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40 The Leader and Saturday Analyst. [Jan...
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HIFLE CLUBS. I N advocating the formatio...
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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The Schoolmaster Abroad. The Schoolmaste...
Hants . Besides resident professors of high , eminence , the Principal himself " bestows assiduous attention - in proper examinations , and in teaehin"' the Greek and Latin classics , and communicating instruction in the mathematics , navigation ,. fortification , l : wdsurveyin ° r , botany , and agricultural chemistry , with courses of lectures , illustrating , by the use of his valuable collection of machinery , the chemical and physical wonders of modern science . " The maternal care of Mrs . H . is not wanting . The soil is dry and gravelly ; the park is beautiful , " adorned by fine groves 4 > f walnut and chesnut trees , and pleasant garden grounds , with a rookery , fish-pond , and meandering trout-stream . It
is sheltered from bleak winds by a picturesque range of hills , which terminate near the Marchioness of Fai-lowland ' s residence . " There is a touch of real genius about this allusion to a Peeress which gives . an air of aristocratic romance to the whole establishment . What a blissful thought it must be to the parents of young Beown , or Jones , or Jenkins , to reflect that some fair daughter of the peerage may catch sight of their lovely boy fishing on the banks of the meandering trout-stream . Who knows what might be the consequence ? We feel that the force of even pedagogal invention can rise to no higher flight , and drop the paper .
This question about schools and schoolmasters must be a very pressing and anxious one to many parents at this time of year . We are afraid the only advice we can give them , is to use the same rules about purchasing tuition as they would about purchasing any other article of trade or luxury ; to pay , in fact , a good price for a good article ; to distrust puffing instructors , and to look suspiciously at pedagogues who talk about the dignity of their office , and profess to be more than honest traders in honest teaching .
40 The Leader And Saturday Analyst. [Jan...
40 The Leader and Saturday Analyst . [ Jan . 14 , 1 S 60 .
Hifle Clubs. I N Advocating The Formatio...
HIFLE CLUBS . I N advocating the formation of these clubs , reference is often made to the times when most Englishmen bore arms , and the bowwas a deadly instrument in ' almost every hand . But before concluding that the rifle can become in this age what the bow was to our ancestors , a little consideration is needed . When the bow was in general Use , the habits and employments of the people were very different from what they-now are . Settled occupations were then , rather the exception than the rule . War was what work now is . In hunting "' or warfare , the bow was to those who bore it but what ; any necessary tool is ; to the modern workman . People engaged in the irregular pursuits pertaining to a rude state of society , could devote much of their time .: to exercises of an irregular kind . Moreover the bow was an inexpensive weapon , and the other accoutrements were not necessarily uniform . ¦ ' . _
In these days , all this is changed . The employments of the people are more regular in every respect . The majority are found in shops , factories , warehouses , & c , toiling day by day , hour by hour , at businesses allowing but little intermission , and no irregularity . Farming is reduced to continuous work , instead of being carried on by " ' ' s , and starts , " as formerly . Whether this , machine 4 ike process of modern lift ! be not carried to excess is a question , but our object now is to remind pur readers that it exists , and is unfavourable to the introduction of anything likely to interfere with its existence . Chiefly , no doubt , in consequenoe of the public being so engaged , whatever pertains to the protection of the nation or the preservation of the peace , either in its domestic or foreign aspects , lias become less and less the business of the community , and more
especially the business of the Government . The old constabulary lias been replaced by a police force , sufficient in itself to form a powerful army on any emergency . Tin ' s force is well disciplined , equipped , and officered ; and , in not too few cases , is under the direct control of the central Government . The army and navy have also been prodigiously de veloped ; and , leaving 1 the Government absolute authority to keep these great powers in order , the country has kept back no cost , whenever they required , supporting . Evidently , then , it ie not considered the business of the people to take upon themselves to interfere with the national armaments , or to provide for those duties which even the distribution of labour lias assigned to special management .
