Newspapers / The North-Carolina Star (Raleigh, … / Feb. 12, 1851, edition 1 / Page 1
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7 nan THOU EJltar. SORTS ClEOLI!U'?wcrful ia Intflltclnal, moral ind pbyxlral rrunrtct, tbc UbJ f tut tint tntUome ( anr liftclioo., , IHEM C. BIO, isofi:1tIi!itsr VOL. XLII. WEDNESDAY MORNING, FEBUUAltY 1?, 1851. NO. 7 Hill CAROL '4 m 5 ... AGRICULTURAL. THE PLACE FOK ORCHARDS. - A friend asked u the oilier ilav, "what is (he est situation for in orchaid!'' A a gcn enI answer to htln, we would say, "where an you mine font. There it one requisite that should not be overlooked, in choosing tlic site fr n orchard. U is Litis. The hind should be well ilrauii-tl. , l'lat lands, where the water stands, however rich lliey may lie, are improper for an orchard, as the apple tree will no' flourish with water ahout ks roots. hence the slope of a hill is. eminently tiiteil fur an orchard. It does not make so much diffrresce which point the orchard lies no, us mailt' suppose, if the hind be. good. You w ill find orchards, and very good orchards, too, on all our hills, and on the very pinnacle of wiiiie of them. The easterly slopes, as a general thins;, are earlier in the Spring, but ihen they are subject to the south east fairs in the Fall, which sometimes knock the apples off.al a sad rale. Let mi farmer be without . a on-hard liecaMsebedots not happen to live ' on: the south side of a hilt. Plant good healthy trees on a well drained soil, and with atten tion to them afterwards, you will soon have tr i i t from tliein. While upou this uhjcet, we would say a word ahoul planting trees oil the side of walls and fence. We, last winter, lost some young i on ihein and crushed them down, breaking them off near the ground. We have noticed lhat many others have lost trees in the same manner. In order to obvulethis, it wjlj be li''joWngil'&"tttnr tbeiii In the Fall, together with brush applied in such n way as to take mint of the weight, instead of bearing on the young tree. Uy a proteet- tian of this kind, until the tree is large ennugn "'.Z'JLfJL tn l rcsisv siieo aciioo, n wmyw . . ...... . ... ,. " - ' uru Maine t aimer. I liurt.' PUl'NI.NC APPLE TREES. HV A. MVKSIIAI.I.. This may be done in the months of Janua ry, February, or March, at very little rxpiinsiv as the orchardist in tliis season of the year. is very spt to have some leisure on hand. Ap ple trees ought to be prnned, more or less, every year. It is difficult to give explicit di n ctiuiia. as trees of ilillereut siles require dif I'erent treatment. iSuekers and dead wihhI xlinuld always he cut oil'; branches that show .u ilispositiou to cjitcnd hcvouiLUiuir ucighbors hliould be shortened, or "headed hack:" weak branches should be trimmed out, and the up per surface of the head of the tree be kept homewh.it in the shape of an opeu umbrella. Hv pruning every vear, ihere is no occasion to cut vrry large limliK thus large wound . are avoided. . . Many orrltitrdisl commit a groat error in pru ninoid trei-shycullingniitalittic lower branch es hear the stem of die tree this should not he done. The upper branches should be beaded back and so ihiuirid as in admit the Sun's rays and a free eiiruhuiwi. of air. lie ..carefttl U1.. '., PTH tJ . Ulttch iu.,any "one season, lest you di.-siroy the ejuiUhriuin .bclWxnu lhu.hrancJies-a.id- iIm rl,Ml- thn check, instead of promoting the growdi of the tree. Pnininj in the stimmrr, hr removing a part of ihc. foliage, alvvavs check the growth of I th1 iree. This operation may ciiorined to d va lijageon. yjiuiio jlSk loo much growth, at tile expense of fruit bear ing, Hy headiiu hack the extrema branches in the months of July or August, you will cause them to form Trait bads lor the next year's crop. It move about half ut the iwuryaaf growth. tttttrgt Jteeontr' pre- STOWELL'8 SWEET CORV. This is a new sort, and is every way supe rior tn any other we have seen, for aficr being nulled from the cronnd, tlu stalks maybe placed in a dry. cool place, free from mois ture, frost, or "violent currents of air, (t pro vent drying.) and the grains will remain full mid milky for many mouths. Or, the ears may he nulled in August, and by tying a string loosely around the small end, to prevent the hunk from drying r from the ear Ihey i inny be raid mi shelves and kept moist aud suit-! nble for boiling, fora year or more. This corn i a hybrid, between the Meuomony soft corn, and (he northern sugar corn, and was first grown by Mr. Nathan Slowell, of Bur lington, New Jersey. The ears are larger than the usual sweet corn, and contain -twelve rows. To ave the seed it is necessary to place them in strong rurrentsof air, freed from most of the husks, nnd assisted slightly hy lire heat when nenrlv dry. lu damp places this corn 'oil moulds nnd becomes worthless. The seed, when dry is but little diickar than writing paper, but is n auie grower. The stalks are very sweet ond valuable ss fodder. The seed mny be procured of Mr. Slowell. ., ... If'vrling funntr. PREPARATION OF THE SOIL FOR 8EFDS. ' The ground for the reception of fine seeds rf vegetables should be ' broken up the pre ceding year, and well manured In Autumn, and rendered fine in the Spring by repealed plow ing, and harrowing, or raking. Plow and manure deep, for deep rooted vegetables ; but manure near the surface for all others. Po tatoes and Indian Cora answer well, and pro duce large crops in ground newly broken up. Very fine seeds should be sown in a newly prepared fresh soil, and covered only a quar ter of an inch deep ; larger seed deeper in propoition to their size; and the ground to be trodden hard, or rolled with a heavy roller. This enables the earth lo preserve its mois ture at the surface, where at the same time the aeed may receive the necessary ; degree of heat from the Sun, and vegetate