THE'BEDFORD GAZETTE " • P['B(.l9lini> KVERt FRIDAY MORMNf BY B. r. fll VPRS, At Ih* following terms, to wit i $2 00 per enmitn, if peid within the year. $2.00 " " if not paid within the year. taken for less than si* months. ' ff?-No piper discontinued until all aire irages are paid, unless at the option of the publi.hei. It has bean decided by the United States Courts that the s'opptge of a newspaper without the paymeht of n'rearazes, is prima facie evidence of fraud ami as a criminal offence. ffT-The courts have decided thnt persons are ac countable for the subscription price of newspaper*, If they take them from the post cilice, whether they subscribe for them, or not. Original Poetry IMPROMPTU LINES #. On the Doath of a Young Soldier. "Bring flower?," the Soldier Boy is dead, "Bring flowers,'' to wreathe liis curly head, "Bring flowers," to lay on l.is pale, fair browb Fevered and wasted and whito like snow. "Bring flowers," —"Faded Flowers" ho loved— From out the grove lie often roved; "Bring flowers," and Joss them on his bier, "Bring flowers," but softly —tlio dead lies here, j Ho sleeps where Atlantic lashes the shore, And its wild waves surge forever more ; For on its proud bosom be breathed his last, And his funeral knell was the rushing blast. He sleeps 'neath the frown of the gloomy fort, lie sleeps so calmly thnt nothing short Of the trumpet's lilast in tliat last great day, That shall summon us all from earth away, Will awake him.. Oh! then wa shall see Him start from his tomb so happy and free, To his home on high, so lovely and bright, Where all is day and never more night. He sleeps lii.s last sleep, let him rest 'neath the sod, All stained though dt he with hi? comrades' life bipod 1 laet him rest! Let him rest! lie has gone to his God, Whose mercy and wisdom are boundlessly good. ' (SI!) c Schoolmaster Crl br o a Ti. EDITED BY SIMON SYNTAX, ESQ. irrTv achprs and friends of education nre roepert fully requested to srnd communicutioiibto the above, r*Te of %i ßedfoid Gazette," IRUKGUVJIR ATTESD.VN€I2. .7 Rt;ort read before the ll'iford Cot tub/ Tea Hurt' Mwciatioit by J. If. Dickttson, June 27, 18u2. Ms. PRKSIDENT : In t!ie report which your commUtoo !w ash ed me to make on Irregulir Attendee', Its Evils, lis CiiU'Cf, and Its Remedies, I shall Inflow the or itur suggest dby t'io wmilaof my thews, 1 i spedc 1 of ih> Evils of Irrnfulitr AUt nlinoo i 2, of its Cairns, nod 3, suggest some Remedies 1, Tho evil* of irregular Alton luico are of a fhtvef il I nai ore I Tho injury to the absent pupil, ttio injury to Uiu school, anil tho i: j iry lo the pub lic nt 1 irg j. Tbo n j jy to the absent pupil is always cicit aaJ sometimes irreparable.' I 1 tie high spiii) 'il. uuilod'OM alud tit rtito'S achO'l unil begins Ids ttturli :s with iu frfokt and energy. Hi- - a ts with Ida class and iu fcitjjldes to I cap pace will) them. As lie advrucis day after day. lie uiijerstiuita clearly every sti pol hi* progress, on 1 lovis his work, because in Uuiof st.'ivJs it. livery lesson is til tstuvd an! ov- rv dly adits to his enthusiasm. Every ilifileulf.y is tpot IlllU fullv, and he look* fmw.ird illi legit hopes and liij.li aspit t ot.s to tiie iiine when l.e shall he a ic'.oUr. .ittsl at tilts point in his career a low days absence may do great hum. liny chihdo I ir ver the spirit or liis dioaui. Under the must fivou'.jo circum stances he. on his r|d'irii, fl ids his elvss in advance cf I tm, and fei Is that he is not, as ho wish fore, master of the position. Perhaps ho I as, by his c,u uenci, omitted imp >r'tit lessons ou which I'utuio ones depend, and thus, without knowing ex-ctly why, finds himself utterly unable to in astut his tasks as he did he/ore, however mmfuly lie may try- Whit, hetoro, was only diihcull en ugh to inns' thatthirstforinteileetu.il conquest whmli is fnuud in every mind is now a sealed book i and he no 1• • ti per holds the Key tiy which its scents may tie mi locket. Ho iu iy try, probably lie wilt; but li s tries t norm. Conscious ol having done lisinst. It is lint rtrang' that he lifceem s discourage.!, lei X'S t i. rf loits, fulls rill further helrn !, sii I, flailly, ioai"g nil hope of keeping his pi ice, iatranslurred, bi'okuu rp rited, to a low r rliss, or, alisgustid iviiti books end school, abandon* boilt, tievor agiin to retb iie thim with his old Interest, ami never to r alia > his bright hopes of the Inture. it may tic said that this picture I* overdrawn; that the discouragement, if snv, will ho only touipor .rv ; that nothing s i mo ions will resnlt from so small a iliiag as a lew ilsys ih- Bunco from school. Wo admit tli.it tint injury may he unimportant slid temporary| hut we are fully convinced tint if may he, and is quite ns likely to he. important and permanent i an 1 that tho worst results of irregslir attend nice on the individual character of the pupil, that we have suggested, aro •Jtily Iteing rnali/, m 1 tn every district, and we had utmost said every school in tbs state. Bat admit ting the eft-ct on pupil* who aro irregular iu their attendance, to he lesss rious as a general rule ; still they must he greatly retarded. They lose the con nection of these! j 'Ct, no t with tin* must lose luueh Af their interest in it. They lose the incentive of daily recitation, and iho assistance of the teacher j and tbey do not form those ties, nor enlist. those sympathies which endear the school' to tbom aud them to the school. 