....,,-- . . . _... . ..,, :;,,,,-„,, -,. , •:., ;. „--.: Tpl., : -:: . i ;:,:: ii l 1 ..,.,'1 . . . .a • , • 1 . . . _ ~ __ F .. . . ••, ' • , . , - • • • :---,_ •• .-.....--- -.---...--- • • -- - :,,•4,147,a 1 7$•••:"!'.' 7 ,2 •a , 3! , 1t , • . q - 4 .• .-- --- . . . . _ " .., T ... : i:., . . . • . ... -,. iii, ... 149 A I t . .... .. -, .. ..... . . . . .. . 1 _ AlliNP . , . • . . ' . . • ~. 1 . 1 • ,..._ . 3:.4. - .6ttrittOlt,: -Valais!! 4110. Mill -OF-- B• E. B. CHEL S E 'ESC'.,9 of Wilkes• Barre at the recent dedication of Aefinblic school building. at Hyde Park. . Publidied by request of the School Board, ' tend of the State Teachers' Association. Ladiei and i _Gentlenien :—I wish I could flatter myself .that I could frame [an address worthy,of this occasion and of- this subject. I speak in all sincerity when I'sity teat I , hardly know bow to address myself to you properly. I earnestly desire tossay something that will be remembered, something that will hive' beyond ,the' present '.hour,—that will' make an imprestiion Upon the minds of those who are controlling lite csuee Cf.education in this community, and. that *ill spring up and bear fruitereafter - to the 'common good. I ksel me r encouraged to hope s : that I may he able to l do so,, when I observe around me , .I these lasting and noble monuments to the 1 intelligencrof'your citizens, and the•sacrific ing energy which has characterized - their ; etTorts in the cause of common_ education. Well may yooassemble to day to dedicate' ' this temple of learning to its noble uses. Well may, yon be proud of year achievement, .aid well may you,indulge in the Most - ardent eel zealous anticipations fur the futureof., .yourcommunity,yrar people and your youth, I take it for granted that men who bare had the determination, the preseverance and the /eye for the cause sufficient to overcome the thousand. obstacles alwaye thrown in the way of an enterprise like this, by the prejudices cf some, the suspicions of others, and the mean,sordid,worldly-mindedness of still more, have their hearts sufficiently -enlisted in the work to profit by tiny suggestions that ex .perience or , bhserration may throw oatregard fess of the :coulee from whence they come. ' When refiecting-upon the. salient of Out, school systera I have - often thought that the' principle upon which it is based,—the foun dation ift — xut whi:elt its rests, is very imperfect ly unde r stood and appreciated by the masses' of the people. There does. vet seem to be that general intelligent conception of the reason why our government rakes upon itself the prerogative of supporting a great scilmot system by force of taxation upon all classes alike is ac,sardance with their meat's to par, regardiess_whether they have children to edu cate or it't,t • for, it hai been in - the • past, around IP:feature of the'qatern, that its op poets hale gathered most earnestly to battle. It is fiere.they have seemed to suppose., that they bad 'an objection founded upon principle, and I will do them justice le admit, thit, on its face, it bears more of that color than any other objection nave ever heard used. There is' an apparent Unfairness in the proposition to force one class of citizeas,by law,to pay for the education Of the child mniof others; but it seems to me that when we come to consider the principle upon which the system is founded, -- , when we come to trace, if we can, n-o principle• back and connect ti tuttinately with those great principle of popular government that underlies the structure of our social and political institutions,—when we come to show how niceliand wise; each part of our political machine is adjusted to the other, and how impossible it is to reject one with. :out disturbing tbe harmonious, workings of the whole,—l say when we come to connect our school system, 'through the principle up nn whiebit is founded with all these great - and fundamental principles of the government it.elf, and make it a pin of them, tben'it be comes the duty of every citizen who loves hi s government• and feels his obligations to pre serve it, to throw his objections to the winds; bear its burd s en without complaint as nne of the necessary incidents to the protecting of , his person, Iris property, his rights and even his citizenship itself. _ l ie is thus bound to protect the system from ruinous innovation, - as much as he is bound to prOtect the prin. ciple of his State sovereignty, or ,any • other principle of governinent, and if he feelsthat it - may sometimes.enCroach upon his rights' of personel acquisition, he is bound to regard I it as one of the incidents to a democratic government, or to a well regulated society, under which "we are all required to relinquish so much of our absolute righti as may be necessary to the well-being of the- whole people. Looking at the system in this light, every good citizen will rally to its mainten . anee with all" the ardor and alacrity, that -have ever distinguished the American people in the support of their institutions, as well as • their country's, tame and honor. And there is no difficulty, my friends 'in showing that our school , system is based on one of the fundamental principles 'of the government. It is not a mere arbitrary enactment, which has taken the forte of law through peculiar' ' influences 'brought to bear for the time being upon tbeLegirlatu re. Fartherestfrom it possible. It is the result of a grand and lofty idea in :. the science of popular governmem,—it is the • praCtical form and setroaece of the one great principle, upon which the Confederated ' : sovereignty of this Republic is based. By ' 1"% , 12 f system I mean, the general idea of popu -. lar education . by common sAools,_ and not any particular enactment for that purpose.