SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
available for the wants of society, and you remove the 
most prolific source of uneasiness and dissatisfaction 
amon^ those who own few or no slaves. This class of 
citizens naturally wish to rise and piusper in the c.oninui- 
nity, and would take the lead in improvements, if furnish- 
ed with proper facilities. 
These should not be withheld Tf is far from our wish 
to address the fears of any reader ; but it is our duty to 
look at the public wants, and state inptortant truth.s as j 
they are. it cciild serve no r^ood purpose to al!cn;pl to 
conceal the fact that great talent, energy, and not a little 
money, are now at work to organize a “Free Labor” 
party in the slaveholding States. Whatever may be the 
result of this cftbit, it cannot but affect the future of the 
South. With a change of circumstances, all our educa- 
tional and industx'ial interests hold new relations to each 
other, which some one should trace and developefor the 
public understanding. Many believe that less than jus- 
tice has been done to free laborers in the slave States, not 
only in the matter of education, but in not honoring the 
productive industry of freemen as it deserves. To silence 
all complaint of this kind, let something more be done for 
the elevation of poor industrious people, who somehow 
fail to prosper even in a land of plenty. It is easy and 
perhaps comfoiting, to say that, at the South, nothing can 
be effected in behalf of the indigent and of universal edu- 
cation, because slavery prevents, or our rural population 
is too sparse for improvement. Such remarks are often 
made in our hearing, just as though the principle of social 
and pecuniary advancement was repudiated by^ common 
consent ! This is yielding ail that the worst enemies of 
the peculiar institution have asserted to its prejudice 
Such defence would ruin any cause. To do nothing is a 
confession of weakness, or of hostility to all measures of 
general improvement. It is to invite men not now before 
the public to undertake to influence the decisions of the 
ballot box on social and labor questions. Demagogueism 
ought to be repressed, not encouraged. But in communi- j 
lies where many can neither read nor write, there is more 
danger of hasty and ill-advised action. Passions are 
easily excited, and under their influence, popular errors. 
If nothing worse, are perfected. Society has been for ages 
slowly increasing its security for life and property. Is the 
South to attempt nothing more in tiiat direction 1 Po: u- 
lar instruction must begin early, and make the fathers and 
mothers of each generation more competent “'to train 
up their children in the way they should go.” In more 
senses tluin one, “ the boy is father to the man.” If the { 
natural endowments of every child were properly culti 
vated, nine-tenths of the crimes, diseases, vices and follies 
of mankind would disappear forever. Self-government 
would be an easy and pleasant dutj', and bad examples 
almost unknown 
The experience of thirty centuries has served to prove 
the superiority of public over private scliools, or teaching 
at home in the family. t^ui.NXii.iAN, who was the first 
public teacher employed by Rome, says: “ At home, a 
boy can learn only what is taught /mu; but in school he 
can learn what is taught 
Every one Nvho has had the benefit of attending a first 
class public .school, and knows what home teaching gene- 
rally is, will appreciate the force of the great rhetorician's 
statement. 
The youth whose common-school instruction lias been 
seriously defective, is in such -a condition that no after 
college training will make good his loss. Indeed, one 
might as well attempt to find a substitute for sleep at night, 
and eyes in the day time, as for the advantages of the 
common school. “ Mothers and schoolmasters,” says Dr. 
Kcsh, “ plant the seeds of nearly all the good and evil 
which exist in the world ; its, reformation must, ilierefore, 
be begun in nurseries and in schools.” 
High authorities, both ancient and modern, might be 
quoted indefinitely on this subject; but it is more perti- 
nent to call attention to the very inadequate facilities now 
funiished lor the education ol tiie uiany thousands ot both 
sexes in Georgi:i, who ore soon to settle in life and be- 
come parents. Xo jjioper provision is made for one in 
ten who ^rently need eommon-sehnol instrne.tion. 
Can a wrong so deep in the bosom ot society, so gene- 
ral over the Slate, and so unprovoked by its youth, es- 
cape jjunislnneni ! L. 
Initicultnral Itjartintat. 
POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF GEORGIA. 
Pun.suANT to a call, a meeting of gentleman interestet^ 
in Fruit Culture assembled at Athens, Ga., Aug (3th, 185G, 
Mark A, Cooper, Fsq., was called to the chair, and’ 
Wm. N. "WitiTE requested to act as Secretary. 
At the request of the Chair, D. Redmond made known- 
the object of the. meeting, which was to form a Pomologi- 
cal Society for the State of Georgia. It was, therefore, 
Resolcet}, That those favorable to this object give ia 
their names to the Secretary ; upon which the names of 
most of those present were handed in. 
It was, then, further 
Resolved, That the officers of the Society consist ofa> 
President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer and an ad~ 
inlerir/t Committee. 
On motion, Rt. Rev. Stephen Eeltot, D D., was elect- 
ed President, Mark A. Cooper, Esq, Vice-President.. 
Wm. N. White, Secretary, and James Camak, M. D.,.. 
'I reasnrer, for the ensuing year. 
Wm. N. White, Dr. M. A. Ward, and Dr. J.as. Camas 
were, on motion, made a Committee to adopt a full Con- 
stitution for the Society ; and it was 
Resolved, That the Society meet on the 21st day of 
October, being the 2d day ol the Fair oi the Southend 
Central Agricultural Society, at Atlanta, and that the Com- 
mittee on the Constitution then report. 
On motion, tlie Chair appointed Mm. A. White, Proi. 
J. P. W^addel, Y. L. G. Harris, Esq , Dr. M. A. Ward, 
and Dr. James Camak, the ad inierhn Committee to ex- 
amine and report on any specimens of Fruit that might be 
submitted to them in the intervals between the meetings 
of the Society. 
On motion, the Chair also appointed Dr. James Camak, 
D. Redmond, Esq , Y. L. G. Harris, Esq , Col. J. M> 
Davison and W^. P. Robison, Esq., to represent the So- 
ciety at the American Pomological Convention at Roches - 
ter, with pow’er to chose alternates- 
The Secretary was directed to give general notice ofthe- 
next Meeting of the Society, and also to invite all persons 
interested to become members of the Association. 
Col. A. G. Summer and WLm. Summer, Esq., of South 
Carolina, Dr. VV. O. Baeuwin, Rev. J. L. Moultrie and 
Dr. N. B. Cloud, of Ala., L. Berkmans, Esq., of N, J,,. 
Charles Downing, F.sq., and P. Barry, Esq., of N. Y., 
and Dr. Wf D. Brinckle, of Pa , were elected honorary 
and corresponding members. It was 
Resolved, That a copy of the proceedings of the Society 
at this meeting and a notice of the fruits exhibited be pttb- 
