MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER: AN AGRICULTURAL AND FAMILY JOURNAL. 
(B^iiicatioiml le|iartnifiit. 
BY L. WETHERELL. 
FREE SCHOOLS. 
Mr. Editor: —The law establishing Free 
Schools throughout the State, so highly es¬ 
teemed by some, is by many deemed un¬ 
just in its operation. We will suppose A 
to be worth ^3,000 ; he has educated his 
children. B is worth $>6,000; he is educa¬ 
ting his. A is taxed to educate the chil¬ 
dren of B. In such a case there is evident 
inequality, even if we suppose the principle 
of taxation for the support of Common 
Schools justifiable. But there are many 
wlio think, that the ground taken to justify 
that principle, is not so broad and firm as 
the majority have supposed. It is evident 
that the end designed to be accomplished, 
by the framers of the law, was to place the 
children of the poor on a footing of equality 
with the rich, in the acquisition of an edu¬ 
cation. The friends of the law' have taken 
it for granted, that the xohole of education 
is acquired in the Schools. If this were 
true, their ground would be broad and 
strong. But we claim more than two-thirds 
of it. I believe that it is admitted by all, 
that education divides itself into three dis¬ 
tinct branches, viz: Literary, Moral and 
Physical. I trust that no one will contend 
that the two latter branches are to be ac¬ 
quired in the Common Schools. Habits of 
industry arc acquired under the immediate 
direction of parents; and to them also is 
due the credit of the beneficial influences 
which are the fruits of moral instruction.— 
Strike out of existence these two fountains 
of human happiness, and it is not difficult 
to tell how much credit would be left to 
justify taxation to support the literary branch. 
Taking into consideration the number in 
each class, there are more murders and 
crimes committed by professional men, than 
by men in the common walks of life. 
We are'not opposed to Schools for Liter¬ 
ary Instruction; but we are opposed to injus¬ 
tice, and the imposition of unequal burdens. 
Justice requires that no man shall be depri¬ 
ved of the fruits of his labor, without receiv¬ 
ing an equivalent for it. We admit that 
the Schools yield an equivalent for the mon¬ 
ey expended in their support. But to whom 
do they yield this equivalent ? To parents, 
and pupils, undoubtedly. Therefore, all 
parents are under moral obligation to con¬ 
tribute to their support. The benefits that 
flow from moral, or religious and physical 
training are incalculable; and in these two 
branches, every man, rich or poor, has his 
own duty to discharge. The State cannot 
take this duty out of the hands of parents 
and give it to Common School Teachers.— 
Nor can the credit due to the influence it 
has on society,* be given to the Schools, to 
justify taxing the hard working and econom¬ 
ical, while the idler and the spendthrift are 
w'hoUy exonerated. Bloomikgdale. 
Iliiidsbiirgh, N. Y,, Feb., 1850. 
Remarks. — Our correspondent assumes, at the 
outset,that “ta.xation for the support of Free Schools 
is deemed by many, unjust in its operation.”— 
That “some” so regard it, we do not doubt. That 
the “many” so view it, w'e have very good reason 
to doubt; for the act establishing Free Schools 
throughout the State was approved by a majority 
of 157,000 in its favor; fifty-five counties giving a 
majority for the law, and only four against it.— 
Such an e.xpression of the voters is not to be dis¬ 
regarded,in considering the subject of Free Schools. 
It would seem, that it is the “ many” that “ so 
higl]!y esteem the law,” instead of the few, and 
this is as it should be — for it is the many that are 
benefited by Free Schools — the few can provide 
ample means for the education of their own chil¬ 
dren, without such aid, while the many are depen¬ 
dent on the means provided by the State. 