2. Tlio idea in very pneritly entoftVined that if noma pupi's are absent from a school, the ottoM inty derive greilcr iivneflt; and aspectilly is this opposed to bo so, if the school isltrge. However plausible this may at first seem, it is in reality en tirely erroneous. Mfp think evury teacher wi I agree with us, that each pupil will derive the greatest ad vantage when all are present the whole time. It is assumed that each school can ac'cnimtindala c.mi fortably, all the pupils enrolled. Our school system Con tew plates nothing less. JSpl even in sc.ho .Is where there is not room lor all uor time to teach tbell*, it is f.r butter to have a full ntt than to liaVe the rl sses broken up and disqrg knitted t.y absences ; for if uccurncy is aimed at in ibec'assi fleiitlou. irregular nltctidanen w ill nuke the transfer •if frupils fioin Uglier to 1 w T doses continually oecefisarv. I* iip.il s ivlih are daily in their seats should wfttfliCfi —mur/ advance if ihe tnlce'i ris doing tiis dttty—While absentees do iiht.'bn'C ted advticlatt lisa general tule ritrngrado. Tfiifs if the c issifl eation was right at Hist, it must, in the nature of tlie ease, teen hecotr.e \\fn J g. I'n| i!s wilt} r< nfd otherwise innii trio tlnnsciMs c.vdi' illy, ate thus ontiMahtly f-tliaj t.doi.J rtieir eh's's, and lieing transfanyd to lower nhes; until the Idglfbr classes ere lntico reduced and the lower ones ruuch over crowded. It is true 1 thai'snmo changes must mko pt-jcv u'.dcr any cirenrr standee; but it is presume I i hut if the attendance were regular, as many pupils would ho transferred from lower to high, r classes, as from higher to lower ; thus keeping all of a con venient and, for the most part, p nnuiieet size, in terference wiui the classification is to t. however, the only injury tint the school sutTj's from irregu lar rtl/mhwrd ClasScs trust ol'tyn to refk'tlyil tlml •bsetitres inny TeClivcr rf.eirloki giouhd. Mmptv •■•us l,i\? a tendency to d-iop m tlie aiV of both VOLUME fS. NEW SERIES. pupil nr'd te.vhiir, "rijJ In iys the whole school must sutler (rom tho ileiii.qiirocv of a few. 8 Tlio It jury that lbs public ut largo auflVm from irregular nil. n lance cap never, in some of its moat Important feature*, be fully estimated. Itdestioys, In some decree, the usefulness end i tflciency of tbe scboi.lv, and n.u.it, to the same ex tent, roh the com munity of their bctirli's. Any diminution of the average cultuie of a people is a loss that cap nei ther be estimated nor atoned tor. Just in piopor tlon to such culture have always been the happiness iir.il prosperity ot the community. The public schools sco sup osed to afford tu Ti cultufi —a culture suit id to the wants of our nature, and calculated to make men and women useful liu nibeis of the soci ety in which tliey move and of wlich each Is an in tegral pint. No hs than this wis intended by tho |i in dcts of r ur system, and nu Us should he wil lingly received us its legitimate finits. If tlnu SDino refuge Io become tho recipients of its b!es- S : IIRS or avail tlomselves of Ilium ohly in put, a ci ruin i mount i I cultured Intellect is lost to the community, while ignorance, with nil its uttondant yyil.s, is at the same tin e increased. Klommila of prosji b iiy and lupphn s are n j of off, nod the seeds of e-.il planted in the body politic. Any one who I'.j .els the.SCho ,1s s > liem liccntiy j.rovidud by the state, and allows or compels n e|dld to grow up in ignorance., not only wrongs theci.ild but iijarestho state. lint 1 .icing for the present this vi-w of the sub ject and looking at it from a pecuniary stand-point, we find material for more palpaul) ami substantial arguments. Here wo luve data at ban 1 from which to estimite. in dollars md cents, the injury suff-red Iby Hie public from irregulir atten iance. The Lots ate rucg stive, and of a nature to awaken the soli citude of every frieud of tho free schools of our state. The schools cost the same whether the attendance is good or had. Teachers' services, fuel and con tingencies, school house ■ and repsirfiig, all cost ex actly as much. The tax payers pay for the educa tion of all tho children in the state, whether they avail themselves of it in full, in part, or not at ad. Ileticc, unless pupils attend the scbo li, and receive their houdllts, 1 the cost of their In'trmsrloii is money thrown away. It is plain, too, that 'lie loss w.H lie in the same proportion tliat thov tail to avail them selves nl the blessings ol the schools. Bearing this in mind, the tnul annuaiiicJ, the nVct g; atfend snes, the number of month* taught, ant the cost of Instruction |Ksr month, lor tucli pit|>il, as these tacts are leu oil in the Statu Superintend,ists Kupmt for ISUI, afford us a basis of caleul it inn from which j wo may dotei initio, with consider ih'e accuracy, tho j 1 INS to the stat", or any district in the stite, from I iriefe.ilar utter.ilsnoe. We cannot, however, ob i tain lOiults, rigidly correct, because wo have no I in r.us ol ascertaining the valu • oi school property. 