-- And now do 'rots ask me on what one of the fundamental principles of the government I baie the school system 'I I will answer. That learned philosopher, Aristotle, once' . °bemired, that "it is of the very nature of a vepublie that the science Of politics belongs a like trieverreitizen, because there it is especi ally true that all citizens obey and govern by - terms, and are therefore pattiuipaton; in the - ' republic, - each in his- own 10t.7 This . was written many years before our government was formed, and when inch s government - ezisted nowhere on earth:.. The rights of the citizen town equality is the government, • —the doctrine that the power of government rightlybelonged to the governed, were prin ciples often spoken of and written about by ancient philosophers aid school men, but they were regarded as the vague speculations - .. of visionary theorists, of no practical ale to the world f and even not suaceptable of practical ' ; ope ra tion. But 'they 'have taken - . goiern mental form and substance in - our republic, and one of our wiscut',sistesmen has glyen ' expression to the idea in much better language than even Aristotle;—and in &sentiment that snmeup the whole mstier,--giving a whole volume of elaborated truth in• one short sen tence, "All are partners its tt republic." We have come then to the . Ant principle - - era B l eptiblie. It is a mere pikrinorship, of intereita,—of persooseerociited, fOi. the pu s tose of.government, and tite articles ,of,tha partnership are:lbe Constitution. TO this tirtigy, the sacredness of that iststryment.just as an association of individuals regard the contract epee which they enter a business ar rangement as sacred' in all its parts er -so sacred that when an one or Mott weeks to violate it, the la* B'o this country, with their penalties, and thei c cive power, step in at the bidding of another, and compel its oh. aervance. gall* yettivelves bow aptly then this definition of a Republic is, I hope, when you shall have opportunity, you will take the Constitution of the federal govern. ment and examine closely in all its parts.. Yoe will be strati ! : with the beautiful simplicity Qf the-instrunaent, and you will observe; per haps, as you never observed before, hew con cisely it defines the powers of the association. You will find that :shark provides the frame of the ,government, its officers, &c., it then sets ant to describe the powers and objects of the partnership. It lays down a schedule of rights That are vest e d in the government. It gives to the Leg islative department its pow ers for the regu lation of the concern, defines them with great accuracy and clearness. It then takes up the executive and judicial de partments and defines their duties and powers, and so through the whole range of the in strument, winding'up with the broad declar ation that all powers not expressly granted therein are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people thereof. Thus 'you have the partnership.of a Republic, Every maxis a partner,and the aggregate of the nation make the association. The Constitution is the contract to which they have bound them selves, and the general rights and interests of the people make up and constitute the stock of the concern. These rights and interests are equal for the plain reason that all men are equal before God, and the Constitution makes them all equal before that. We ; are all then, equal partnersAn the Republic, our interests are all •equal, our rights areall equal, and Our duties all equal. We govern the association' by the ballot-box; which is equally accessible to all, and through which medium thseperson poorest in wordly goods and possessions, has an equal poWer with the most wealthy. So it will be observed that even property does ont enter, in any manner, into the general consideration of this partnership. That - is left entirely to the partners themselves,—to operate as an individual inducement to main tain the association in its utmost integrity, for the greater the inter e sts the individual may have on his own account, the more im portant it'is to him that be should be amply' protected by the power and strength that the I aggregate association gives him. ' Time people then in this government con stitute the power,—the controlling pfinciple. They are sovereign within the articles of the partnership to do what they please.. They pass judgment. upon their rulers,--and -upon everything connected with the policy of government. They justify or condemn every measure that is origmated,whether for good or ill_ Their iudgment is.law when authorative ly expressed. They 'balm r ........ a.rtlarn _war ; they adopt or reject fro.' nnancial measures—measures-that the fate of Empires may halt upon, and that the destiny of countless millions_,may be controlled by. They carry out doctrines of foreign policy that may slowly but surely revolutionize the world. ; They carry their commands to the thrones of Kings,and register their judgment in the parliament houses of Nobles and Em perors., The American citizen who discharges his whole duty to his country—who in fact carries out faithfully his part of the compact as a partner in the Republic, must of neces sity be himself a statesman,---if not in the active sense of the term, he must be in a sense equally - important, that of examining - with intelligent scrunity every: question of public political policy, in its national aspect and in its relation with other ,governments of the earth.. He must at least be in his political -action what a jury is to the Courts t—ne. must finally pass judgment,upon a full exam-, inations of the questions presented, and that i judgment is a verdict from which then can i be no appeal. - These then are some .of the general obliga tions, that every man in this republic hasii assumed. The whole responsibility' of 0:Jell government rests upon the shoulders of the! people alikei—npon one so far as controlliogi its action is concerned, equally with another.; And now, my friends, reflect for a moment; how vast this-responsiPility is 1 To purchase' the privilege of exercising it, cost rivers of blood and thousands upon