at once, strfk ing root downward. Fin feeds, if ftps il loo .deep, arc liable to perish. v 'KA tS ! OK MAM KE. Amour dis manv resources the furmer lis for supplying huwself with malerials for ma nnre, we may cumaurate a not the least al tiable, the fallen foliage of the lbrl. Th'i M wttH umefotruht ind Tn anT Snanltlv deaired. The moat suitable sesson, however. lor ineif accumulauon, i tha spring, lor then , they lie 4A-attlid nmBs-twyfrM( , quence of Ih weight and melting of die winter now, and may be much more easily gath ered than when light and dry, and moved by r sry air. ' When it 1 practicable, however, MwAild fcriraireun Bie fall to fur bMb litur for the Ivorses, oxen, sheen and . wioe, as diey wdl be found naeb better lor Tree bv The wei.htofs.iow which tfffed nr" -VT V: this purpose than straw, and besides straw is f too valuable ; it should be chaffed, and being mixed with rasped ruta bag, carrot, pump kin or beet root, will make a most nutritious and salutary Iced, liy substituting leaves as litter, this may all be economized, and convert ed to a valuable and inpormr.t us'. The de composition of forest leaves, a ihey aie de posited in the forest, is slow and tardy. This arises from the concurrence of several cirrum- stances. V r trst, they arc tough and indurated in their tibrotis tenure; mid second, they are kept cool and constantly mi6i by the dense shade of the overhanging trees. Hut .when they are removed to the yards ol the farmers or accumulated in large and compact li- n .a. with other matter of a fermentable nature iheir decomposition is readily effected, and they are resolved at once into their elementary constituents, and furnish one of the best arti cles knowu as food lor growing plants. In removing leaves from the forest, where the object is manure, it is .advisable to take with them as much of the surface sod, or "tcurf," as it is called, as practicable, as lhat is already II n condition tn be immediately appropriated mid assimilated by the plants. There aie also generally, large quantities of rotten wood in most lots, and diis also should fce taken ; it is an excellent absorbent, and will take up llie liquid voiding, and thus facilitate lis .,..,: ,i . i:..!. I TnrveHinown many people ridicule the idea of making ma nure uulof so dry and tinsucciilent a substance ns leaves; yet one year's experience will sat isfy them of the fallacy of this view. Leaves are all: 4u1de ; "or," Tri oilier words, there is not a particle of their texture which is not capable of being converted reniily into the food of plants, wiih the exception of a v ery Might residum of earthly mailer, and even i.JWt. whoUv- w4lh.mHu-ahie m- the-) , - . . ... . , economy of reproduction. We know that .... , . . . our forests the decaying foliage furnishes the only measure received or appropriated by the trees, and that this is amply siilliciuut to pnsh forward the most giganlie productions, and with a rapidity rarely uhserved in those which are transplanted into cultivated lands, aid tended with the most scruuplous care. Let every one, therefore, who has crops to feed, or lands to enrich, lliink seriously of this subject. EXPERIENCE., ySPEI On Ihc -MM EEC II OF MR. WILEY, liiUtal'mttide.attluJiim'uitmiiti. of a Superintendent of Common SclioaU and for other Puipotet" Mr Sckakkk: It is not niv purpose to make a set speech:' nor am Lam bilious of no toriety in tins Assembly. My desire is to do good to carry a purpose which 1 deem of Ullicli importance to the peopie ol ftorlh Car olina. To educate the ieoflo of the State should he, it seems to me, a subject of great concern to her poliiicians and slatesmen: a suhjeet w.hjrh ought to engage ilia minimis and anxiuus alleution of this Assembly. Uyeoiu niou coiuwhV howevefi this mutter seems to oe teu. to mt- eetnl care at - least no one yrms wimt.g gnncmreme.a. tFe,fwmncHcit-rri riefmfih STasii Trom which I would tladly be 'delivered. Diffident--! am, however, .1 will not shrinti'from the periormance of my duties to die public; and I w ill endeavor in as brief and p'ain a manner as possible, to com hire this --Su:tt4itf:ju,eii Uill under consideration. It has been well considered and strongly recommended by the very intelligent Commit tee on Education; and though a great many other bills and propositions were before liiein. tliev'iiol only selected this one as best suited to the exigency of die times, but have endors ed it without recommending a single amend' incut or alteration. This "anction mig!.tt:nthil mahinery, and then if it works hadly we sure success to ordinary bills; but the one before us, proposing to create a new omce and being of general interest, ouaht to be well understood by those to whom it fate is now committed. Mr. Speaker, since I have been of an age to take an interest in public matters, I have given a good deal of attention lu the subject uf education. 1 regard the education of the mas ses as necessary to the stability of fret institu tions, and as especially necessary to the coin fort and happtnes of the people themselves. The establishment of Free Schools in North Carolina gave me moie pleasure than 1 have experienced from any other public event; and 1 have watched with increasing interest and anxiety, their progress and effect. The system so far has not fulfilled public expectation; complsiuls are heard 'hi all quar ter, and a remedy is loudly demanded. What is it! To solve this question, 1 have jiersonally examined ihe systems in other States have even rone, for information, to to the Vaiikees, holding it lobe right to get useful information, if I can, from an enemy, and knowing that the Now England people. with all their taulti, bays been eminently sue. crssful and judicious in, regard to the subject ol education. I have witnessed their system and those of Pennsylvania and Delaware; run versed with their officers aud correspond ed with them. I hire also attentively exam ined our own sysietn.and compared our law and llmir effect with those olother Slates. After all theae-pains, 1 ha e arrived at this conclusion: That our laws, as la a they go, are generally good and suited to the subject and the state. imj at tar at Ihey go; and the radical defect ol the system is, that it i not complete. There ie no head lo it; there is an excellent machine, but it ia inert matter and has never been provided with a motive power. I he wisest law win not sum muter them selvesthe finest systems need a controlling, goTcmhtg; ertiiBIiri'flnSlple or "agent to put ihem in operation. Our school law are good, and they provide for the appointment of local and inferior agent and officers; ' but these inferior officers act wilheut concert. 