sym-
pathies for the poor2 If you will
do one you will accomplish the other.
Those are blind who wage war on
lettersl Sir, / an astonished at the
opposition of the upper districts to
the free schools. They beat us hcl.
low in population, and when popula-
tior shall be thoroughly enlightened
our influence in the low country is
gone forever.
But, sir, / contend not for the
State in our characters as legisla-
tors the name of our people--our
rank in the Union, and with the
wise and good all over the world,
will be affected by our decision.
Let us do nothing to tarnish them.
If We do abolish free schools let
the eagle be removed from over your
head, Mr.. Speaker. 1t is the image
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