tens of thousand lives. - Heap together if you will all the woes of the Amesicau Revolution,—hring togetherr, the'mangled dead from all its battla fields,H gather all the sufferers and dying of all its+ . hospitals and prison ships,—let every tongue} have full utterance to all ,the body endured, —bring with them the bleeding hearts of all 'the - parents, the widows 'and orphans, and let their voice of mourning, all go up to Heaver together as one great wail of agony, and joe may have a faint eonception'of the physical price this Republic has cost. Then measure if you Can the immense and measureless hies:- siugs it basalready bestowed upon the Race, —value if you can the worth iv has been tb civililatiortand freedom, the millions it has &enthralled in the past and the eternity of millions it will cover with blessings in the futpre if Preserved,—slowly and purely as it is revolutionizing' the-erorld,and you have the value of its preservation, and the extent of the responsibility resting upon the people- 7 - the partners in this Republic, to preserve it in all its pristine vigor acid purity. Now _haw it is to be preserved I . . It needs no elaboration to show to an in telligent mind that the idea of our govern meat proceeds upon the hypothesis that the people are.susciently intelligent to govern" themselves., Here is the ground work of the system. In giving the sight of suffrage, the means by which the government is controllep, to the people themselves, it is to be supposed that every man who exercises it, is c.apablejof judging of thii,soundneris of tbeprinciplesr vovled, and the merits of the respective can i dato for Office. I admit that this may be viol nt presumptien,but,that is no fault Of the prinl- ple but rather shows the importance of .p o -1 siding for the general diffusion for edtrytti n sad intelligence, precisely the point to which ' our efforts are to -day directed. A Republic cannot long exist Where the pen ir ; .e are generally ignorant. If .proof of this . If evident proposition weser seeded, we might find plenty of evidence on Our own cost i• Dent among the Republics soTaUed, Sew.° and Southern and Central America, ' Rut it ill well understood and bye none better iliap 4be advocates, of monarchical govemmen. The-world over, the history of snob govt • "WE ARE ALL EQUAL REF ORE GOD ARD THE COFISTITUTION"—James Ruchanati. J 3 entrost i Ausquekanna QLonuttl,. ftunta, tursbag: Stoning, ,Stptembir 1854 resits has presented but the one unvarying 'masses of ignorance among the masses of the people. And another faCt is !a lso worthy of our notice in this connection, !which is this, that in all such governments, ;Justin proportion as the people have . bee.,& !intelligent, just in 'that proportion h 4 the sovereign been obliged to yield one peroga !ti ve after a notlier,granting theta mo re pit vilegn, More friedom,till in some instances, like Eng !last> for example, the throne only exists by suf :femme of the people, being-simply tolerated so long its it does not infringe upon the liberties of the subjects,—artd so long as it recognizes ;the fundamental principle—the tight of- the ,people to a full participation in the general 'affairs of the government. All this shows that in proportion as the people becamkintel ligent in that,proportion are they capacitated for serf-government. But the proposition is' too plain for elaboration—it is denied' or con troverted by no one. In a government then like ours,- resting - entirely upon the people's !will, controlled entirely by their voice, it can !be readily been that its great rock of safety ?depends upon the capacity of the masses to !understand the affairs of government for" for themselves. How are they to understand, or to be capable of deciding the great quest ions of national interests which are constant. ly arising and being presented to their judg- . meets, unless their minds are developed and ;enlightened by the principles of science, and , the great lights -of a disciplined education. Pf course they cannot be, and hence it arises 'that it is the interest of every partner in this Republic that, his fellow partners should be equally , or - more intelligent than himself. ,Such a mighty nation as ours surely requires lis much ihtelligencito control its affairs as 'any other nation on' the face of the green earth ; and it will not do to content ourselves with the idea that this Intel gence can safely be confined to a few, for we have ambitious And unscrupulous men as well as other na tions,—men who will not hesitate to secure their own purposes at the peril of the national welfare, if they can, be obtained in that way. In such contingencies what does it suffice if we have a few,-comparatively, who are cap able of weilding the national destinies for the !nation's good I They may easily be over borne, by that vast herd of ignorant and ,' - vicious, who are ever ready to rally :o the ,standard of bad and unprincipled men. We may consider the proposition then not ,only as self-evident but as volved and ad mitted, that this 'government, with all its priceless blessings,—with all its hopes and ,destinies to civilization and the race, rests ,entirely for its .support iiprin the intelligence and virtue of the people: To their care is confided the greatest charge ever comitted ;to man,—that of illustrating to the iro , the f gieat principles . of Republicanism' and aemonstrating beyond cavil the capacity of man to govern himself without the aid ofKings and Nobles. The future destiny of this principle no one can measure or foresee. In the three fourths-of a rentury in which it halt been in active operation here. it Las worked marvels Its influence, through our civilization fur ' reached'every people an earch where ever has had a home; and at this moment, like leaven in the measure, it is gradually wringing con cession- after concession from the hand of royalty in the old world,till, as we have every -- 'reason to believe, in its own