'are, in a measure, irrespon J.sih.8. because Jlwre-is to call Uxni to account, and the Legislature, the author of die laws, t ignorant of their effects. Nobody know any thing of the operations of the system beyond his own neighborhood; and when complaints are made, to the uener. al AssemWy, Jrumtfma: lotitner it has w leg islate in the dark and at random and never at terward know die result of it policy. I We aie beset by clamors lor reionn. Ian any one tell the precise nature of the evil! to be reformed? Have we any authentic infor mation before usl Sir, we are informed by the report of die President and Directors' of tha literary fund that spwardi of one hundred and eighty thou sand dollars is unaccounted for in the hands ol chairmen of boaids of county superintendents; ana they suy that Besides this iinmense sum. there is an "indefinite ainouiil" in llie hands ol priv ate individuals who have filled thesa equi ty olfiees. What does this mean! '1'liut a sum twice as large as the Whole revenue of the Stale is in possession of men wito l.iil to inform you, and are not called upon to-mfornr ynn of ils application; and . ihjil a sum un known and which cannot he ascertained by our-present laws, is applied doubtless to the puiHi.ies of private sjieculaliou and may be lost to tilt Slate. Whit are lliey who have : this money belonging lo rhe State mid raised for a sacred purpose! Ilowiniich have they of the common property! Ilnvy long have they uses! it! Wjiocananswcrtheseqncrthms! W ho eau n il what ta done with the known sum of 8180,000, not accounted for! Is it doing good for the public! Is it diffusing light and knowledge among the poor! Or is it us ed to oppress ilu poor, in note shaving and private speculations! I mean ho reflections on any one: but as a representative of the peo ple, I have a right to ask thrse questions, and it is the duty of us all to ask them. Who will answer utf Jlere, sir, we see at once the necessity of a haul; here we hare overwhelming errtrlmea that laws will l.ol administer themselves. All these ebuirmrrt of county hoards who are county treasurers are required by law to make an annual report; this yeir, about forty one out of Seventy-nine have complied with the law, and in years past about -a duaou. The law commands them to report; but at prexent its command is a mere brulunxfulmen, and little heeded. Now one object of my bill is tn appoint an 'Officer ti attend Id this very imjiortant Ulat- ler;., lo iiae ttmui olocrci mlw hirndfes--tro money, to call to account those who do, nnd who will he the ollicernolof i county, but of the StHie, :)iidaccouiiml)le lo this body. The bill makes it his duly to ascertain the amount, location and condition of the "indefinite sum" alluded to in the report of the President and Directors of lire Literary fund; and Intake steps for ius immediate recovery. He is also to look after die 180.0U0 in die hands of ex isting officers and unaccounted for; and yearly to hold all thesu county chairmen lo a strict awtilint, lii ehfofcB ilie law against itiose w ho mis-iuiinatre lite funds, and lo keep llie rep resentatives of the people fully informed of thff situation of nH tire monies distributed from the literary fund. Hut, Mr. Speaker, there ismother. and as 1 conceive a conclusive argument iii-favor of the appointment of such an 'iffieejs; It is an iinpi-rative duty which we owe to our own selves and the Slate, tn find out die operation offtiir "own laws and to -auu nJ them if ihey are defective. The subject of education is all important; niidUM .Stale bestows about one hundred thousand dollars annually on this object. What good has it done! What good is it likely la do! We ought to know; nnd we can h( informed only in the manner point ed nut iii iny bill. ,, ,i ;,..,; :i;v , ; . liculurs can we change them for the setter! Frequent changes are injudicious; uniformi ty and certainty, dungs greatly to be desired in nil laws, cannot be attained when the laws are. .uficnx our present system and give it a lair tnul be fore we change ii! W by act in the dark if we can have light! The people are beginning to understand the system ms it is; if we often ehange our common school few. - jwy will cuuUiiuo tolw nwperatne wtd Pfoyea-eoVwarrt failue. 