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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