3 h • Slate Supeiiniendeut lias, We believe, made no attempt to asrvrtaitTlitis impoitant item, llcgiv. s us tlm amount .spend"! in buying lots ami build ing in us's, but as this is a permanent investment, and not mi annual expenditure, it cm not he used in such a calculation. A result, absolutely true, would he obtrtiuel by adding to the above named it' tns of expense the ir.leicst on the value of all school prop erty. But us Uos last item is not within our reach, out results will he somewhat leas titan tho actual lois. It may lui remarked, however, that part—a wrv sin ail part we believe —> I tho startling discrep ant"}' between tho total and the average "(tendance is the result of providential c.iusi s. Wo do rot know I.orv much; hut as it would ho maiiifestly tin -1,1 ir to include irregular attendance Iroui such caus es i.i cur calculations, this would make our roMil s rather more than the actual loss. If, then, we let thesetno important but in leterniiuat" items Inlanca each other, we shall, we think, be sufficiently accu rate lor all practical purposes. The whole number of pupils in the public school* of Billfold B "tough, in Ititil, was 338, while tho avcraee a!!eudance was only 2-3. It will he See.it til-'-t the dUbrotcu between thcfnll and (ho avcragr attendance was 123 pnpiis. i'bi,,, lb) Borough paid for schooling 123 pupils mora than it actually schooled. The cost per mouth for each pup 1, was .03 or 2.20 for tlia term of four months, it will r-adily be seen, tliat the loss to the lax payers was 123 x 22;= $27-a.OO. At the saute rate if tho schools had he "ii open ten months tlm loss w nil 1 have t'ce'i SS'7 60, or a loss of 3d pur cent, oi ell the money expended. Assuming the saiue bans Slid following the same course ol reasoning wo luve prepared tlio following table; showing the total at tend nice; the average attendance; tlio loss lit nf letidme,: the loss in money for the time tins schools were netu illy open, the loss at the stipe rate I'.r ten moiiih; mil th'.- loss percent, on till nuney espetidedf fir each disirict ia B dl'ord county, the county itsel , and the State at large. U, __ b 'rs S ~ i Iss ? f ' ' 2s *a ~ „ S - . °<J a 13 * a M . cu a©• 3 S* 2 VWricti. 3 • g „.&•= 3 S3 8 !"-3 Bedford Hot, 830 223 125 2 2') $275 00 Beitlor-1 Ti>. 400 238 202 2.51 500 04 Hrna4 Top ISO 144 88 821 128.12 Colerain, 857 212 145 204 205.80 Cum'MM-land Val. 879 212 167 256 427.52 ItaiiUow. 108 112 86 234 201 24 llopwUl, 231 164 150 Ul2 241) 60 .1 u 414 220 104 2.00 888.00 Lit.ei lv". 274 )5l 123 212 260 76 l.miOdiiil/'rry, 823 101 162 200 824 00 Hour " 410 228 101 2.03 837 ,3 N„j,i v, 612 235 2,7 240 664.80 Providence, K. 868 201 166 2.16 858 56 Providence, IV. 810 197 113 2.01 .-,.13 SehellaOiirfl Ov>r. 182 114 18 1.4 •>! 12 Sub* S|..n,K. 237 I 95 200 0) 00 St Chir. 733 409 327 1,0 6,0 52 Union. 473 280 193 1.72 831.96 Woodl'WY. 51. oil 881 250 216 640.00 Wut.U>erry,- S. 435 205 140 260 _8G4.00 Bedford Co. 7598 4356 8242 218 7080.52 Pennsylvania, 006,765 384 752 212013 3■ 1 1 001 ,134 H -g'' ' r> s ar= | TUstrifh. 3 5 >5 BilCorrt Porongli, $687 50 $770.00 38 iio.lf.it - 1 Tp. 1,272.60 1,231 80 41 Broad Top, 307 80 602.64 20 Oiler,tin, 789 60 723 23 40 (Juvil6"i3itml Valley, 1.068 80 970 24 42 llarti.xOO, 575,'0 463.32 42 )r< .{<•■*■ ft,'* 1 624 00 511 43 41 i 970.00 823 00 47 U'tn'rfy, '' • 051.00 580 88 4 5 MHlK'iidrirrt;* • 810 00 616.00 50 M,.<tr„.< " '• 1 107 80 850.67 46 Njf.i >B. 1,662 00 1 2'28.8ft 54 Fro - id - ne. Mist 81)6 40 791 88 45 l*i 'vidt'iici', (Vest 757.10 623,10 36 Si'ltoHslmi'4 B'dvnUjll, *2 80 212 83 14 Snake Spring, 465 0(1 474.00 40 St. Gltir 1,4.380 0 1,295 80 4 1 Union, 829 30 812 56 40 WondhMty, Middle 2 850:01 1.319.76 41 WnnHUcrrv, Month !0.00 1,12100 82 Bn.lfi.rd OV.nnty, 18 165 20 16 594 03 43 Pennsylvania;. 1 250,870-70 1 877.820.53 85 We have r, m irk. d jli.il tlio vafiui.ufschool nrop erty has tint Imcn consid'-red in tho aOuvo c.llculo* tiorjs. Wo have ats , emitted ilio co.it ol n inuuts * pri n r lUp school system ; hut this cause oj error, like the former, would make our results less Uiau Freedom of Thought and Opinion. fr' BEDFORD, PA., FRIDAY MORNING, DECEMBER 19, ISG2. the uclu >1 loss, fleeco, if we have erred at alt, It j lias tioen by pres'tiling the case too favorably. Some Interesting inferences might be draw i from . the figures just given, but space will not permit.— ! ■J'lie grave fact is, however, manifest, that only 63 per cent, of the pupils enrolled in tbe public schools actually receive their benefits; and tluit of the S3 - j 00D,600 annually expend (1 to educate them, 3-3 per ! c -nt. is, in effect, thrown away. TMs Is laments- | hie. It seem* to us that it forebedes danger in the j future. Our school system is not wit,bout Me and j inflsential enemies. Thg unfavorable results of its ! practicil working, arm tli-m w'th argument*, which ! m'ght he found very d iHicult to combat, iftho qu 'S- ; lion should ever become a direct issue hefoitt the people. Indeed, before a people g-oaning under : taxation, as ours must soon tie, tt might tie found im p iscil le to do so; and, ttnl-ss the present working of, oir system can be improved, it is not impossible : that the school I uvs may he blotted from our s'at- I ut hooks, and popn.kir education discarded hv (lie ' Stile. Wo hoiie most earnestly that sueh evil days may not cmuo upor, us; but it is newistti! shut our eyes to the danger, or relax curt Hurts to improve and strengthen our system, until its foil to ] dafions ire too tiriuly ro-itel i't lift all") ttio.is of tin people to be shaken lij any events of tha times no.v : so terribly nut of joint. 