1 .1 Lei us, Ihcrefore, infuse a living aoul into this body; lei us apply a motive power lo can wisely abandon il for a belter. The Legts lature, too, before it acts, will be well informed; it will know what has been done, what is doing and what may be expected. '1 he officer provi ded for in my bill will report progress to the next meeting or this body i he will present a great many facts which we ought lo have and which he only can furnish, giving us a minute, com prehensive and complete picture of the opera tions of our school system, of its defect and of its results tip to that time. It we can obtain such information we should certainly make no material alterations in our school system until we gel it; we should not act without it, and yet the cries of the country demand that we should act in some way. Then it i most safe, most prudent, most (talesman-like lo move first to obtain information; we ran obtain the requisite information by the provisions of my bill and we cannot obtain it without some law of this kind. Desiring, Mr, Speaker, to propose meas ure that would make our common school lysletn meet the justexpoeiations oflhnpubtyc, and having anxiously deliberated on thcyjrat ter, I have concluded that we ought to ap point a General Superintendent; and the rea son on whfeti tfqs conclusion is based hare been partially given. I am satisfied our law are in the main good, and need only an officer to see to their faithful rxecutien; and I am e aaaily" well satisfied that if they are defective we canniit so pronounce ihem, nor judicious ly change them, until the law changing and law making power i put in possession of fact which can l obtained easily by an o nicer ap pointed for that purpose, and which cannot possibly be obtained in any other way. Oilier duties are assigned lo this officer in my bill; and die mention of those duties will show the necessity ol such an agent. He is leqiured, by llie advice and concur retire of the President and Director of ihe literary fund, to prescribe a uniform set of books tove- read text brmks in each County; and in the discharge of tin duty lie would ol course consult economy and prescribe work best oiled ind most easily obtained. Il cannot prescribe without .the concurrence ol the President and Directors ol the literary fund. jM meythjdMpnng, Humji-04 power in mi mane., was 10 prevent me pos. sibility of improper speculation in 'book, or of any attempt to effect .political purposes The frequent change of text books ha be come an intolerable nuisance; II Impose heavy tax on the community, and retard lh progress of Students, and especially of young children and new beginner. The Free Schools are kept open about three month in each yean and a things now go, the students can siuuy onty uiree mouui in any one oook. It is a familiar fact, (hat child can learn best in hi own book; and if he is allowed the same book, he wilr'confiniW to'makc"f)roi rrena, though often interrupted in hi atudiea, A it is, he is just beginning lo learn and be come famdliar with hi book when the school is dosed; he is then kept at home for nine months, and when he starts again, a new book. which is all a mystery to him, is put into his hands and he begius "again, not where he left off before, but at the beginning. Thus is hi progress retarded; and text books cost as much ua il would take to kerp up the school. . A remedy for thisil is ton Hy demanJed; but it is nobody's business to redress it and if any one has the will, he has not the authority. . The mini annually llishuied is sm dl; hut with the taxes levied in each county, it i suf ficient to keep at sctionl, three mouths in eve-1 ry year, every child ia the "aisle. With this three month schooling he can, in ten years, hecomo a scholar, if properly liught, and we should, therefore, we 4hat his Ixtok lax does not kerp him at hoinf.sfid that he gets Ihc full tieneiit of llie money appropriated by law for his luiiiou. To do food il must bu well, faiihfully and economically applied; and to effect these objects, do 1 desire a general su jieriiiteudeiit. . Il is also made his duty to issue circular letters to the Fx-Jiiiiufng, Committee of each County) the object of w iich is to ensure, by his instructions, bctteffescher. He is also required to publish an annual statement of the number ol licensed teachers. of cich sex, in everyxountv iu the Stale, and ofliievcraga ivinffies paiil: Tjy IsTliich means a generous rivalry to increase the salaries of their teacher will be created among die Coun ties, and teachers wauling employment will fcn-iw w-here-m gnto find it. " Having, Mr. Speaker, satisfied myself of the absolute neccnrily f r a Ceueral Superin tendent of Co nmi.tt ici.ools, 1 was met by tiie irrave questipii, hovy is hit. to .ha. jtatdW' Leg slators i;ene a ly are extremely close in money maimer rflie!T;"'',winir 5Ke t casury nnd ready lo clamor against any bill thai proposes a new appropriation. 1 will not say dial other motives than a de sire lo serve the pulaic, soiueliuiea prompt op position to appropriations ; though 1 may be pei muled lo remark, ill t such opposiliou is not alwav s true economy. I was once present in the House of Repre sentatives in Washington t'lty, when a bill proposing to expend $500 was introduced, aud i saw. j m'J'.nber, (I sbimUl aall him dr-ma gogue,) beg the House for two day lo prevent llie assage ol the measure ; interspersing Ins discourses with many fond and endearing -terms applied to the people,-and wiih many lervent prolessions ol regard lor their interests and iheir fiscal concerns. I made a calculation of the cost of his efforts'lo save $500, and it a- in muled to some six- thousand dollars, each day's session of the House costing some three thousun J dollars... ! L .