good time it will leaven -the whole lump, and man will every where burst the bonds of lono e' and corroding enthralment, and stand forth in the full Ma jesty of his being, clothed with all.the attri butes of his Maker God. Such, my. friends, is the destiny of our civilization and the principle toxin which it is founded, if true to ourselves and the charge committed to our care and keeping. And now, my friends, I am prepared to show to our objectors wherein the school system Is founded upon - wise State policy,— wherein it underlies the first principles of our government, and therefore why every good citNen should support and uphold it as one et* the pillars in the edifice of our national greatness. "Sales republiecte supreme lex," —"the safety of the Commonwealth is the ! highest law,"-i's a legat•maxim as old as the Roman law itself. • We have seen that the safely of this republic depends entirely upon the ititeligence of the people, that they are the source of all power, and that it is impossible that ignorance, with all its train of vice and ' , de,gredation, cati long' gloved!' 11, c'retrt natlon ' and a free people. " The safety of the Re , public is the supreme law," ana therefore it is .that the government—our state govern i ments for all such . soVereignty is left to the State governments by the federal constitution, is not only justified, but.required by " the su preme law' s to provide for the people a gene ral system of education. The first duty of the government is to take care of itself,—to rovide for iti safety Red perpetnity,—and it is the duty of the cifiten to provide the goy-. eminent with the means to carry this out.— Whete then is our objector to the school ay's tern because it lays tater; burdensome taxes if you please, to educate the people I Ile is but contributing his share as a partner in the republic to the Common partnership interest. Ile is but discharging that great duty to his country—that country that throws over.bim the broad batter of its prcitect . tott, that he is bound to discharge as 'an American patriot. He is but contributing his mite to preserve what cost our fathers so mach blood and treasure, and Buffeting. He--is but discharg ing that high and holy duty that he owes to humanity and the race, towards carrying for ward and onward the destiny of American civilitation and fteedi*. It is not all of life to live for ourselves alone. The fatnre of our country our posterity,—unborn genera tions, all, all, have demands upon us. That God of nations, to whora we are indebted for our being even, also demands our service, as instruments in his hands to carry out his par poses among the nations--po ?poses comit(Oted with the blessings of civil rights and religions freedom, which - be has vouchsafed - to our own loved country,and committed tom own keep. , ing. 0! what a mean, ow and -narrow mind' that must be, that will draw tighter the purse string, denounce the school system as unjust and constantly throw'obstacles in the way of 1 its mission because it takes from him a few , - shillings, or - a few, dollars in shape of taxes, and perchance he has no children to educate. Well, suet a ,nian ought to have nctchildren and it may he another evidence of the good ness of Providence that he has none; for the • poor drivelling soullwoiskl wither teach them their duty to their _cotnifii ind their snit., nor permit others to, do it for him. , 'As a partner in the Republic, the government has , *right to demand of ever' parent that he t' , '. 4 li . ' rn• , devote his, child in some measure to the use of the State,—that be shall prepare him to dischar g e the duties that wkW_devolve upon him, when he, too, shall 4 called upon to enter the association of partnere,as an active aild equal member, and/no:man has a _right to refuse obedience to/this just requisition.— IL has a right . too/to take so much of his property as may be necessary for the use of the partnershipto protect its interests and the interests of (0 other members. Lycurgus, the famous Spartan law-giver when Sparta was a Republic, ordained that every child bore in Tie State sho - uld be educated by it— the rich and the poor alike, and no parent was permitted to interfere with that education, or cut short the time prescribed that his child should attend the institution of learning.— , So effectual did this prove in its ibtluence upon the State, that the government of Sparta remained unchanged for a period of 500 years, =--longer than that of any other government that has-been founded on earth. And so may ours exist and pass onward down the great aisle of Time unchanged, if we but discharge our whole duty; as partners in the republic, in preparing the American youth to act well -their part when to their hands shall pass its political destiny. The energy and power of the government will be strengthened and iii. vigorated in proportion as the people shall.be educated, and thus prepared to adopt and maintain wise measures of national policy at home and abroad. An intelligent people can never be enslav ed —= so an intelligent people in a free government, may so shape its policy and conduct its affairs, that it shall only in crease in all the elements of national great ness and perpetuity as the cycles of centuries shall roll by. down this train of thought and coming down to the' practical system of the present in our own State, I may observe that the signs of the time are full of hope and promise. Pennsylvania was slow to provide an efficient system of common school. The aht of the Legislature and its supplements which the law of 1854 repealed, was a start in the right direction, but it lacked practicability, vigor and force. Then, too, It Worked its own ruin by leaving its adoption' to the votes of the several districts,—some of which under the influence of prejudice, pecuniary or other in terests; real or fancied, would of course reject it, while others would adopt and attempt to carry it into practical operation. 