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v'fl R A I E I C .W.--Published tvER y TUES DAT b t HODGE Jy BO YLAN. Twtnty-jive Shillings per Tear.' T UTS D A Ti i VhiOi'iZoiMd&Mk Vol V. Numi25 j. " v s5 t- v - B- . or v:--v r-v- a. u-. . .' w . :r-. B, y i- . ft):' n- 1 ! Literature. ... No. nr. WHEN I introduced in the fitft of thcfe number, exmp!e of the erTtfft of eduction or hat)it from mechani cal profeflions, and from common liiet it wasanly to appeal to univerfal experience, for a proof of the great changes hich thefe aufcsare able to produce. By corifidering fuch examples, ever' one can undeVjland the nature and progrefs of thefe-charlges, better than by any verbal illuftratiori, where exoenence ia wanted, or where it u not I attended to. 4, The reader may remember a remark, that we are not fo apt notice, or ade quately to appraife the alteration wrought upon the mind, as that of which we are fenfible in the management of onr limbs.- This is chiefly true, however, when we confine -our attention to ourfelves only. For . when we confuU the character and a&ioMs .of others, who, with the advantages of li beral education, have growrflup from youth to manhood, and from ignorance to im provement, the ftature of their minds is as , vifibly changed as that St their perfons. We pretend not to deny that their variety of. thought, their capacity of teafoning, and' the co operating energy of their powers, are manifeftly fuperior to what they would have been without fuch long and habitual e xercife, and point them out to be of a dif ferent order from thofe who have never en joyed any fuch opportunities. Men of this defcription are no lefs eflcn tial to the conduct of bufinefs in a civilized flate, than thofe who till the ground, build cur honfes, or who prepare for our ufe the common, inltruments of labor. It is by r.,them that pur ellates arc fecured, our pro perty claimed or defended, that liability is, .given to th'e morals of fodiety, and refpcdl tnfured to the "rights of the nation. On the whole, it would be plainly contraiy to theeftablifhed laws of naiure, for one who. has been'.employed for many years in grow ing acquainted with the inventions, the reafonings, and the fentimcnts of learned and ingenious men of every age, and in cx ercifing his own thoBghts upon them to continucdevoid of knowledge, and e qually inexpert in the ufe of his faculties, as if he had been only occupied in forming or following a plow, in building a hoofe, or in driving a flinttlc. - ' I fpeak not now of the difference which will after appear, according to the activity J intellect, the ftrength of judgment and cf memory, and the juflnefs of proportion' in the faculties which nature has bellowed. She has not been equally bountiful to all. -It is no more the cafe, than that ihe his made;a!l men perfectly alike, , or equally robuft and well proportioned. Yet as the body is capable of a furprifing variety in its application, and of being confirmed by habitual exercife, fo alfu the mind, which at Grit was weak, and endowed with only' the principles of cultivation, can be made1 at length. to unfold itfelf fo as to aftoniih thofe who witneffed its firft eflays. Natute does not all that is neceflary, nor need, a ; more convincing argument be brought in " fjvor of education, than that the peifever ing (ludent, after a -few years, (hall out grow and eclpfe the more luxuriant natu ral genius, if the latter, in the pride of its . (Irength, (hall difdain a recourfe to any auxiliaries. The flow, but never ceafihg advances -of the tortoife,-will forever out, ftrip the unfteady fleetnefs of the hare, -which lies down too long to fleep by the way. But who will deny, that where vir tuous indutry is united with corrcft and -active genius, a tranfeendant greatnefs will be the fure refult ? :r r But though it mud be allowed that edu cation infufes energy into , the mind, and by Supplying it with food which perfectly - gree with itt natttfg, cau(. it 10 grove up public injury to admit all promifcuoufly,' or even very confiderable numbers,- into what-thcy called -thefacred -nryfterier of fciepc and philqfophy. By fome, even in th prefent age, complaints have beeo5jbt- terjd that by the pretenfion of thofe who cujfmatter in it,' aqd the confequence they aflumetd themfelves, fociety is more im paired than improved, and if ignorance wie more common than it is, men would te lefs troublefonje to oue another,' and mare happy in themfelves. Indeed there arc too many inftances for the peace and comtcrt of the world, of thofe who, in the who, high opinion they entertain