- . This man wished tn pass, in his district, for a great economist ! and doubtless ho secured his object a re-election. Now, Mr. Speaker, my bill actually pro propnscs to are vast ' sums of money that are in a way to be lost; aud it is sln designed lo render mure.. efficient and niiire : uselul, sums thai are disbursed aceordine to liivv. Any necessary expenditure of money to t save a greaier ainmiui, is irue economy ; and such, I believe, will be the operation of my bill. The Literary Hoard disburses annually, a sum greater ' than the whole Revenue .of ihe Suite; and to guard the latter, and manage it, and account for it, we have a Treasurer and a Comptroller ; who have to report to this body, while. their accounts are also semi-annually invesiignled by jnJ''i nalic"S CommitUe,'"wno' sit for days and weeks scanninf every item, and reporting In the Leg isture the result of their anxious and searching examination. Of ihe former and larger sum, which is nearly doubled by school taxes laid in different Counties, nn account is rendered to Ihe legislature beyond the general statement if the Literary Iloard ; and this general aiid meagre report tell us that an in definite sura is annually misapplied to private speculations, and that one hundred and eighty thousand dollar ha stuck lo the hands or jr. the pockets of officers who do not care to tell what they hare done or mean lo do with these monies. We are lold that thev a re all respec table gentlemen ; no d'ltibt they are, but 1 have never heard tliatjany amonnt of respecta bility i a sufficient Kuarautv. in well-governed Stales, for the faithful con 'uct of Treasurers of the Public. Il certainly, in my judgment, would not be an extravagant, a or wasteful use of the pull lie funds to appropriate a sum sufficient ui enforce the accountability of agents with whom are annually deposited the interest in two millions of dollars, and a sum nearly e- qually as large, raised from the people by iaKnnipiunusly in this Hall, without proper ation, full, Mr. Speaker, I did not wish to come in conflict with those who might think differently ; I did not wish any Bill, which I deem uf so much importance, tn harem en counter the proverbial indisposition of North Carolina legislature to the making of new appropriation. After easting about for the means ol avoiding this bar. I happily found them ; I wss niabled to fix on a plan by hich lo par the Ueneral Superintendent without taxing ihe Literary Fund a single cent and by which something will even he saved. Under our School laws the County Courts are annually In elect a Hoard of superinten dents of Com. non School for each County; and three Superintendent appoint School Committee men for each School district in their respective Counties. It is the duly of the ncliool Committee men to build nclionl hquses, employ' teachers, aVn. A.S., and to make return to the Superintendent. 1 he SuMrinimHfcnttjrimLm tat Chairman ; and with this Chairman are intrus- all the School monies of his County. The Committee men and the Superinten dents, with the exception of. the Chairmen, get no pay ; the Uhairman, who generally ie- siile at iho county town, reeeies for bis ser yt-trlttm-oriwo tno r ttalfrr r;i, on all monies which pass ih rough his hand. His duties. Air. Speaker, are by no mean ar duous ; he performs but little more labor than the other officer and doe not perhaps con same ten 'whole day m Ihe year, in Ihe busi new of his eflic. And yei for tliis lie -fs moat liberally reward od j and but eompensa tion in soma counties amount to mora than one hundred and fifty dollar!. Gentlemen can' cipher for themselves;, let them take the a. mount disbursed in any one eon nly and add tn it the sum raised by taxes, and they, can ea aily find out the sum paid to the Chairman of cnjpcrinwnocnM ' -' 1 My bill proposes to tax the aalaricsof the eountv Chairmen ; tn allow tjicm bul one and a half if r caiif, and the sum saved amounts to thj salary propod for the General Superiu-1 lendenu One and a hslfner ernt, will lie an , iiipw aiiH)r kh- mii-wo v.oairmen; anu i u i l ...I .... .1 .l.: i .,,,'4 answer tor it mere win oe lound in every county good men, intelligent men, who will discharge faithfully all the duties of this office for such v compensation. The Chairman of my county is an active, faithful and intelligent officer he takes a lively Interest in Ihe Coin'u School system, and is in every vvav well qual ified for hi post. He is one of t(ie best of ficers in the Stale ; and i feel prlVcily sure that lor one and a half fr mil, ho would, if called for, continue the discharge, with undi minished fidelity, of the duties of the station he now fills. Hut, Mr. Speaker, the very small counties may be exempted; the four or five Chairmen who do not receive in all more tlnn twenty live doll irs may be allowed lo receive two anda hall rr cm, on Ihe monies they disburse, and still we will save enough to meet the ap propriations contemplated by my-hill. We will not only hesble thus lu now a salary for a General Niipcriulrndciit.-but as the sum dishorned for School purposes increases, we will actually save something, in addition, to the Fund; and still we will have as faithful, discreel and intelligent county Chairmen a we now have. As the system now works,, aomc .ofl-lhaiie-l-i Chairmen use for years the fundsdeoositedwilh them, applying them lo private purposes; anil then when ihey come to settle with the Treas urer of the Slate, they doubtless retain (wo aiiita h:ir per iehl, f vr eticfr veaf. "for ihe trouble ofhaving applied the money to their pri vaie speculations ! The Sultan of Turkey, as you know Mr. Speaker, used to keep in bis employn numer ous body of soldiers jralled , jililissiirics; . .,aud lliese tniops came, in tiine, to lie the masters, in fact of both sovereign mid people. It is said that when a troop of ihem marched on any service ol'lhe Sultan Ihey would seize and appropriate tn iheir use the poultry, eggs, beef and butteofd whose houses llie passed ; and if called on for payment, instead of making it mey would present a charge and force ita collodion. Tin charge was for teelh-manet: and the peasants whose substance hail been ileviHiretl, had to fwy the evnwnneT tlif "tllH flppllfallofl tit tii teeth lo this purpose ! I do not mean to com pare the non accounting Chairmen as a body to the janissaries; many iff them are honest, correct, conscientious. .uiciu... IJuL ina'aticc have occurred and might iiccur under our sysiem of a praclire similar lo thai alluilcd to, Mr. Speaker, why not iftake ihecxeriineut which I desire! Il will cost nothing It can do no harm, and it must