The question very naturally arises here, whether 
it be incumbent upon the State, through its legis¬ 
lation, to provide the means for all its children?— 
Whether the State shall superintend and encour¬ 
age the cause of Education, or whether it shall be 
left, like that of religious faith, without State inter¬ 
ference? Now it seems to us that the whole mat¬ 
ter of right to tax property for the support of 
Schools, turns upon the point whether or not the 
State should provide the meaivs for such intellect¬ 
ual, moral, and physical training as shall fit all to 
become good and industrious citizens. That such 
is the duty of the State, we have no more doubt, 
than we have, that it is the duty of the State to 
^)rotect each man in the enjoyment of his civil 
rights — and the latter we maintain cannot he se¬ 
cured, and enjoyed, and perpetuated in any other 
way so effectually as by a liberal State Educational 
policy. If it be the duty of the State to provide 
food and clothing for the destitute — for such ns 
are unable or incompetent to make these provisions 
for themselves — we claim that it is a much higher 
duty to remove ignorance, the most fruitful source 
of pauperism, from among the people. In what 
other way can this desirable end be .so well attained 
as through the agency of Free Public Schools, i 
wherein is taught what is essential to make a good 
farmer, mechanic, merchant, and a virtuous 
citizen. 
We can see no more reason for complaining of 
the injustice and inequality of taxes for the edu¬ 
cation of all the children in the State, than there is 
to complain of the injustice and inequality of taxes 
for defraying the expen.ses incurred by criminal 
prosecution, or any other purpose for which money 
is raised. Liberal endowments are made and are 
making, by this and other States, aided by private 
donations, for establishing Farm Schools, Hou.scs 
of Refuge, «fcc., for reforming juvenile criminals, 
and no complaint is made of injustice and inequal¬ 
ity, because all have not children in these institu¬ 
tions. No sooner, however, is a plan adopted by 
the people, the thorough carrying out of which will 
render all the Reform Schools, as they are now 
called, tenantless, than the cry of inequality and in¬ 
justice is heard. Let such remember the old max¬ 
im, that “Prevention is better than cure,” and 
that the best preventive is good Free Schools, 
cheerfully sustained. 
NEW PUBLICATIONS. 
The Three Rekorm.ations: —Lutheran—Roman 
—Anglican;—by Walter F. Hook, U. D. : with 
an Introduction by W. Shelton, D. D., of Buf¬ 
falo. Buffalo, G. W. Derby &. Co.: 1850. pp. 76. 
Tins is an exceedingly interesting and 
able address. The subject, as indicated by 
the title page, is the three great principles, 
adopted by the three great divisions of the 
Christian world in arriving at the truth of 
revealed Religion. For sale by D. Hoyt, 
State st., Rochester. 
The Massachusetts Te.vcher.— This is 
a monthly Magazine, edited by a committee 
of the Massachusetts Teacher's Associa¬ 
tion. The first number of the third volume 
is before us; and contains among others a 
very good article on the “ Importance of the 
Study of Natural History as a branch of 
Elementary Education,” by Prof. Louis 
Agassiz, one of the greatest and most dis¬ 
tinguished Naturalists of the age. We 
commend this periodical to Teachers. Pub¬ 
lished* by CooLiDGE (fe "Wiley, Boston.— 
32 pages octavo. Terms, $1,00 per year in 
advance. 
The Year-Book of Facts in Science 
AND Art,— exhibiting the most important 
Discoveries and Improvements in Mechan¬ 
ics, Useful Arts, Natural Philosophy, Chem¬ 
istry, Astronomy, Meteorology, Zoology, Bot¬ 
any, Mineralogy, Geolog}', Geography, An¬ 
tiquities, Ac. Ac..— is , announced for the 
first of March, by Gould, Kendall A Lin¬ 
coln, Publishers, Boston. 
The work is highly commended by Pro¬ 
fessors Agassiz, Horsford and others — 
and w'ill contain 350 duodecimo pages. 
“On the receipt of one dollar, the publish¬ 
ers will forward a copy in paper Corel's, by 
mail, 2 ^ost paid." 
Common Schools in New Jersey.— The 
State Superintendent of Schools, reports 
70,000 children as the number in atten¬ 
dance during the past year; an increase 
over the previous year of 3,649. The 
counties raised $119,351 39 for Education¬ 
al purposes—an increase of 117,381 06 
over the sum raised the preceding year. 