of their own aoiinicsana acquuemenrs,arc iorcvcr micr meddling with what in no way concerns (hem ; and who would do much better than at prefent, both for the public and them fclves, if they wobd refign their. imperti nent pretentions to lliiijc before others, and be fatisfied tqVpafs like men of no more tha n cummo deafen But Ijprefume that men of this defcuption. ate even moire apt" to (hew themfelves from amidft great ignor ance, than from among thofe wh are re fined and ftrengthened by the liberal feiences. And when a forward reftlefsnefs is united with want of knowledge and imbecility of reafon, I would aiVif a character ban eafilf be conceived more truly contemptible. But fhould fuch a man, by feizing every oppor tunity, and by pufhing himfelf into notice among the uninformed, make them at length believe, that he is nectffary to their interefts, and fitted for their confidence. Can there be any fo dangerous to fociety ? The reafon why we are apt to complain that a general diffusion of knowledge is pernicious to the peace and (lability of human affaits, is be caufc we fix our eyes too much upon thofe few men, who call our attention by their. bnldnefs iir demanding re(pedt for their iib.li tie' & merits: We do not fufficiently reflect at the fame tiiriei 'that wheFthe : community is generally enlightened, the claims of fuch men are rightly underftood and . if.thcy. are undeferving of regari,"lhey are alfo dellitute of influence. From them, injury is to be feared, only when improvement and information aien confined to: a fw,For as the bufmef ofihe world mud be carried on, if the number of thofe be ..fin all, who t to a full and maniy ftature ; yet, extraor f : dinary as it may feemitTsdiTputed ho fat it is expedient thus to Tncreafe the powers I of the human mind. Thofe who have been long engaged in the refearches of fcience, and in diverufying their thoughts on every fubject, areenerally favorable, to the in teiefts of learning. The greater the num ber they fee in purfuit of it, and the more free its accefs, the livelier is their pleafure. ... To this remaik, however, there have been exceptions ; but. thefe havc fprung from fuch qualities ordefects as oan never recom- - noenQinem to our contiaence oretteem. In - formed times, many rnen who claimed to 4 uand highelt in the clalTes of literature,' l proudly: conceived it a profanation and a have had opportunities to be fitted for it, men will be reduced to the necelfity of em ploying the bad, as veil as thofe who are trulv wife and capable of ufefulnefs. No- thing can be moie ill advifed in any people, than to fiiffer a monopoly-of knowledge in the hands of a fmall number If they find that a few of the mod wealthy, only can bear the expence of education abroad, it cei taiuly becomes them to invent and pro vide, if poffible, fome lefs opp'reffivc means for increafing tbe number of literary characters amonp them. No expence can be too great for thevm to incur as a nation, for the fake of putting education in the power of a greater number. After all that can be done, it can not be had fur nothing, nor caii it be given univerfally to eyery ci tizen. But to one quarter or put third of our people, it may be rendered not-only poffible, but very eafy. And no one can hefitate a moment to think, that where he has it in his power to cliufe one man out of fodr, who has an improved nnderftanding, and a virtuous education, his chancels much better than when.lie : is co nfnitidt one j n twenty, or rather to one in five hundred. What is 1 the neccflary confequence of leav ing education within the teach of biilv a ve ry fmall number ( of our youth. It will refemble the monopoly of the neceflaries of life, in the hands of a few wealth yj ay ari tious, anddefigningmen. As in the fatter cafe, thefejvill be enriched and aggrandi- zea at tne expence ot the ttate'; to alio in v theormer, not only the property of the citizens is. employed in building up1 thofe who are already wealthier, than others, but our i!ghta"flnd.libertiiwilL be forever ex pofed to the art 8 and the. eafy combination of 1 fcwV whbfe" abilities to corrupt and de ceive, haviC been procured by their uucom man education at- a diflance from home, and whofe education has been attainable by that fmall number ' only ,-" that can boaft of as large poflcflions as themfelves. ;.. Whenever Atherc are many employed in the fame bufineCs, whofe ' fuccefs is to de pend on their-ftiperior diligence., on greater perfection in their art, and on the diflin gufflicd virtue of their icharafter, who does nnow jhecar teelst, to acquit nimlelt acceptably to the public, fo that he mayv1prcferve himfelf free from the (ains of difhoncftj, immorality, or indolcoce. ; . , ' . - - ; . 