'Hence one district would act upon the law while another would have no law at all. There was con sequently no system about it. What was law in one locality was ilia smother, as might have been foreseen the schools of the State were in confusion without a central controlling power anywhere. " What is ev erybody's business Is nobody's," and been common schools in most localities languished for the want of a stimulating power. The German element of the State, always slow to embiace anything like an lam:nation upon the settled maxims and habits of their fathers, were exceedingly tardy in taking, hold of the %vett They could not •bear the thought of dren. Their fathers had taught them to live independently,--to each pay for what he had and no mote. They did not understand that republittaniivn that would force upon them a burdensome taxation' whether they should reap 'any benefit from it or not. They chose to pursue the old and well-beaten path of supporting their select schools, though at an expense far greater than though:they had adopted the free system; and thus Inesorrie of the wealthiest:counties of the State, prev ious to 1849, free schools were hardly known. The friends of the free school felt the inade quacy of the law most and labored zealously to prepare public opinion for a thorough and radical change. In the mak ing of that change s ( had the honor to act an humble pert, and whatever may be my desti ny in the uncertain future of this life, 1 shall carry to my grave the remembrance of my part in that struggle with more earnest pride and satisfaciion than all the other incidents of a brief public life. It was a long and an arduous struggle. Its opponents asked no quarter and they gave none. Day after ,day they hurled the shafts of eloquence, logic; in vective and ridicule each in turn, and as often as they were vanquished, returned with more _zeal to the contest/ The friends of the bill had carefully- avoided the fatal rocks of the old law. They bad given their proposed sys tern a head, a vital and centrilized power by the appointment of the State and county super intendents; and they *ere hold enough to place tie get upon the right principle,—that of ma king it a kw,—compelling the districts tanc. cep: it re gardless of their whims and caprices,' —their prejudices or their passions. They thus asserted the principle cr i the right of the goy. eminent to provide e setio - of system and coin ttel the people,to sustain it. It became h'law after one of the most exciting and certainly dee-of the ablest contestd ever fought in the Rouge of Representatives of Pennsylvania,— passing that body near.the closeof the session, long after the hour of midnight and by the force of the previou' question. But that was a bressed night in the legislative history of our State. Would that that body were al ways engaged in' as goocta work in its mid night hours! For look already at its achiev ments. It has- brought order out otchaos,-- 7 it, has given life, and.vigor and impetus to the schools everywhere, even in those localities of which I spoke 11 few moments since, you will ?ow' find some of the flourishing schoole in the State. It was forced- upon them, but when tried, it has driven prejudice to the winds where it had the most zealous oppneere verything is bright end cheering. True, much remains to be. done before a systent necessarily complex, can be fully tried in all its parts and such amendments perfected as 'it may need. We do not claim for it perfec- - tion, for that is a term. unknown to human legislation ; but we do claim for i ,. t a' nearer approach to that term than any system . here tofore tried in this Commonwealth ; and it is a^ Most gratifying fact, that. the opposition to - it has dwindled kern till it halt d'orrre, le/ be understood as a settled fact among the pee= pie, that in its - essential featurSa the school system of fliiinsileania is a fixed fact—a set tled principle in myr government ? And well it, is that it ebobfd Toe's°, ro:, lhat after all we most want is some 'settled line of policy, —something that can be relied tmoni—and then, even though it may lack ninny essential' requisites,still wecan build upon it, cultivate about it,and make a system that shall " bloom' and' blew& in due season.' r , But we beve system so far perfected now that. it most needs to be let alone by our law givers. Ilk is foun dnd upon the right principle,--that of the right and duty of the government to provide for the general education of the people=as partners in the Republic, and the ridiiiinistia tion of the_law in the bands of vCompetent then, will supply minor details. ' And now, my friends, surroneded by .all thee prospects that life calehlateit to give courage and hope and confidenee,we approach the practical business - of today—that of ded icating to its noble purposes this monument of your lihergity and pattiolistn;—this tem plain which if "Abe gods may not dwell," at least the minds of your youth shall be in structed and developed in the ways of science and of virtue. - Deepdrawn - emotionstrf glad ness and pride may well dwelt your hearts, as yon gate upon this edifice, now to bededica ted to the education of your children and those that are to come after you. • You feel a consciousness of duty discharged,—a duty to your country and your race You feel that as partners in the republic. who have listed out years of its blessingi—who appreciate its great responsibilities and who realize that upon you rests the mantle of the fathers'who have gone before, and who new sleep the long sleep, but whose spirits nevertheless hover over the transactions of earthi—as such you fuel that you have erected here a monument_ to Duty and your country. God blets the effett ) and lleavun smile upon Those who have made it I Such is our prayer to-day, and such will be the ear nest exelamation of hundreds of youth in the future, who will here receive that mental discipline thet shell prepare them to go forth upon the active business slid du ties of life, equipped for its responsibilities to their country—to God and humanity. But your duty is not yet done--your responsibil ities not yet etded. tour school must be properly organized, and then it will require vouresmstant and watchful care.. It still not do, my friends, to rest now wit h the feeling that all will be well. If a community would interest its youth in the subject'of edeCatiott, the parents must manifest a continued and earnest interest -themselves. This is best shown by frequent visits to the school room, by unwearied attentions to those events that students always look forward to with palpita ting anxieties, "the last day of school" with its round of exhibitions and examinations.