Our School Law.— A bill has been in¬ 
troduced into the Senate of this State, to 
refer the question of the repeal of the 
School Law to the decision of the people 
at the next election. We sincerely hope 
that this bill w'ill not be entertained. The 
law, whether good or bad, has had no fair 
trial. Why have not our legislators inde¬ 
pendence enough to legislate for the wants, 
and not for the vnshes of the people ? Be¬ 
sides, this instability is a serious evil. It 
may do for children to build cob houses for 
the purpose of knocking them down, but 
for grave legislators to enact important laws 
one year, and repeal them, or propose to re¬ 
peal them the next, is trifling with the best 
interests of the people.— Gen. Evcmgelist. 
Life is truly a mingled cup, consisting of 
sweet and bitter. It is a changeable day, 
consisting of lights and shades. Eveiy day 
brings some cup of pleasure to slake the 
thirsty soul; but it is not unmingled—for 
eveiy day also brings its sorrows. Every 
day brings some good, and every day ex¬ 
torts some sigh. There is no day so dark 
as not to be cheered by the light of hope, 
and yet its light perpetually gleams upon 
the hour of mental darkness and sorrow, as 
the sun often looks through the overhang¬ 
ing cloud, and mingles its beams with drops 
of the falling shower. Such Ls life, and we 
must make the best of it, as it is. 
It is a man’s proper business to seek hap¬ 
piness and avoid misery. Happiness con¬ 
sists in what delights and contents the mind; 
misoiy in ivhat disturbs, discompose, or 
torments it. 
Suffer not your spirit to be subdued by 
misfortunes, but, on the contrar}', steer right 
onward, with a coiuagc greater than your 
' fate seems to allow. 
Ilnturnl ®i0ton|. 
TliE FLYING FISH. 
E.cocetus evolnns, Bt.och. The genus Exocetus 
has the head covered with scales; ten rays in the 
bronchial membrane: eyes large; jaws furnished 
with small pointed teeth and the pharyngeal bones 
with flat ones: pectoral fins as long as the body. 
The body of this fish is oblong; the 
head is almost three cornered; the fin cov¬ 
ering the gills with ten rays; the pectoral 
fin placed high, and as long as the whole 
body; the back fin at the extremity of the 
back. The tail is bifurcated. As it is a 
small animal, seldom growing above the 
size of a herring, it is chiefly sought by the 
dorado. Nature has furnished each re¬ 
spectively with the powers of pursuit and 
evasion. The dorado being above six feet 
long, yet not thicker than a salmon, and 
furnished with a full complement of fins, 
cuts its way through the water, with ama¬ 
zing rapidity; on the other hand, the flying- 
fish is furnished with two pairs of fins, long¬ 
er than the body, and these also moved by 
a stonger set of muscles than any other.— 
This equality of jiower seems to furnish 
one of the most entertaining spectacles those 
seas can exhibit. The efforts to -seize on 
the one side, and the arts of escaping on the 
other, arc perfectly amusing. The dorado 
is seen, upon this occasion, darting after its 
prey, whicli will not leave the water, while 
it has the advantage of swimming, in the 
beginning of the chase. But, like a hunted 
hare, being tired at last, it then has recourse 
to another expedient for safety, by flight.— 
The long fins, which began to grow useless 
in the water, are now exerted in a different 
manner and different direction to that in 
which they were employed in swimming; 
by this means the timid little animal rises 
from the water, and flutters over its sur¬ 
face, for two or three hundred yards, till 
the muscles employed in moving the wing-s 
are enfeebled by that particular manner of 
exertion. By this time, however, they have 
acquired a fresh power of renewing their 
efforts in the water, and the animal is ca¬ 
pable of proceeding \^kh some velocity by 
swimming; still, however, the active enemy 
keeps it in view, and drives it again from 
the deep; till at length, the poor little crea¬ 
ture is seen to dart to shorter distances, to 
flutter with greater effort, and to drop down 
at last into the mouth of its fierce pursuer. 