11. Wo have already remaiked that, some of ths : causes of irregular attendance sre providential in their nature. They do not, however, it is thought, ; opeiatc to ntiv considerable extent, nor inteif rei nppreoiably with the Working of our system. But I asine (mm tberc the causes ure numerous. Every] defect of our system is a cuise. Irregular attend- J ance its. If is a cause. Like many other evils, it l propigatos its, Uiitd. Pupils are often absent from; mere lutiit, or liectnsn they wore absent yesterday, i atid da not k new their 1 .•sauits for to-day. U natiraotive school bnv.ses and grounds en use Ir j regular nttendauce. Buildings, dingv, dirty and i (lark, situ ited, perhaps, on some I leak Mil ton, j without n tree to shield them from the miirtnrer run or winter blost, present n'ontltnclions to bti/b'-eved joyous children. They do iiot tike to go to school in i such houses, and will use cve*y excuse to stay sway. 1 It as is ton often the case, they are without maps, ' charts, blackboards, apparatus, ventilation or com-1 1 forta'de seats, the case Is Mill worse. According j to the State Superintendent's cUirial report, two ' thirds of the scbonl bouses in the State ro unfit for their purpose, cither radically or for w.at of: suitable repairs, llence, about two thirds (nearly j 4(10,000.) of the children of the Stat- must attend school, if they attend at all, in unsnitahlo Imii.lings. | A l r g's number of these sulfur from beat it Hunted , near the stove, anil from coid if fir freiu it. Tic y must br.ullio impure air, and occupy suits that] j would have served their purpoi-i better il tiny had hneti meant expressly for instruments of toiture. ,Is it strange then tint many slum! 1 stay away of ; their own accord, or he kept away by their pir tits? Is it strange that sumo parents are unwilling to let j their children ruin their health by going t-> school i in such school-houses. It it not strange. Tho on- : J ly t.ooder is that there aio not mare; for wo have I reason to think that only a smail i>i t ol the irn g-' ] ular attend nice iu tie State, is caused by such cot:- j sidcration on tbe part of parents. Too oil' n they i | do not trouble themselves to ascertain whether! | school-houses arc comfortable or not. On l his, as j : on too many other questions cwnecto 1 with tha ' schools, parcels are curch sr and itidUTcretil; but if | they were alive to tlio importance of this subj ret, | bid School-houses would be one of tbo most fiuitlul j cans-s i f irregular attcmlanco. j 2. Tlij nhoituogs of the uoiml sch <ol term is I another cause. Its brevity would appear to be a ' rosson why no time should he 1 i.>t. Bill parents are j tco often gl'ldcd in this matt .r by their children If tb< y do not wish to go to school they ur> aliow ] ed to stay at home. The time is often too siiort I to itubue them with a love of study; th-y dislike ; it, and sc z; on every cxcut; to In ulisont. Mind m 'Voa most smoothly ri beslen channels. The ' child who bis never studied, will not at first h i< lute ! ly to love study. It is only what tbo min i bis be i come accustomed to intellectuil effort tb ,t such j effort is a pleasure. Before it cm become so, be ! fore the pupil is lairly identified with tbo school, or ] interested iu his studies the school Is out. an., be is i away to th academy, tbo farm or tlio workshop.— | 110 knor # this. He is aware that his tasks in the ! public school are only for a brief period ; and dots ] not feel them to be so important, nor strive to ac quit himself in them so creditably.as ltd wool lif I tliuy continued throughout thu year. I 3. Irregular attend ino >is olton tlw fault of the ' teacher. The school law of ltidl does n>t recog ] niza the temporary certificate. lis (rimers inteii■!- et that no cue should lie allowed to teseli in the ' common schools unless his attainment* entitled l-.Pu to thu professionrl ueft-thato i'orhup.s a leaialu tivu body has never been uxre egregiuitjly misti ken. \V h n tlio I.w cam jto b • put lift' ii wis found tii.it si iteely one toucher in ten was cq :al to lis r qnlrumonts. What was to lie done? Some plan u .vor thought of by the Legislufiiru, must bu found, or the whole system wou'd lall to t the ground useless and Impracticable. Aci i lug upon the well known principle tint no single ] provision shall in; allowel to render i'lopcrativu j uud null the whole nactmcnt, the Statu Sup-inn -1 tendent Ueteriuined to issttu what is ktiowti as I temporary certificates. Tim system x.;s put into operation almost eiltirelv with these, an I now, after n trial of ueriv eight years, only about one t■ • n*.ll ol the teachers iu the Slate mo uj> to tlu logil ! standaid oiigiuaity coiiUmpluted. Tint sum aid surely w-s not too hit It; ami wht'e such a leg pro pvrlioti of our teachers are hyh w It, the i niiiniiui setoffs can never secure the cnliletice ol all class es di the community, or tlio rogulir ultendanco of , tncit children. It is adufltted that ui ny liolii-ss ef : temporary Ci rtifleutes give general sitisfictiun, that they are rapidly fitting th uise'Ves for greater use fulness, and will evcutnilly become ornaments to I their professions; hut whilst nitre 'ent.us of our teachers are below the 1 gff standard, ininy of | th in minors, iuteinlivglo enter upon other pur suits us soon as they aro old enough, ami .whilst a large number of them confessedly uro not giving sattslactien to their patrons we cannot shut out ejus to tbe limoiliurng conclusion thai incompetent teachers are cue of tlio most ituilful souices of 1.