1821

ren rendered docile and quiet. The law cannot do the work
of Alladin's Lamp, but it can sow the seed and nurse the ten-
der plant until it developes its strength, and is ready for the
harvest. We must counsel our people not to be impatient.
To remember that the foundation is now being laid, and ere
long the superstructure will appear. Let the foundation be
well laid. Better disappoint those who are over anxious,
than gratify them by a sudden and short-lived development.
Had not the base been laid by builders wise
The Pyramids had never reached the skies.

Our motto is "to aim at the highest good with courage
and with confidence," but we are willing to proceed slowly
and cautiously. The General Assembly has given us a good
law. With a few alterations it will be entirely adapted to
our present wants. These alterations will not effect general
principles. They concern minor details, will smooth down
some roughness and remove seeming inconsistencies and ver-
bal inaccuracies which naturally resulted from the changes
made in the Committee and afterwards during debate in Sen-
ate and House. We have reason to feel a just pride in this
law. It is proved by educationists of other States, and
acknowledged to be not only a complete system, but to secure
a greater degree of uniformity than has yet been attained by
any similar enactment.

It is worthy of note that our legislators have in this law,
come up to the full measure of duty, and instead of giving to
the State a skeleton system, have enacted that which, with
a few changes, can be adapted to the present and prospective
necessities of our population. Such alterations and additions
as may seem wise will be reported by the Committee ap-
pointed at the Convention of August 22 and 23. Besides ver-
bal corrections, they chiefly concern the questions of local
taxation for building school houses, the reading of the Holy
Scripture at opening of school, the education of children em-
ployed in factories and a method by which a more regular at-
tendanc of pupils at school can be secured. To accomplish
this and whatever else the Committee may suggest, we must
entieavor to awaken in our legislature an earnest and en-
lightened zeal in the great cause of public instruction. It is
the most important question of the day. Upon it the solu-
tion of the problem of our popular system of government de-
pends. We must unite to sustain education. The work is
committed to our hands. By every proper means, on all
suitable occasions, and with all the weight of influence which
we are able to exert, it is our duty to urge upon our people
and legislative and executive officers their duty and privi-
lege to make mental development keep pace with material
progress, to have intelligence and prosperity advance with
equal step, to exhibit to the world a people not only endowed
with the right of self-government, but comprehending the