3But when there U'a fcarcitf of men to do the public bufinefs of the date, who poflefi IamWous- thotJghtrind' nabflity "oF kpiannef requifite for the mod able difcharge I JI public olhces, theft few feel no ncctffity tdr prelerving with their fellow citiiens that falrnefs of character, morilitjr of .conduct, al,vi.re,Pa1Jor .religion p-without ' which they bovld never hope for general efteera and confidence, wie theprovince of litera ture more abundantly rcptenifhed with fkil fulilld worthy chractes.; -Pcimit me fur ther to ohfervc, that here we may plainly -dUtover a very great fource df that profli- J?C of munners which marks fo many, of ojc profefliooai men. ; They are. '. too, fade ipfndapt of public opinion, to feel anjrin dTftcnittit frbm.it, to ;reilrain a difpofitibn to licentioufiiefs, to repel temptations to filfe principles and degrading practices, or tp psy a prop'ei Reference to the fincerity and innocence of pjibUc ot private virlue. Were we to eredt -and encourage- ao in & k tut'ibndf learning at which even outward refpect for the excellent fyflems of religibn and morality which prevail among our peo ple; might be inculcated, and where the uth Of thefe y.ltems-mtght be rationally dmor4rated;from nature, from fact, and by a' develoement of the eternal founda tions on which they iland, wc lhoold, in tbelapfjpf a (ingle generation, behold the manners of feciety reformed, and their fen timcnts piirified from that offenfive groff nefs, which at prefent even finds afylum, and is received with fmiles-io the public 6--pinion,. By fuch means we fhould be raif- Wtnv', tip for the ftat'e a band of citizens; Flarge esough to make the people 5ndpend enc iu jnc lcicciioii oi uieir puDiic agents. They could then punilh the vices of a wick ed character, by refufing to honor him, aud by denying him that lupport, which in a fhorUimc he might feel very neceffary. By havTo ;in our power fuch-a- difcieianary ufe .c ' public employments, AOt only the yicfoi i majf be difcountenanced, but the mora ,.thc ufefuly-ond the-virtuous may bf rewiWed,and encouraged. As it is, neither of -thf fe .tan be clones for we mull put ur. buiQpef into the hands of thole who offer thetifelves, however unqualified their abu lias, Or abandoned their lives. This we do,. vhile they are fo far from thinking it a tor, that they would feign make as be lievr, they are bringing us undr great obli gatiuns. How dreadful is fun a fituatfon to a people on whofe own virtue, and on the mddefty and integrity of whofe public character depends a lading poffeffion or their h;ppinefi, tneir reflect, and their precious frtcdom . ,- the Congress of .the U." Stales. . HOUiE OF REPRR$EXTMJyS. IVtJneJjy, January 21. on thb SEDITION LAW DEBATE titujt tit committee, Mr. Merrts tn the etiatr. The rcfoliition reported by the commit tee was, that it would be expedieni to renew . the law in addition to the act for the pundh ment of certain crimes againft the United States. - '. Mr. Matt, chairman of the committee, expidiiieatiie realons o the committee in a retolution for its com inuatibn." "The only " arguments that could be adduced to that report, Kecaufe the only ones heretofore ptefented, were as to the conftitutionality and as to the expediency of the mcafure. That it was conltitutiorfal, he contended could be well and plainly proved, without entering into the queflion upon the grounds and proofs exhibited at the period of the original paffage of the bill, from the decifi-. on in its favour, after a lengthy examina tion in both hou(es of congrefs. and'its adop tion into a law. AJded to this was the folemn decifion and concurrence of the ju diciary, and the repeaudi "demons of -the courts and juries. After' thefe deliberate decifions in favour of it, to doubt the con-: fiitotionality of this law,' would bf.abfurd.. To. thofe who took every occafion to ihew their oppofition to the government, and were accuftomed to villify the. conduct of I its warmed adherents,' indeed this law mull becom hated , but thofe who confidered a good government a blcfling, and worthy the protection of a free people, muft ap- ptoyejolhptDy moll valuable of ioftitutions in its fupport. . Aato the expediency of the meafure, the committee thought it was a wholefome and arjaelwraUDg interpreter of the comnoD law, eltabltfhed to affift .ejno air and; rquii4uSle.paciplfr Oov trie one hand, the right of the Wernm,n m iiport of itfelf, i, -eftabliniTd , on the otherr-that right of protefildif 1. 