- ' regular attendance. ] 4 l ire perversetiess of pupfls will alw ays cause ' some irregularity, however lavorable llie circum stances by wliicti llrey are surrnuiuled. All ' clitidreu are not angels, nor are they likely to be, 1 tire opinin of parents to the contrary notwith- I standing. Nor will all children love school and ! study even iu llietr must favorable u>peci* Give litem a palace lot a school-house, n I'age, a IS tekoraliiiiti or an Arnold lor u teuelier, and pa rents anxious tor tiieir vvblfare and progress; still | they will hate bonks and schools, and try every ; means in their power to avoid them- Lor such irregularity there is no remedy, not can there tie white human nature is what it is. 5 The causes tinw far mentioned are, rn our opinion, only secondary in their nature. '1 he great primary cauve is broader, und lies deeper. It is toilll l l 111 die INUIKPKItKNCB —tO 11SC 110 tlllfsll er lenns —every where pervading the putilie illind ou die subject of educudoti. Our people have forests to tell, railroads to build, lanns lo buy; in short, MONEY to MAKE, and can interest themselves but little on tins subject, ol such vital interest to them. They are busy with projects til at Will mal'.e the dollars pogle in their pockm.-; and ei die nil absorbing pursuit ol these, 100 ode.i overlook die intellectual weilure ol dieir children,, liu-uuess, polities, and religion are every 'where subjects ol conversation. Men iai.\ and SPEAK ol lliesp; but of education a vast majority of our people speak but little, and think still less. Ootids subject there is almost universal apathy. Remove this arid every other cause of irregular attendance, and every evil ot our system will disappear as certainly as the removal of cause destroys effect. That this is the steal pronary cause , is shown, we think by the school statisticso[ the state. H incompetent teachers, a short school term, and unsuitable school-houses, were the cbiel causes, tbo attend ance should improve us these improve, bitch, however, is not the fact. All admit a vast im provement in all these, during the past eight iears, and yet tire average attendance is but little belter than before. Only one conclusion can l e drawn; the public tnind is not keenly alive to the success of the common schools. 111. The true way to remedy an evil is to re move its cause. This is often, though not always beyond the teachers control. He can do much to correct the evil by h personal interview with parents, and by calling their attention to the ru i reus consequence* of their children* irregular attendance. If the subject be approached in a proper spirit, pome parents, at least, will see the reasonableness of his views,and aet accordingly. Not. however, that the teacher should be requi red to do this; for in our opinion, his duties are not to secure attendance, but to teach those who present li.emsehves. lint in the choice of two evils tie will often find this the less, and should therefore, choose it. Good effects are sometimes realized by compelling pupils to make up all lessons lost by tbair absence, unless they can present a good excuse; but this, too, imposes roach additional labor no the teacher, ami can only be effective where the pupil is ab-eut of his oivn choice. These and ainn ar expedients may dp some temporary good; but remedies lobe generally and per na.tently effective, must be (I*lolo comprehensive in their nature. Remedy pvery delect of our system. Build better school-houses embellish and beaaiify their grounds supply them with tasteful and com fortable furniture; and with all the appliances to make learning pleasant. Instead of hideously poly, nuke litem places of beauty and loveliness; and pupils will no longer shun their precincts, fir children love beamy and la*te!ulnes and will be alltacted to them wherever they are l.tnml. Establish uniformity eff books, and class ily the schools; lor without ibis a proper inter est iu study can seldom be majutaiued. length en the school term, so that teachers may have trni'e to imbue tire minds of their pupils with a liive Tor learning, am! that pnpiis may become so acensimtifd to mental effort as to make it no longer irk-ome. Enron rage a wider and more : liberal uulutre among leathers. Let them be at least equal to lire legal standard contemplated. ] Let them adopt teaching, if they adopt it at all, ! a |ifn business; and not as an expedient for passing away a few brief months, or earning a I lew imbry dollars. They will then reach a pro i (h-leucy and skill never to bo expected under , present circumstances; and be able to present learning in an attractive form - thus enlisting the feelings of pupils in favor of regular und punc tual attendance. All this will help to temedy Tut above all awaken a livelier