necessarily lurirish us widi informationyAre w to acknowleilire th tonr systeia silcferlive and refuse to amend il! Are we lo doclarc before the world that we cannot make a gnojl system of common schools! to eonfesa thai we have made a failure anijljuiiHrpiiig rharge which must not go unan- raMooi uo ocvieri ti wu vv e rti-atrn ursi wno ,l)ad tried the expcriiueut of establishing fie r . .1 i .!..!.. I. ... i. r ... I schmds we inighttmtike such a confession and avoid disgrace bvjdeclar praruc.iuic nuo visioimrv, wniinnrrs nave sue- ceidl and if(w pmcJawn oonielves incoin- pelent to the task ol Iraming a good system and give up the cause, we will but publish our own shame. Rut it has bwn siid several times that the sunt ti j) ji roji riatcd b); taw" "a too siiiatl to do any good; nd therefore, attempts al Improve ment are objected to and even ridiculed. This, Mr. Speaker, is to mti strange logic I dont tse the fores ol this reaaoninfr II is as much as lo say, as the sum wdljwe'JI LPSfHUUl lo oe wasled wo'll ie( llie people we could not manage Ihe Literary Fund because it was small, and ask for more that we may be en abled to husband it more carefully aud apply it with more prudence. I supposed lhat he who ia careful over small things is entitled tn be advanced lo higher responsibilities; and lhat he who misused hi single talent should have taken from hi in even the little that he hath. I supposed, and still think, lhat the surest way to induce the people to increase the Litera ry Fund would he to s.itisfi y them thai (fie pre sent Fund i doing good, and is prudently ap. plied; I believe lhat the strongest and most telling appeal to thti generosity und public spir. it of the community would be nn elficieulsys lem. managed In the best advantage; The very fact that our Fund is small. is nn argument in favor of careful leirislatiuni ibis very fact appeals to us lo see thnt It is not I squandered, that il is closely watched, judi ciously applied ind strictly accounted for. Hut, Mr. Speaker, I must say, and 1 say It with due respect for llie person alluded lo, that our Literary Fund ha been spoken of consideration; lhat they who so spenk hare either not examined a matter which they con temn in such sweeping terms, or are not sul- fictently familiar with the intereitl," WluitloiT, waul and hatnis-of ihe masses a to enaule them to initiate or understand a system of ben cficienl legislation. I hey who are educated at a eost of five hundred or a thousand dollars year m iy possibly be unable lo understand how otmirs can be instructed for two dollars a year; but, sir, their inability to understand ihi mailer dona not disprove llie fact. I he amount distributed by the Literary Fund and raised by taxes will average two dollar per head for all the children in the Slate who cannot or da not attend subscription schools; and two dollar per head, if properly managed, will kerp the schools open lor three mouth nut of twelve. A child who goes lo school three months in every year for ten or twelve years will be extremely stupid if'he doe not become a good (cholar ; and you know, sir, and I know, lhat thousand of bright and useful Intellects have received their polish Willi fewer opportunities In Philadelphia,' where they have an admi rable system of ire school lining on tnewk? iahlo amount of 'giiod,'ihe average per scholar of the sum distributed 1 l liltlo over lilt dol lars, and in these school, with this sum, where, the cost of living is at least three times a great as it is in ihe country, in this latitude, the indent are thoroughly taught in alt the brtmcrlei of ah English education, and inmost of the practical and useful sciences, In some of tha Northern State the tun does not aver- ge nore thii hvu.larr ami 'Wltti this Ts educated a rac of men and Women'who out wit u in every thing, who supply ns with all the fabric lhat we use, and who are our en gineer, our miner, 'nureiapliereanJ his torians, our uiaiueinsiicians auu asuuuoincrw. The salaries paid to the teacher of our free schools have been characterised a pitiful; and wa are told lhat no one fit to teach will engage for uch paltry sums. PI.- i l J. m-L Mr. Sneaker, about fifteen dollars monin. sometimes more a sum winch, 1 ac-' ., . ... .. . - r-- l knowledge, is very inconsiderable, compared with the income of eminent attorneys, owner of factories and extensiva plainer j ..buC.it would be a matter of vast importance tolhree fifths; ave to three-fourth iff the t peclable men sni women of Noilh Carolina. We cannot all be great lawyer anil d no tors hut a small portion ol us are horn lo rich inheritances; and three-fifths of llie men and women of North Carolina toil at occupa tions more laborious than that of the school master and for much less than fifteen dollars per month. j- Wo may not now Iwjdda to get lint! rale teachers for such suites riml as the masses become educated (fixj" ynuiig men and poor young women will blmiio our teachers, snd we will he most abundantly supplied. A great many boys, with dispositions, as liberal ss mini now follow the plonv and handle the -axr for less than fiftermhillara pct momh; and many thousand girls, whose reins are crimsoned with blood ns rich as that which mantles the checks of the proudest legislator, and whose hearts are ns pure, whose instincts as refined a those of otir fairest belles, have to toil t the loom, lo delve ami drudge in the oowt fields, for li sj th'in tnie'tliird-nf fiftPeTl dollars per month. Many of these have al ready been rescued from their htnl condition by our free schools; ham he;n well insrifc!