We have not pointed out these things as proof , time rifle clubs ore . npt required , but in order to help in elucidating the truo duties and difficulties of the case . Those who read history , and reflect upon it , or those who look carefully into the mechanical life of modern society , will generally agree that the athletic and military habits of our ancestors , reproduced and modified according * to our present circumstances , would bo a great national blessing 1 . Military organization and exercise would tend to make our . population more vigorous and healthy , and would remove much of the physical deformity which sedentary occupations are inflicting 1 on us , and entailing 1 on posterity . At the same time , the self-reliance which would be
convert the temptation into an invitation and opportunity . So long as the ¦ '¦ mastery of the world is considered worth struggling for , so lono- will the influence of a nation lead to proportionate attempts to overthrow it , and that struggle wM- continue till the Prince of Peace is himself enthroned . Withotit refererice / then , to any particular power , it is only-fit that when the signs of the times are full of evil auguries , we should be prepared for the worst . The question before us now is only , how can we be most efficiently prepared in a worldly and warlike respect ? We shall take it for granted that the defence of the country , whether the people take it voluntarily upon themselves , or leave it to the usually constituted authorities , is the common cause , the duty , and the privilege of all our countrymen . Also it needs no
argument to make it evident that the best defence would engage m it . the greatest number of effective men who are " free , able , and willing" to serve ; or that , if the greatest number . be too great , or if such number could not be equipped , the best plan would be to engage those who were the most , and exclude those who were the least , fit for service . Now , we believe that the present general rifle club movement does not accord with these truths . We have seen that the employments of a majority of people cut them off from any chance of ordinarily bearing arms after the fashion of our fathers . Any artisan or labourer who joins a rifle club volunteers , if not to risk his situation , at least to make sacrifice of great part of his time , and , therefore , of his income . If he give eight days per annum to his volunteer duties , he gives one-thirtyninth of his all : and we arc bold to say that few working-men who
discharge their first , duties to their families and neighbours , are m a position to afford this . To many men engaged in business , absence would be even more injurious . But it is also required that the volunteer provides his own uniform , at least , at a present outlay of from about £ 2 : and how many of the poorer classes can honestly . spare such a sum out of their savings , even if they have it ? Prac- , tically , then , these classes , the most numerous amongst us , are excluded from the movement . The answer to this is , that those who can afford to volunteer need not therefore be hindered from doing so . We demur , however , to the proposition , that any class because it has money to buy arms and time to use them has a right to arrogate to itself the performance of a duty common to the whole country . And , omitting the principle , the plan is . equally objectionable
as a matter of expediency . It is not to be expected that some classes will patiently see other classes becoming proficient in the use of weapons whieb . are withheld from them ; and such a course , will inevitably bring- about that mistrust arid animosity at home which is . the greatest enemy to prosperity and ' peace . It is objectionable also as being an untrue representation to foreign powers of the power and patriotism of the British people . After our'fears having been , trumpeted to the world by alarmist orators and a passionate press , and the eyes of Europe have been brought to see what would be the result of all the agitation which has taken place , shall it-be shown to them that some 30 , 000 or 40 , 000 only of the wealthy care for the defence of the country ? If they find that in the hour of extremity , or expected extremity , only such a portion of the population care to
prepare themselves , what inferencecan thqy draw as to the others , unless that either they are indifferent to the fate of their fatherland , or are so . disaffected as to desire a change ? And what greater encouragement ; Could an enemy receive P Fortunately , however , there are loss objectionable methods by Iwhich the defence of the country enn be adequately provided for . It is open to those who desire to defend the country as a matter of grace , to adopt a plan which shall accorcl with the truths previously stated ; or , if they decline to adopt such plan , to allow the question to revert ' - ' to the Government ,-and let that be done b y law which they find themselves unable to do by grace . We believe , however , that volunteering , if neoessary , may be made a truly national movement . Instead of every man who desires to devote his monoy to the common cause spending it on
the equipment of his own person , let him subscribe to a common fund for the club in his own locality . Lot it be said to all " good men and true " who wish to join , " Here is room and a rifle , —if need be , recompense . " Let such a fund be ^ economically administered , and if it be not sufficient for all who volunteer ; lot any preference ' n the use of it be given to those who are most able and anxious to servo , without regard to whatever class they may belong 1 to . Such a course could not fail to be ample evidence to the most prejudiced , that those who supported the measure were sincere in their purposeto servo their country in common . Party and class motives and
manoeuvres could not be . attributed to . them with the least show of plausibility . It would disarm domestic demagogues , and convince any foreign foo that we are not yet disunited enough to fall tm easy prey . And thore can bo little doubt but that for the saino expense a inoro efficient force would be forthcoming ' thin thero will bo it every volunteer spends his own money on himself . At all events , if volunteering cannot bo conducted in a perfectly patriotic spirit , nothing but misohiqf can ensue from private or class inovemonts ; and the defence and dignity of the country will bo more fitly left ; in charge of the Government , which , if id sees fit , can enrol and train Rifle Clubs itself , and apportion in , taxes the sum each is to contribute tp their support .
To lliflo Clubs , as opening 1 fresh sources of parade and pleasure * our aversion is deoided . We onlv advocate their formation as necessary " arid useful national institutions , undertaken in all seriousness for tho common service of the country , and to include alike rich and poor , as the old mijifcift did . Such national instifcutipna they must bo , or most assuredly , whether wo look- at them , as Patriots or us . Christians , wo must count them worse than nothing 1 .
taught would abolish tho epidemical panics that have latterly becomo so prevalent ; while frequent participation in precautionary measures would keep us aware that { t security is mortals' greatest foo" is equally true , whether applied' to nations or individuals , and would make us at once watchmen , or , if occasion arise , warriors . Well may wp wish that the howors of war may never bo brought tp our own homos j but while so wishing 1 , it becomes us to ask ourselves , why wo should be spared , when other inhabitants of tho earth are bo nfliioted . Whether thoro be ' or be not any pressing 1 danger of 1 invasion , the very wealth , dominion , and resources of tin ' s country will be a standing 1 temptation to an enemy ; and it only remains to add io these luxurious and lethargic habits , or class quarrels , to
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Jan. 14, 1860, page 12, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_14011860/page/12/
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