interest in the public mind on this subject. This done, every thing else desirable lollows as a logical conse quence. A public sentiment keenly alive to the impoitance and the means of giving the rising "euetation a proper education will insist oil hav nig better teachers, better school-houses, longer school terms, and better affeudance, in language no', to be misunderstood or refused. Without such a public sentiment ns u basis other remedies will be only tymporarv and superficial. And why not have ii? Justice >nil renott are On the side ol tbo common'schools —public sentiment is in a great measure either neutral or against them- Let it be runted from its apathy or won over frorff its hostility. Men can not believe w hat they w i*' l - ''Ut must believe what lite evi dence presents. Public spmimeut can be chang ed on this subject as well as on sny* other.— I Teachers and lire friend.-- of education generally ! should lose no opportunity ol impressing their ! views upon others. If we pould enlist in this 1 can-e, such ste.il and determination as are shown !in the drierce oT patty principle*, the public ! mind would ftoon be revolutionized and our school system, instead of bring compelled to ' I ice tire humiliating I not that one third of its : lui,da are annually wasted by irregular attend i ance. would become the hope and pride ol our j people as its founders intended. Congressional Summary In the Semite, yesterday, various petitions wore, presented in favor of a general bankrupt net. A resolution was adopted calling for in formation in regard to the number of major and brigadier generals and aid-de-cumps not in actual service and drawing pay. In this connection. Mr. Ncsmith made some rather sur prising statements. A bill from the House re quiring that the amounts recovered in suits by the United States for duties shall be paid in coin was passed, with an amendment. Mr. Davis, of Kentucky, introduced a joint resolu tion proposing an amendment to the constitu tion of the United States to change the mode of electing President and Vice President. It provides in efleet tliaf each State Legislature nominate a candidate, and Congress choose from the whole number. The resolution of Mi'. Snulsbury asking information of the Secretary of War in regard to the arrest and imprisonment in Fort Delaware of two citizens of that State, was railed up by that gentleman,and an animated debate ensued there on, in which Messrs. Wilson, of Massachusetts, and Doolittle, of Wisconsin, took part, tlie two latter opposing the call. The resolution was laid over on account of the Bankrupt bill of tlie last' session coming up as the special order The Bankrupt bill was subsequently postponed until the 18th inst. In the llonse of Representatives, Mr. Conk ling offered a resolution, which was adopted, calling oit the President for the Inst official des pnteli of Gen. P.uell. Mr. Van Wyck intro duced a bill to increase the pay of privates, non-commissioncd officers and musicians in the army, which was referred to the committee on military affairs. Mr. Stevens introduced a bill to Indemnity the of tlie United States and others suspension of the writ of hli<vis roi-pnf, and for acts done in pursuance thereof, and called the previous question 011 its passage. Mr. Holinan moved to lay tlie hill on tlie table, which was lost—yeas 415, nays 88. Messrs. Crisfleld and Calvert, of Maryland, vo ted in the aflirmntive. None of the rest of the WHOI.G HVNBER, 3033 Maryland delegation answered to their names. After suggestions by Messrs. Olin, Cox, Colfax, and others, the bill was passed by ycti3 90, nays 45, none of the Maryland delegation voting. Mr. Stevens introduced a bill to provide rev enue for the support of the Government, which was referred to the committee of Ways and Monns. Mr. Wright, of Pennsylvania, offered a sc rips of resolutions condemning the rebellion and urging a vigorous prosecution of the war, but declaring that after the war the Southern Slates shall be received back with all their for mer privileges and immunities. They were postponed for one week. Mr. McKnight offered a resolution instruct ing the committee of Way:; and Means to in quire into the expediency of repealing the tax ed advertisements, which was adopted. Mr. Wickliffe introduced a bill, which was appropriately referred, for the indemnification of loyal citizens of Kentucky, who had sustained losses at the hands of the Federal army, lie made a few remarks, staling that negroes had been carried off" by the army, and in some in stances sold for the benefit of their captors. — Mr. Lovcjoy made a characteristic speech in re ply, and after the transaction of minor busi ness, the House went into Committee of the Whole, and referred the different parts of the President's message to the proper committees. Mr. Stevens, of Pa., desired to introduce a bill, of which he had given notice at the last session, to indemnify the President and other persons for suspending the writ of habeaa cm-pus. Mr. Vallandigham objected to the secoud reading of the hill. The Speaker said the question was whether the bill shall be received. The hill was read throgliout for informa tion. Mr. Mallory, of Ky., raised the question whether one day's notice of intention to intro duce the bill should not have