-" ed at them, and ant jrlaJ lo.luiiliB..fiirSi!fiye. dollar in three -inomlu in a manner' ihnse hulv-like. more suitable to the leidemesud, delicacy of the female cnnsliiulion than are ihe occupation by which lhey- wer making bnt forty ia the "year. " With' this forty-five. the t atajiuuljltsj . wktl i hisffwamT better schools; then Uiey teach another three months and again return In the dearer Semi nary or Academy, thus learning others and ac comri'ishing themselves. Th'ie, sir, who understand the wants and die. i mures! s of l)t poph will know tltt h is a true-picture; they know that this is be ginning to he the practical operation of our own system of free Schools, and that in a short time the competition for the charge of the schools will b? very rcstijrfiUiaaaltfs fy of fifteen dollars per month. In Massachusetts, where all classes are edu cated and all occupations crowded, their teach ers generally do not average more than fifteen dulUiCi. per. uimiUi,.jis-tlM -report which Uuld in my hand will show; and yet fur ih is sum ihey employ the most shining talent and the most varied and thorough accomplishment. Mr. Speaker, it may he too late In (he day lo speak of the general importance of our frco. srhrmbrrimd I must Confess ir","lhat: 1 feel awkward in making Jlia attempt Uut I have heard expressions in this JI that I feel bound ti niMtrWgriueral tiiid swered. Our System ha bnttn denounced as a hnmhrjjr nd we" h ive been lold that it is better lo give up our literary fund and ap- Suppose, sir, it were e'nert b.ick'tn the Treasury; what would we do wilh il f Would we not be in thu condition of llm man who. won an elephant at a mllle f Cmdd we dispose of nur money! ' Ten thousand plans npimsed a thoiiMind elashing interests would call loudly fir appropriations se jtionhl feuds and sectional auiinosilie would be Mused to a fierce intensity, and thrsn lulls would he disgracod by scenes of strife that would split iui .SiaiM.. into Jwoeful- felift. -and tell wiih- lasting injury upon every indiiatrial and eve ry liberal pursuit. The moral effect, too, would be equally disastrous and Nolh Car olina would be justly entitled to the derision of the world. ' I can never consent in this retme-rade mivemsnt; a long a I am honor ed with a seat in this Assembly I will fight against such a policy. We are, Mr. Speaker, the most ignorant State in the Union, and are we not just as far behind in every kind of Improvement! vPu!i H' .neak.wheik Jjajr .Carolina is the most ujimrant Slate in the Union, I might to explain why she is so t and, for this purpose, and to do her justice, I must beg ihe indulgence of the Hotiso while I make short digression. .The Stale was coloniasd in an ag i of biirotry, and il was seiiled by those who couMtioi endure the faihinnablo "confir-f mny or the tunes. U.her State were cuhv nixed by fugitives fenm pcrsecntion but lliese" fugitives had cherished creeds, and Ihey came hi the Americnn shores to enjoy their rreeds, snoNp force others to embrace them. Every toneybolieved himself right, nnd i II others vvrunif ; and il was charily lo reclaim, the er ring hy force, and to destroy those who were in a siate of titter reprobation, ll was an age of fierce theological controversy, and nt wild political spreulatinnjxituLthB- school, and sea's of learning were nurseries of bigotry and intolerance. The witch doctors, the jesuits, and the bigot of Oxfoul and Cam bridge threw a discredit on literature in the es timation of some and those were the select lew, the un-liiieul progeny who wished lo at tend to their own allairs in their own way. In the laneiiaire of Mr, llancrofl. the histnrian of the United States, these were the freest of Ihe free and we have his atithcrity for saying they took op thoir abodo in North Carolma, Tlwse simple people, diflerimr from all the prnpsgandisia of tha age, desired imply lo be let alone, to be left lo follow na tuieand their own consciences; and before theycame here,, were like travellers lost at iniilnight, in mountain p isscs, bewildered hy Ihe glare of a thousand glancing birches, anil the- bawling a mwy -wrsrc.dtr riritW To escape from the uncertain and flickering light of jarring creeds and of fighting sec taries, they fled in search of a land where na ture shone with Unclouded liihti and thev found it in this sequestered and even now not tttufh ftsientcd iwgin " - , Learning and higntry were with thom y nonymou term I and ss might lie aupposed. ther made no effort lo promote education. Th ubject was lolallv neelected t and that stupendous fadure, the Fundamental Const!- Uvua tL L.arnluia, the emamvtinn of genius pervertcn oy Art, following and oppressing ihem in their exile, brought a mill farther scandal on JJ terauim. . Ivor- long time there wa not an mcnrporaHd publie achool in the Province; and the Ignorance of the inhabitant became proverbial. A palpable effect of thi was lbs slow advance which thev made in the c?!0i!tjlUB.lJai4,y Ihey are as moral; and as itid.ustriotta aa any people on earth. .; ... ' ..,..;... ','. :' About forty year ago, tha Editor of the Raleigh Star sent out eirculai letter to all ihe .1.- c. . t . r f - . " "B - -r.. cennnr Ihe nrorres if nomilar eduralioa. Eicht or ten answers were returned, and are still preserved.; and 1 observe that they all complain of the general prevalence of igno rance, most of ihem intimating the number of illiterate people at one-third of the whole pop- . ulation. . In 1810, we had made some advance the census return of lhat year how lhat there were fifty-six thousand sis hundred and nine while people over twenty-one year of age, who could not read and write anil the total white population over SO year old, two hun dred and nineteen thousand four hundred and eighteen. At lhat time, therefore. a little over one-fourth of the adult white population could not read and write. The same relurussimw lhat there were at school including al college and aradeink, nineteen thousand four hundred and uinety-lhree students; and lhat lha whole number of while children over five yean old and under