— These are the pride of the child, and they are opportunities also for the patent to manifest his interest, and thus give encouragement to the youth that is lasting and most beneficial. There are a thousand little arts that the pa rent may use, so small in themselves and so depending upon the circumstances of the moment; that we cannot-repeat them in such an address as this, rind which serve to keep alive and in active operations the ambition and emulation of a child at school. Let none of these opportunities be neglected, for in vain will the teacher labor to advance the pupils, while at hoite the pupil is never greeted with a word of en6oiragement,—while , they never hear from the lips of those who sit with them etcrittui sue tamily hearth-stone an in quiry of the school and their O'dn' advance meat. But, further than this, you have du iiegieek .Lhclue will.Joevar he youth there is a great and holy duty id your country.. Yoti are preparing them' to' take your places when you shall have passed to the home of the fathers. The little boj is . now learning his a's and ab's who will one day wield the , iestinies of the nation. With in these walls will some receive their first lessons, who will go out into the world and give laws to a free people,—who-will one day occupy the Judicial Bench, be elevated to controlling posts of political honor, or fill the more humble .but none the less important po sitions of trust and responsibilities among the partners of the republic. How important that they should be educated aright. How important to that youthful mind, upon which impressions are always so lasting, that it should not be poisoned with those fanatic theories that alwayascarry in their.traitr an irreverence for- the constitution and their country. Here let them be early taught those great priecip!es of practical htimin freedom, that have already made our country the greatest and the purest on-earth. --See to it that they here learn to worship with patri otic devotion at the altar of an undivided na tionality, so that when they step upon the theatre of life, and tale into their own bands the destinies of the nation, they may be thoi oughly 'embued with those exalted and com prehensive views that our fathers cherished, and which have so far made. as one people, and our land favored of Heaven. Thus shall your coun try,—your and those Will Conte aftertem.Thed : spayewiiibless you,—the orphan's, here instructed aud pre pared for the greet battle of life, will cover your memories sififf benediction's, long after the sod shall Wive grown' green' ever yoir graves.. My friends, God bless you. all, and may the richest favors of Heaven ever rest upon this enterprise which' we trod dedicate to the noblest purpet?es of the present and future. BURS UNDER. THE SADDLE. A SKETCH OF THE TtsvoLuvolr. During the month of March, 1778, the British army being in Philadelphia, and the American forces at Valley . Forge, the Anfuri- . can contretinuer. in -chfef wait dosirious of hav ing some information concerning the state of affairs in, the city, and desired Captain Allen McLane to pick him out a few trusty men for the purpose. McLane selected five of his own men, with Sergeant John Marks for the leader, add sent the latter to headquarters to receive instructions. Marlin was - a very young man to be in trusted with important services, being only twenty-one years of age; but :McLane had frequently erarkstl. his conduit hi camp and field, bad made hiMself acq'uairtfed with his character, and knew that he could-be tho roughly relied on. Marks was a lank, bony fellow, with thigh cheek bones, PORI.° jim, and Wins large month ; but be - had a fine, expressive eye, his features were decidedly noble, aad his countenance,entirely under his cadre!. With this he possessed great power of mimicry, whicirbi3 used to show offl freqiteilfy for tbs. amusements of his com rades; and had a reputation for shrewdness. His musctrlar system had not yet received its full development ; Bit his iYablis bid made him almost as Active as a panther. He was fully instructed byrilenral Washington as to' the information desired, and left at dark,' ar riving ins short tie 'Pon a nnedy;.oo: the Schuylkill.. At that ... point histrtrel N. icrOWs the oOuvitry, anri,by means of by-Waya with which-he was well acquainted, barring been raised in The neightiorhood, evaded the scouting parties of the enemy, and arrived at Montau - 'before 'il,ark, ~.f ere he posted his little troops in 'a cedar hollovroVerlooking the river, while`he, in the disguise of a country man, with a sack of regetables;vibieb heirad stolen,from a .gaid`..Triiti the heigfilicirbotid, rode hi - to-the 'city_ lie , not only escaped de tectioh, bhf sold bits:vegetables to a number of tiowh's oaf, Was takento the Generals presentee . , and in retort Tot talse information in regard to Washington's, managed to learn some facts, of imPOrtfusee. Promising to re ttirri in a la* tl I With hiqm vegetables, he was enabled to leave the town _leisnrly, with a passport in hia pocket, and some sugar, calree Winl other 'articles of like nature in his SRC*. !ointd his mend without suspicion, about nightfall, and After 34 little party set out en its return. ' Now, hadMpr . kkept . hia course by which hiscacarpe; ,, it is possible he'conld have reached the American lines - in food time, and safety. But it happened that *tout a 'tile frirfii.,the river, at a point nearly opposite Spring Mill; livedalarmer by the name of Mdllvane,who, althodgh a quaker and now-combatted% was well dispOsed. to the`,..inerican cause. Moll vane bad a daUgbter named Priscilia,a young and handsome girl, to whom _Marks was strongly attached, but who had never betray ed any symptoms ofaffedtionin return.. The house was a half mile or more out of the former route, but loier_like,,the trooper took his men in that direction. It, was late in the I,nigbt when he neared the place—the moon was down--yet it. was probably some satis faction for the young man• to look upon the building where be supposed his lady-love was buried in sleep.