But not the dorado alone — all animated 
nature seems combined against this little 
fish, which seems possessed o£ double pow¬ 
ers, only to be subject to greater dangei-s; 
for, though it should escape from its ene¬ 
mies of the deep, yet the tropic bird and the 
albatross are forever upon the wing to seize 
it Thus pursued in either element, it some¬ 
times seeks refuge with a new enemy; and 
it is not unfrequent for whole shoals of them 
to fall on shipboard, where they furnish 
man with an object of useless curiosity. 
FISH IN THE ARC TIC REGIONS. 
Along the whole of the limestone strata 
of these regions are innumerable lochs, or 
fresh water lakes, presenting a singular 
spectacle. Although they have been ivaded 
in for miles, the depth is never more than 
from one to three feet. All these lochs and 
pools swarm with myriads of minnoAvs, or 
the very small fish known by the name of 
barnsticles in the North, and in the winter 
the Avater around those fish becomes* one 
solid mass to the bottom, and the fish are 
often found in clusters, and so brittle that 
their bodies may be broken like a piece of 
glass, and yet, on the ice thaAving, anima¬ 
tion is again established, and they become 
as lively as ever. Assistant Surgeon Hen- 
ry Mathias, of the Enterprise, belonging to 
the recent Arctic expedition, had some of 
the ice, Avith a cluster of minnoAVS, placed 
in a tumbler, and when gradually dissolved, 
it appeared very pleasing to Avitness the re-' 
animation of these fishes under a milder 
temperature. The late gallant officer at¬ 
tributed the phenomenon to the heart of 
the little fish being surrounded Avith a fat, 
oily liquid, Avhich is never liable to be fro¬ 
zen ; and Avas further confirmed in his im¬ 
pression, by ascertaining that Avhile eveiy 
other substance on board the vessel, unless 
carefully kept, Avas frozen, and had to be 
cut and heated before use, a c;isk of Stock¬ 
holm tar or fat, standing on the deck at 
the time of the very loAvest temperature, 
Avas not in the least frozen, and Avhen re¬ 
quired could be poured out to the very 
bottom, like treacle. 
Fighting Fish. —In Normandy, a feAv 
days before the death of Hemy the Second, 
the fish of a certain pool near Sees, five miles 
from the castle of Exme, fought during the 
night so furiously Avith each other, both in 
the Avater and out of it, that the neighbor¬ 
ing people Avere attracted by the noise to 
the spot; and so desperate Avas the conflict, 
that scarcely a fish Avas found alive in the 
morning; thus by a Avonderful and unheard 
of prognostic foretelling the death of one by 
that of maiiA'. 
luniiai] HmMiig. 
SATURDAY EVENING REFLECTIONS. 
“rjk.membf.r the .sabbath day to keep it holy.” 
Incidents often happen in the progre.ss 
of this “journey of life,” that are strikingly 
singular and impressive on their occurrence, 
but by the lapse of time, or the pressure of 
our avocations, by and by lose their influence 
and are forgotten. "VVe realize at tlie time 
perhaps, the kindness of a Avatchful Provi¬ 
dence, in rescuing us from unseen dangers, 
or in crowning our efforts with unex'pected 
success. The lesson taught, has its effect 
for a while. Perhaps it arouses us to reso¬ 
lutions of fidelity in our Master’s service, 
and aAvakens gratitude for preservation and 
prosperity. But the pressure of business 
concerns—the Avorld, its pleasures, its pos¬ 
sessions and pursuits—soon engross the 
mind Avith present objects, and croAvd from 
the memory, the realization of the past. 
Hence the necessity of frequent mementos 
of our duty, and our responsibility. What 
are termed the misfortunes and ills of life, 
as Avell as Avhat are considered the results 
of good fortune, and good luck, are experi¬ 
enced by us to little profit, if they are not 
realized as coming from the hand of a wise 
and perfect ruler, Avho designs every event 
to exercise over us, a beneficial influence.— 
It has eA*er been found, and v.'ill continue 
to be, that the path of duty is the path of 
safety. Men of business, men of the Avorld, 
do not ahvays realize this truth, nor folloAv 
this rule. Still it is unalterably true. 