twenty, wa one hurv dred and eighty-five thousand una hund'ed and thirty-five. Shortly after that tints, our Free School began lo operate; and .though, for tha want of just such an officer a my bill provide for, wa have nn inthorixrd statistics of iheir effect. - Taiid'lhoiigh 1heytiad necessurilv to contend with many difficulties, I am enabled lo assert that they have vastly dimiuhdicd the ratio if illiterate children. il nn .OMifidtiuLAtajwl -kstlhajtfprJy ihuar (iittd children now attend onr school every y ear ; and I am equally confident that the nam beivmmuaJly increases more rapidly than tha population. Indeed sir, many of jhe, new res cruiu who swell each year, tha number en gagd in seeking thet'drrcaimn- at The common fountain, come from the rank of thoso ver ging Inwards twenty ; and is I know froniae tual observation, not a few are above that age, and some even advanced in life nil arconipa nicd by their own childien ! oir.coulcinplata thi picture- tHtvmetrtiThww alinolj." have been open some aeven or eight year, and they have not diminished the number at academies ami college, which from tolerably correct data, I can safely estimate at no tea than wwMbrntiiiiTaTlTTtn " have shed on thirty thousand darkened souls, the invigorating aud healthful light uf knowl ed". j ;', ' ' Three ihourand school hnus.t have anrnng up in dessrt plttflend are -now humming - with embryo poets, htsrorians, statesmen, phi losophers and (tins and d tughler of Progress: and among I t increasing throng lhat seek these sacred portals of light, come eautioua ago, and glowing iiuuIummI. winch d with airy - ynmh and simple hearted Innocence, Illicit one who return 'healed of hi in- Mid before the census-taker shall have started uHin his third tour after lha first opening of these schools, fashion and .public opiukni wilL. have declared in their favor, and from Macon to Currituck there will be found nosreurt real-.. Ting place for ignorance. Mr. Sneaker. I make sir deductions frona ftictt. and facts which 1 have hunted at for nivsell. iiui, sir, how many know theso facts! How many, even of our professed philanthropist, take the pains, die ledionaand expensive uotiuv to aacerlaiii tJicml i hese are fact; and yet so totally ignorant are we ol them lhat intelligent men can bold ly, in thi hll, assort our ay-stem lo bs a hit tilling: quackt and demagogues can attack it with impunity elsewhere, and the enemies -ivf cdirestioft be itwrcnrid WOTtHttrtertn-tl and "" sometime applauded, when thfiy lalkeil of ta xing away the fund altogether. I his last ' party i increasing through our ignorant of the operations of our Own laws; ambitious In terest have fixed covetous eye upon the school monies, and Iheir hope to clutch litem, daily increase. . Every body u proposing change legislator make random elianrea ahd get random information from local orator? anu aucn Clashing .01 views, surn a variety of propositions wa never heard on any tub- jnct befitre. - All Uiis can lx easily prevented by my hill; the mouths of the enemte of Ih system ran be slopped, and legislators can think and look and acl for themselves. Tha ' reports of uur superintendent would also vin dicate our Stat before the world; and hi re ports and his statistics, showing each County what it nrk'libor w duina. would , be cer tain to create in honorahld rivalry amonsr them, and would itimnlalo friend of educa tion throughout die State. At present thin great and leading interest of education w with out a head ami a tongue; it voice cannot be heard in the Hall nor over Ih Common wealth, while enemiea tinker, and injudicious friend are bringing it into con tempt at bom and ridicule abroad. For myself, I ran say that in the vicissitude of a life not long, bul somewhat -cheqth-red, Ir ha been my fortune " to have seen a good dnsl of North Carolina. I have had a taste of all condition of society, and been a tolerably close obserrer of mm ' condition, wants, feelings aud progress of tha common people, the. laboring classes who) form ws great staple or humanity in every Slain. 1 have found that light is breaking in, upon them, and lhat they are beginning to ap preciate "ur tree school lystem winch t in vading nil the itrung-hnld of ignorance, slow ly buisurely cutting off il out-posts, healing its quarters and shaking tha very foundation of it ancient power. I hi i the true picture which Uns humbug of healed fancies present to lha careful spec tator, who takes hi observation on ihe prop er level; bul perhaps there a- soma who re lieve that the book of knowledge should be a sealed book -to. lbs )illioM.-l -Itsveheard - such opinion expressed, even by politicians; to comhai mem is not my province. I cars only eay, in answer now to those win may Ihmk o, tlutt in all my observations of human . life, I have found health,' comfort and JnitHiv gence dwelling together; and 1 haveTounili ,in looking into the history of North Carolina, that Ihe education and the amelioration of the con dition of the masses of the ieople have kept even pace wun eacn oiner. Wa have always had an educated cl in . tha State."" Our lawyer are as learned a any in the Union, our physician are skillul, and though the fanaticsuf Ohio have kiudly volun teered 4o 'imArt&taj tufKoav. Ita. usiji,, have alwiya believed, that Trom the mu ll i- gunce and piety of our' minister wa needed mi missionary aid from Ohio, Massachusetts or any where else. Our atatesmen too ore astute in political lore; and a scarlet on Vw. ,,, ... wing of the wind a long speeches aud as" "v' "Vi '" '" '' learned ipeeche, with as many well-turned period and rumbling aounds, a any other- professor of sound or author of words: bur
The North-Carolina Star (Raleigh, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Feb. 12, 1851, edition 1
1
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