been given. The hill was then read, showing that this course is necessary. The Speaker said the gentleman from Penn sylvania had already given the required no tice. Mr. Vallandigham of Ohio, called fur the reading of the notice, hut as the journal con taining it was not in the House, Mr. Stevens withdrew the bill for the present. Mr. Vallandigham said he should he glad to have a full house at all events. Mr. Morrill, of Vermont, offered the follow ing. Resolrcd, That at no time since the exis tence of the rebellion, have the forces and ma terial in the hands of the Executive of the Government been so ample to and abundant for the speedy termination of the war than at the present moment, and that it is the duty of till loyal American citizens, regardless of minor difference* of opinion and especially is it the duty of every ollicer .and soldier and those in every branch of the government (including the Legislature) cordially to strike the assassins nt oneo who have conspired to destroy our exist ence, prosperity and freedom, of which we are justly proud at home and abroad, and which we stand pledged to perpetuate forever. The resolution was agreed to—yeas 145 Win. J- Allen, of Illinois, alone voted in the negative. Mr. Horace Mnynard, ol Tennessee, offered a resolution, which was adopted, instructing the committee on Indian Affairs to inquire in to the causes generally of Indian outbreaks in the northwest, &c. Mr. Colfax, oflndoana, offered a resolution, which was adopted, calling for the official cor respondence relating to the condition ol -Mexi can affairs. The Speaker laid before the House the report of the Secretary of the Treasury on Finance. Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means. On motion of Mr. Holrnan, of Indiana, a resolution was udoptcd calling upon the Com missioner of Agriculture to inlbrm the House how many clerks have been appointed since he. entered upon his duties, their salaries &c. Al so, in what manner the sixty thousand dollars appropriated for seeds nnd cuttings have been expended. On motion of Mr. Noble, of Ohio, the Committee on Military Affairs was instruct ed to inquire what Legislation is necessary to secure tlio pay of soldiers in the convalescent camp- Mr. Cox, of Ohio, offered the following •. Rctto/vet I, That the word "assassins" used in the resolutions passed this day, offered by the member from Vermont, is intended by this House to include all men, whether from the North or .South, whether in or out of Congress, who have been instrumental in producing the present civil war, and who have been guilty of ffagrant breaches of the Constitution, and who are not in favor of the Constitution us it is and the Union as it was. Ou motion of Mr. Hutclsins, of Ohio, the resolution was tabled—yens 80, nays 81. Mr. Viillandighatn, of Ohio, asked leave to offer the following resolutions: Jltisolreil, That the Union as it was must lie maintained one and indivisible forever, under the Constitution as it is, and the fifth article, providing for amendments included. Remdvid, That if any person in the civil or military service of the United States slndl pro pose terms of peace, or except or advise the acceptance ot any such terms, on any other ba sis than the integrity of the Federal Union, and of the several States comprising the same, and the Territories of the Union as at the beginning of the present civil war, ho will he guilty of a high crime. lteiolved, That this Government can never permit the intervention of any foreign nation in regard to the present civil war. lieaoli-ed, That whoever shall propose by Fed eral authority to extinguish any of the Slates of this Union, or to declare any of thorn extin guished, and to establish territorial Govern- I month within the same, will he guilty of a high , , Battfi of One Squdre, three weekior leer,.sl )| One Square, eerh additional Jniertlo# leu then three month) • ($' 3 MONTHS • 8 NORTHS. 1 M** One square $3 00 $4 00 $6 00 Two squares 300 SOO #OO Three squares 508 700 J# 00 j Column 600 900 10 00 J Column . 800 MOO 20 00 4 Column 12 00 19 00 30 00 One Column 18 00 30 00 50 Off Administrator*'andF.xecutor'a' not! est $2.80, Au ditors' notices $1.50, if under 10 lines, $9.00 if more than a square and lets than SO lines. KStrays, $1.25, if but one head is advertised, 25 cents for every additional head. The spice occupied by ten lines of this site of type counts one square. All fractions of a square' under live lines will be measured as a half square) and all over five lines as a full square. All legal advertisements"will be charged to the peffson hand' ing them in. VOL. 6. NO. 20 critnc airninst the Constitution and the Union. Rsaolvert, That whoever shall affirm tliat it is competent for the House, or any other authori ty. to establish a dictatorship in the United States, thereby superseding the Constitutional authorities of the Union, and shall proceed to make tiny movement toward the declaring of a dictator, shall he guilty of a high crime against the Constitution and the Union and public lib-' ertv. Rt.mkvrl, That the unhappy eh il war in which we are engage/! wag waged, in the liegin-' ning, professedly not in any spirit of oppression, or for any purpose of conquest or subjugation, or purpose of overthrowing or interfering