- As they silently and 'swiftly'-fia'sseri along, the watch-dog of the farm, began to hark, the inmates were alarmed,' and a light at one of the vliaciws showed them to be stirring. At the slime niothent a boieeman it s :ode:up unex pectedly from the Shedd's' , of a small patch of woods on the left, and challenged the new corners. The answer was a Pistol shot- from Marks, *filch tumbled tin/ atialfeirgert frOm his horse. A general stand from the fica's‘ succeeded, add was answered by a bugle call a short distance ahead. Atarkir found that he hi4.l come upon a post of. the enemy, and dashed on ,with three. At the turn of the road's hundred yards further, they found a small detachment• formed across the path. As the Anieticans knew . . that the road forked on the other side of this force, and ttiir chance to escape were good, if they could reach the left hand road, which was a mere by-path, to be !Mate, by only one horseman at a time,they charged,sword in band. Three of the troops managed to break through and ' escape, but Marks arid a,stout trooper by the name of Gahi, from Bucks county,were inter cepted-and obliged to cross swords with the enemy. It proved useless to contend with superior numbers, by this time reinforced by others from the farm house; and aftef a short and severe contest, resulting in the death of were taken Prisoners and chmen mem :d-tne house of Ifellvane. Marks was filled with chargin, partly at his folly is tatiog the most dangerous path and partly at leis friatility to Oonvd . t to the &di- - mander-in-cldef the valuable information he had_picked up in the city. lie veiled his tnortificaticrO, however, in a cool and careless demeanor, arid in reply to the. lieutenant 'commanding the British detachment, said that he had been out s pn a foraging party,and bad lost his way, and managed to get rilirfost within sight of the chit before he discovered the blunder. Priscilla., who, with the rest of the family; was now awake and dressed, saw, but apparantly did not recognize MaTks. After some more epmtions which were an swered in what seemed to be an open man ner, the lieutenant directed the Americans to be bound and guarded, in an tipper roam of the houie, there to remain until morning. By the way of comfort, be gave them the assurance that they would both -be haricld as spies. Marks passed a sleepless night; it was not alone the prospect of an ignominious death which troubled him ; but he had le. i tied enough id the city to ktravt t'Sat a' et' - rise movement similar to that attempted_ o the privious 4th Of December, against the )t meii can forces via's set dOrrti for the . following day, and was aware that it was entirely unex pected. He resolved varldas titan's of escape in his !full, none of which appeared to be, practieible, and finally concluded to dismiss any premeditation on the matter, tend he merely crepared tetatte adientage of utex . pected' @rent:44lo'de% A's for Gahl, he took ,natters life a phifos o'pherotlid snored away all night in happy unconscionsitall of his situation. • At daylight the' pfiserners were brought down and placed upon - the p'o'reit, While Draper and the men under his command took breakfast in the house. The horses :of the 'troopers( with, those of Marks aud , Gahl also, were all saddled and .hitch'e'd tq the fences, under ilia charge of a little Suotchman tiann'ed Idarberson. Priscilla,accompanietl by J.Aeide nant Draper, cedar out, the former .bearing some food. After/it was partaken' of, Priscil la laid the dishes, knives and forks' upon the beech i 6 the poidtr, and listentit a i - dith• appar ent interest to the questions pti;l4 by the lieute nant. The lattei, BY wall 0 encouragement; assured the Avericans, that if they gave true statements; theii lliiii would be spared— otherwise, dilly would Certainly be hanged. Hi their left them for a short time to di gest the information, Priscilla remaining be hind.' The Quaker girl still appearing not to recognize Marks, said to him, loud enough to be heard by thii toldihrawlitYwhere passing to and fro: . . • • "I-would. advise thee, friend, to tell all thee knows. Friend Diaper keep his word with thee. I am' sure." . - She then added in a low voice :- 4- "Keep still, J'obn, and t will save thee. Answer to what. I say, but pay no heed to 'what I 'do." • . Vark caught kr intent ta a' Moment, and cried aloud ' - . -at won't turn - scoundrel, Miss, for fear of death, even if t had' any surety the Captain , there would keep his *ord." " - - Chlier conversation followed, and tiseilla,, who had omit:sealed a sharp case-linifer in her ileeee, mahagiuttO cut Ate topesitith which the Plhteeel 4 handl were 'tied, without ohser- ' Yellen ~. cautioning teem at the same time not - to rittivaillogri.''','Stie told tbem that the Lieutinitat l 'ii6rieN one of . which was . 