1(6 eftab-v lifted, as not to injure, in" the lead, the nonelt and well intending individual ; but' fie ,r?11' of "culpating him felf, although engaged in fcrutinizing the meafure Qf the adminiflration ot that go vernment j for ublefs it cart be made to ap pear evidently to-a .court and jury that the thing wntten was done with a falfe and ma-' hciou nteottonithe precabtibo was ufelefs. HCfaw hoth.ng , thi8 iWf notwithftand-: ing all which had been faid .bout ft, which1 an fioneftrnan ought to fear. No govern mfent ih the world demanded the public confidence more than ours when well ad miniilcred and Uiould fuch a government he hroogfit into popular difrepute with impunity i through the falfe and malicioua writings or .l.orc who f eactablj enjoy ita refulgence i He t'rufled not. ; The houfc had been told on a former oc' cafion, that the fun of federalifm was about to fy : he ..confefTed that he viewed with horror the awful night , that would follow. But ndtwiihftanding that, whiltthc poffeff cd' a feat in that houfe, he thot himfelf bound to legiHate in favor of meafure to fuppOrtthe government which the people hid honored by their choice. This refenre of thingsilibuld never drive him from mea fure s which it became his duty upon the ' rtioft folemn conviction to adopt, fiiice - no injury could reTnlt but to thofe whofe wil ful and habitual flander oppofed it by faife-hood- , For bis part he was not afraid ot the new order of tljngs : he had nothing to fear from the c&idence of this la. - To thefe who believed the rules of com r mon law of force, and in effect Trt the U. States, this law mull be truly gtatifying By the common --lawwtfpraictiWere-:" ettabhmed, which thi; actJ-'mofi effectually renioyedrb'yits.:,a Firft, he obferv'ed, the common law reject ed tbteVid-tnce of truth in cafes of Itbcls. The fecond thing he mentioned was, that the courihtd a unlimited authority to af ce'rtam and Judge of the penalty. . By thii "' law the truth mull; be given in evidence, and the penalty is afecrtained He tiufted that, whilft the liberty of fprech and of the prefs (a privilege to be prized above all o thcrs) were made fecure, the hbufe would fee the propriety of preventing the unlimit ed and abandoned abufe of this blcffinsr. fo injurioui fo the prefervation of focial order $ an anuic vrtiicn. was to be jadged of in ita extent by an impartial jury a privilege by which are fecured to every individual, and to the government equal rights. Ud- on thefc principles he mull ever contend for thte-crbbriety of a meafure at once fecuie to the government and to the well defiga- lng citizen. . . Mr. Davis. was oppofed to the law: from a view ot the injurious ule that had beep, made of it.- : He defied any gentleman to produce fuch a fcene of abufe under a pow er, committed to the hands of a government as bad displayed it felt in this-country un der the law in queftion. Even Great Bri tain itfelf, where the government had been Jolavifh of its profecutions, could not pro ,. ducc inrtanccs wbere a man bad been called to Ills trial, and Although he pleaded him felf to be unprepared for hi defence, through a deficiency of witneffca which he ftated it t be in his power to obtain, upon time being allowed, the trial wa ordered to proceed, ancV. the perfon convicted and judgment pafTed upon him. Of conduct" liketh's, ..iiiibnccs had occurred ib Ame rica 1 How then cauld-the gentleman pre. tend to call this the folemn decifion of court andjuries. If he denominated: that a fo lemn trial, he could think it no dugrace to' differ from him . he thought himfelf bound by the- rules of pfopiiety--foefdor tt cejcr- tainly was net a folemn trial. " The "gentlemen faid thofe who oppofed the government, and thought it admini stration bad, would naturally oppofehe Iaw.i A plain dedudibn, Mr. Davis tho't, was, that thofe who thought and knew the government to be bad, would lay their hands on the mouths and pens of the pep- ' pie, and not fuffer Tt to be fiffed, lead the people fhould difcover it to be evil : if there fore the gentleman thought the adminiftra- ' tipn bad, it wa no wonder, he fhould at- .umpt-juwjtKRl Jtl xpoJfuj;e.4fl, popular contempt. On the contrary, thofe -who thought the governmet a bleffiog to the people, ought to promote it inveftigatioh, that true cIUBRtioa might be made of Ui 1 I IV At' 14 1 1 jJ'' tf .' ------"j '-'if:. :'"p ."I , . v.:,' if,,-- t;.
The Raleigh Minerva (Raleigh, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Feb. 10, 1801, edition 1
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