orts of every solid government, the sources of the moral sentiment
and of the prosperity of human society. A remnant of honesty and a
lingering sense of justice may have raised a protest in Seicht's
mind against his undertaking; for his bearing was anything but
self-possessed, and he had the appearance of a wretch that was being
goaded on by an evil spirit. Besides, he had the habit peculiar to
bureaucrats of speaking in harsh, snarling tones. Seicht was conscious
of these peculiarities of his bureaucratic nature, and labored to
overcome them. The effort imparted to his delivery an air of constraint
and a sickening sweetness which were climaxed by the fearfully involved
style in which his speech was clothed.

"Gentlemen," said Seicht, "in view of present circumstances, and in
consideration of the requirements of culture whose spirit is
incompatible with antiquated conditions, popular education, which in
connection with domestic training is the foundation of the future
citizen, must also undergo such changes as will bring it into harmony
with modern enlightened sentiment; and this is the more necessary as
the provisions of the law, which progress in its enlightenment and
clearness of perception cannot refuse to recognize as a fit model for
the imitation of a party dangerous to the state--I mean the party of
Jesuitism and ultramontranism--allow untrammelled scope for the
reformation of the school system, provided the proper clauses of the
law and the ordinances relating to this matter are not left out of
consideration. Accordingly, it is my duty to refer this honorable
meeting especially to the ministerial decree referring to common
schools, in accordance with which said common schools may be
established, after a vote of the citizens entitled to the elective
franchise, as soon as the need of this is felt; which in the present
instance cannot be contested, since public opinion has taken a decided
stand against denominational schools, in which youth is trained after
unbending forms of religion, and in doctrines that evidently conflict
with the triumph of the present, and with those exact sciences which
make up the only true gospel--the gospel of progress, which scarcely in
any respect resembles the narrow gospel of dubious dogmas--dubious for
the reason that they lack the spirit of advancement, and are
prejudicial to the investigation of the problems of a God, of material
nature, and of man."

Here leader Sand thrust his