The Creator, Avho knoAvs infinitely better 
than the being's he has created, Avhat is Avi- 
sest and best for them, has set apart one 
day in seA'en, as a day of rest. He has de¬ 
signed it, as a day of refreshment and re¬ 
pose, to the Avorn and Avearied natures of 
both man and beast; as also, a day for his 
own honor, and liis OAvn service. He has 
commanded us to remember the Sabbath 
day to keep it holy. He has required man, 
in this observance, to honor him as his soa'- 
ereign—as the g-iver of all his benefits— 
by recognizing his authority, by yielding to 
him implicit obedience, and by acknowl- 
I edging his goodness in the profusion of en¬ 
joyments and mercies, Avith Avliich he is con¬ 
stantly sun'ounded. Aside from the benigm 
influence Avhich this observance exerts upon 
the heart, the beneficial results, to the phy¬ 
sical Avell being of man, are universal and 
great. 
It is deeply to be regretted therefore, that 
the divine command, to “remember the 
Sabbath day to keep it holy,” should bo so 
lightly regarded; that the spirit and design 
of the obligation, shoidd be so little appre¬ 
ciated. Hoav reprehensible, that excursions 
of amusement and pleasure, should be pro¬ 
jected for that day! That the ordinary av¬ 
ocations of life, should ev^er be permitted to 
deseerate the time that God has consecra¬ 
ted. That even the urgent and pressing- 
calls of business, should be considered as 
justifying intrusion upon the sanctity of 
those hours, Avhich God has chosen to ap¬ 
propriate to his OAvn service. But hoAv much 
more reprehensible is the conduct of those, 
who, fully recognizing the divine authority 
requiring us to sanctify the Sabbath, still 
heedlessly and thoughtlessly violate it ?— 
Would it be surprising, if, connected Avith 
such violation, there should often be expe¬ 
rienced calamitous results ? Would it not 
bo more surprising, if the offender by the 
merciful interposition of a kind Providence, 
should be brought to his senses, sohuld re¬ 
alize his error, and be arrested in his course ? 
The Avriter of this article, in early life rec¬ 
ognized the sanctity of the Sabbath, and all 
the obligations that enforce its observance. 
But, like other young men immei-sed in bu¬ 
siness, occasionally, though rather reluctant¬ 
ly, suffered himself to violate it. From the 
heat, fatigue and debility, of a long confine¬ 
ment to business in our largest city, he jour¬ 
neyed to the north, to realize the bracing- 
air, and apply the medicinal Avaters of that 
region. The return journey might have 
been accomplished, Avithout intruding- upon 
the Sabbath, if it had commenced Avith the 
fii-st business day of the Aveek. But, being- 
deferred till near the close of the Aveek, it 
brought the Sabbath into the first portion of 
the journey.. Hesitancy, and much reluc¬ 
tance Avas felt, at ti-yveling in one’s OAvn con¬ 
veyance on the Sabbath day. No absolute 
necessity could be urged — still it Avas irk¬ 
some to lie by among strangers—imd the 
journey Avas continued: The morning ride 
led through some of the fine tOA\nis of Mas¬ 
sachusetts, in one of which, resided the fam¬ 
ily of an old and estimable acquaintance— 
an aged, ReA'erend, and venerable personal 
friend. To avoid the possibility of being- 
seen and recognized, the traveler was con¬ 
strained to take a circuitous road. At the | 
hour of noon, he halted at a large hotel in I 
a fine village, during the intermission of the \ 
church services. The stillness of Sabbath \ 
prevailed around, although very many per- 1 
sons AA'ere sitting about. While Avaiting for I 
dinner, he took up a magazine lying on the | 
table; Avhen an affecting, biographical obit¬ 
uary notice of his sainted mother, was spread I 
before his eye. The effect was electric, sol- ! 
emn and impressive—and being incidental¬ 
ly mentioned, the landlady Avith great sweet¬ 
ness and solemnity replied, “Can the son of 
such a mother, travel on the Sabbath ?”— 
The rebuke pierced to the very heart, but 
failed to arrest his course. 