1-- tioluiitt-fi : ,';-*Xittrif iii. ridden by his servant, and both standing nearest the gats.rere the swiftost of_allZantl then weanut and eichaiiiid some light ob servations. with McPherson, patting and ad miring the varionsihoeses r One 43' Mutt' kept a dose watch :upon her.and noticed that -she passed something under the saddlenlothr of each. horse ; but ebe did notlity, her. bands . • oft t . .,.t.S4s,hersts or the Lieutenant. ,Pris-4. - cilia , urneti,Presehtly,and.witto significant glance.... the captives • entered tbeTbouse. amlengag Lieutenant Draper in a conver satienr, ~.• • ifcPbersOn e meanwhile thud noticed that some manceuverm as being made, and came on the porch- to inspect the fade= nines ef,the prisoners. As be did so Gehl, who was a very powerful man , , strtick•him between the two eyes with hia-full force; tsnrY the Scotchman fell baekwardlfinmthe raised (lour to - the grrbilnd,strikint his s head likaitiit a stone so severely as to takeaway his senses for the. time.. Before the alarm could be given, Marks, and Gabl were mounted on the officer's .hoieeklied galloping furiously 604E0 road. Draper rushed out and huried,tristola shots- lieing ineffectual # ordered , inirsnit: • But the party had not proceeded a doEeq yards before every parse grew restive, and at length utterly unmanageable .: All attempts, to control,them were in vaitr, and the &met growing more furious, unseated trooper artei trooper, - The single exception was in Marks' own horse, Wliteli Draper had Mounted: Ifs was quiet enough; but Draper happening tci . , dismount in order to examine into - the cause ot_thr . 3 troble , the steed galloperfoff after the master, whom he ultitilatety overtook. • After considerable time was lost, it: oe.: curred-to thelieutenant that , there was some trick iii the matter. The horses were stripped, and it was tound that the sharp .burs of Abe burdock had been placed tinder every saddle, and had fretted and galled the animals al most to madness. - By this linie the fugitives. bad too stet dill The suit was aban doned. - Aboit four miles'ln'rther on Marts dad. Gatti fell in with.three troop ers Of the istiemii. The americans were withoutsabresi, but there were livirits M i llie holsters, and with these they 'Eatletr two" of their opponen t s. The third fiat-spurs to his horse, and turning tßfsird the ,crois toad; iscipid: , hYarEi and his . friends were in too much of a hurry to pat: sue him, and rode on towards the camp,wbdro they arrived that afternoon. The information that lilarks ,brought: was of esseritiaT earii6e. The British arrived during the night, but found such formidable preparations made to receive the attacking columns, that they quickly retreated by the road they came. Lieutenant :Draper mistrusted nibitin; who denied having a &fa hi,the wondered very much where the burs 11'Q teen obtaMed, at that season of the year:, The truth is, the girt bad got them from some.un- - combed. wool which lay in an upper charlbeY; the sheep a the farm having gathered' them in their rambles. Thus two kindi of none eotabetants bad plaYedipiportatt parts in the matter • but the Lietilenan't never found that l aieb-Aretr tlasaaari_ tn . lament_the_loo mounted pair;' 'tor ,his .showy had been strapped' behind his saddle, bath' proving of great service to Mark. Marks and Galli were promoted. The Int ter was made a sergeant, and was killed /ti t ter< wards in a skirmish' at Van Dam's Mlll. Marks served thioligh the war, became ultr-. mately a, caßtaini add distinguished himself in' several aMiois._ After the war he retained .to Chester county, and Priscilla became . Ws iiife She became a jolly, contented' inhydri, and lived to a good old age, surviving her husband two years: The deseeralants of the' couple stilt !tie years: . and. Montgomery counties, With' th'e exception-of a' grandsonl, George Marks, who is, or was recentiA a thtiviitg farmer in Vinton county: TAE NO A SHOWER BA 7H: Doctor—"Pell, bow did your wife manage that shower bath; deacour Deacon—'She lid rear good luck.. Mad anici l'ifoody totclitar how she manage. She said she' had a large oil silk cap, With a cape to it, like a fireman's, that dame all over her shout deis; • tioctor—" Sheila' fool Ifor het; pains that is not the way." •• - t. , , , ...acuit—u SO nip wift\thought." Doctor—" Your wife did nothing of the sort, I Impel". Deacon—" Oh, tap, doctor, she used an urn. brel Doctor—"Vhatf used an umbrella 4 Znunds !• ihat•kood did the abOwer bath 'do her?" - • , Deiteon--" She raid abe felt. better, She eat iitider the 014felitt; for half an hour; till all the water litid irrelel4d off, and sairt'ursa cool' and delightful, and' like a little Aiorrer in summer" ige Two Irishreen,; on binding, in this cOuntry, anti sitting' d'oWn io their first dine ner, on the sliare, found on the table it' dish of prepared mustard, which neither of- them. had eliet.r http'peried_ to meet before. One or thed took a spoonful at a-venturei.wlficli quickly brought a deluge of team to-his eyes. ' " What, are you crying about I!' asked.his• companion. "I was crying at. the recollection. oft'tny poor 'father, who was • hung, about twoaly yeari. ago." The dinner . prOceedidi. andloon„ the-other made a dip into•the 19ustird a.similar •i • . result. • , '•\Shat errs cryineabout Ir was the grave inquiry of his coinpanion. • I was crying because you:Were nob hung when your father , war," or rt. is an "easy matter to , knock a - crotchet out of a crazy mateslead; ityou•catr - only ' , hie him right.. An old gentleman ' :who** head: was a little turned, alined' out to his son s one night: - "Abel ! Abell Satan has been` tempting me all night to go and , drown myself is the horse trough." "'Well, he must Be A fool," said. Abel," fin. [ there hasn't been a drop_ of waterio, it. for I six weekelr The old gentleman. turned over and went So sleep, thinking no mere of the evil spirits. Tun \Twill - "To Go."--Monsieur"Folaisei who is studying Pigyish, Gramm, snys.;-- "Ze vairb "to go" is se moat irtegularitent . in se Anglaise language. Yon beets - hiti.:. "I go—zou.departest-4eetesmont-Lwe b u t,. stick—ye or zou make tne4esksey ulate." - 163=!1E1
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