with the rights or established institutions of the States, but to defend and mnintain the supremacy of the Constitution, and to preserve the Union with all dignify, equality and rights of the sev ernl Stales unimpaired, and was so understood and accepted by the people, and especially by the army and navy of the United States, and that therefore whoever slmll pervert or attempt! to |>crvert the same to a war of conquest and subjugation, or for the overthrow or interfe rence with the rights or established institutions of any of the States, or to abolish slavery there in, or for the purpose of destroying or impair ing the dignity, equality or the rights of any of the States, will be guilty of a flagrant broach of public faith, and of a high crime against the Constitution and the Union. Mr. Lovejoy, pf Illinois, objected to the res olutions. All that was good was contained in tlioe of Mr. Stevens. On his motion. Mr. Vallandtgliarti's resolu tions were tabled. Yeas 75 ; nays 50. Yeas—Messrs. Aldrich, Arnold, Ashley,- Babbitt, Baker, Baxter, Beaman, Bingham, Blair, Blake, Buffington, Chamberlin, Clark, Colfax, Frederick Conkling, Roseoe Conkling, Covodo, Cutler, Davis, Delano, DufcO, Edger ton, Eliot, Ely. Fenton, Fessenden, Fisher Kranehot, Frank, Goodwin, Gurley, Hale Harrison. Iliekman. Hooper, Horton, Hutch ins, Julian, Kellev, Kellogg, Loomis, Lovejoy, Low, MePlicrson, Mitchel, Morehead, Morrill, Nixon, Pike. Pumerov, Porter, Potter, Rice of Maine, Riddle, Rollins of New Hampshire; Sergeant, Sedgwick, Shanks, Shcllahnrger, Sher man, Sloan, Spauldiug, Stevens, Strattqn, Thomas of Massachusetts, Train, Trowbridge, Van Horn, Van Vnlkcnburgh, Van Wyck, Walker, Wall, Wallace, Washburne, Wilson,. Windoin, Worcester—7s. 1' Nays—Messrs. Allen, pf 111., Ancona, of Pa., Bailey,|Biddle, Browne, of Va., Clements, Cobb, Conway, Corning. Cox, Cravens, Crisfield, Dunlap, English, Foulke, Granger,' Grider, Hall, Harding, Holman, Johnson, Knapp, Lnw, Lnzonr. Leary, Mnllorv, Maynard, Menzics, Noble, Norton, Nugent, Pendleton, Perry, Price, Richardson. Robison, Sheffield, Sthiel, Smith, Steele, of N. Y., Steele, of N. J-, Stiles, Val lnndighnni, Vibbard, Voorhees, White, of Ohio, Wickliffe, Woodruff, Wright and Ycatman— -50. Mr. Allen, of 111., risked, lnt failed lo olitarnj leave to offer a resolution instructing the Cap niitlce on tlie Judiciary to inquire into the al leged right of the Federal government to set at defiance the Constitution, laws and sentiments of the people of Illinois in importing negroes into that ahd to consider what action is' necessary to bring about the doportation of tho said negroes. Mr. Richardson, of Ullnois, proceeded to re view lbs message, observing that it was remark able for what it says, and still more remhrkal' lile for whnt omits. The one-half of the twen ty-one pages is devoted to the negro. There was no page, no sentence, no line as to bravery and good conduct of those in the field fighting t.) maintain the flag and the Constitution and the Union. No sorrow was expressed for the lamented dead—no mention made of the maim ed and wounded; no sympnthy was expressed for Ihe widows of the suffering orphans mado in the progress of this war which could have been avoided by honorable compromise, if tho President and his friends hud desired to avoid civil war. The sum and substance of the message was to tax the white man, mortgage him and. his posterity forever, to free, feed, clothe, and col onize the negro. When our people, anxious for the restorrtion of the Union and the retnrn of pence, look to the, message to see what infor mation they could get upon that subject, they could draw only by by inference that the war would end in thirtv-scven years, provided all the President's plans were adopted by Congress and the people. Hut then the Prosident gave the consolation that most of us would be dead by that time. Every proposed change of the Constitution was for the negro. No proposition was made to change the Con- i stitution for the benefit of the white, or to per-' petunte the Union of these States by preserv ing the Constitution of the country. The people will, in due time, compromise for the benefit of while men and not for negroes. He had hoped, that the President would PO conduct Itimsolf that he might accord to him his support; but lie had hoped against hope. The President had violated the pledges he mado in his Inaug ural Address by the Proclamation of the 22d of September. In the course of bis remarks, lie said that the effect of the Proclamation was not to re store the Union, hut only to free tho negro. Reviewing the military events of the year, ho vindicated the course of Gen. McCleJlan, say ing that he was removed, not because lie was incompetent, but beeaus* he refused to endorse the Emancipation Proclamation. The Republicans have been running the House and the departments of Government for the benefit of the negro. Speaking of the bill which was paseed to-day, indemnifying the President and others f-om the consequence* (rf suspendintr the privclepe of the writ of habi com". he raid the Courts will not sanction this reek if ?s and .tyrannical vxerciso of power. The* dominant, parte, he charged, has violated the C'omtitiidou and the law.
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