Soon the journey was resumed for the 
residue of the day; and so far added to his 
progress, as to bring him, at the dining hour 
of the next day, to a large hotel, in one of 
our New England cities. At the hour of 
noon, a large, dark, insulated cloud was first 
noticed, rapidly rolling up from the west— 
It did not envelop half the sky, but soon 
obscured the sun, and began to rain. He 
drove Avith great rapidity to reach the hotel. 
On alighting in the violence of the shower, 
“A cool place” Avas requested for the horse, 
being much heated. In a feAV moments 
dinner Avas announced, and the traveler re¬ 
quested to join the company. But first step¬ 
ping ha-stily to the door of the stable, pas¬ 
sing by his horse, Avithout halting an in¬ 
stant, just to see that all Avas right, Avhen 
perhaps five or six yards distant from the 
horse’s side, a flash of lightning, accompa¬ 
nied by a ten-ific peal of thunder, crushed 
him to the ground. The lightning had 
struck the majestic elm, occupying the space 
betAveen the stable and the house. He rose 
presently, with some consciousness of the 
vivid flash, but no knoAvledge of the report. 
All in the house were in extreme confusion. 
In a moment the halls resounded with the 
alai-m, that the “ Landlord’s span of horses 
Avere killed!” The next moment, corrected, 
it Avas, “That gentleman’s horse that had 
just arrived.” The span had been removed 
to give a cool place as desired, to his: and, 
the Sabbath journey had brought him to 
the right spot, and at the precise moment, to 
feel this shock, and to receive this result .— 
But his own life Avas spared. And spared 
as by a miracle—spared as by a single hair’s 
breadth! Thanks to the Lord of the Sab¬ 
bath ! No argument in the power of lan¬ 
guage, could so deeply impress liis mind.— 
It Avas a lesson never to be forgotten. A 
lesson of the deepest import, to one Avho 
believed the very hairs of our head are all 
numbered; and that a sparrOAv falls not to 
the ground Avithout the Divine notice. An 
impressive lesson, enforced by the voice of 
JehoA'ah, “ To remember the Sabbath day, 
to keep it holy I” e. d. 
SUCH IS MAN. 
Who is rich ? He who is contented with 
his lot. 
Who is happy? He who loves every 
body. 
Who is honored ? He who pursues the 
even tenor of his Avay. 
Hoav easy then to be rich, happy, hon¬ 
ored and good. But yet multitudes, in 
striving for these blessings, take the very 
steps that are sui-e to defeat their objects. 
In getting riches, they find no end to their 
desires. In striving for happiness, they hate 
every body who aoes not folloAv in the steps 
they have chosen. In gaining honors they 
push themselves forward—crowding aside 
the most worthy—until they have outstrip¬ 
ped themselves and sink. In their de¬ 
sire for goodness, they forsake the source 
of all good, and hug the most evil passions 
to their bosoms. 
Thus is poor feeble man. He labors for 
what he can never obtain, and at last dies 
with “ vanity — all is vanity,” upon his lips. 
The simple path is the true path. The 
humble Avalk is Avhere Heaven’s blessing's 
are shoAvered. They Avho are meek and 
humble, live nearest to the truth and receh'e 
the richest blessings.— Port. Bid. 
Death a Sleep.— We so convei-se every 
night Avith the image of death, that every 
mornino- we find an ai'o ument of the resur- 
O o 
rection. Sleep and death have bnt one 
mother, and they have but one name in com¬ 
mon.— Bishop 'Taylor. 
The heavens are a point from the pen of 
God’s perfection; and the Avorld is a bud from 
the boAver of His beauty; the sun is a spark 
from the light of His Avisdom; and the sky 
is a bubble on the sea of His power. 
