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"A society has recently been formed here among the mutes for public religious instruction in the sign language. Now, such an Association, surely, is not according to sound sociological principles. The tendency is to further isolation of mutes from general society. It promotes their segregation, and thus their formation into a separate class. Moreover, the desire, or the want of such a society, proves not only a mistaken system of education, but suggests that there was a mistaken method of instruction. If our mutes educated at Hartford had been taught articulation, and taught as well as children are taught in the German schools, they might attend public worship in our churches; they all would partake the common spirit of religious devotion, (which public worship does so much to strengthen;) most of them would seize the sense and meaning of the service and sermon; and the intelligent ones would catch enough of the words of the preacher to understand his discourse. This statement is not made hastily or thoughtlessly." (pp. 55, 56.)

The Principal of the Asylum, in his Report, very properly took notice of this remarkable statement, and exposed the absurdities of the system of articulation, considered as a general method for the instruction of the deaf and dumb. The work was thoroughly done. Dr. Howe, himself, seems to be of this opinion, for in his pamphlet, in reply to Mr. Stone's Report, he says: -- "The Board do not recommend that articulation should be taught. This is the false issue which the Principal makes."

"The friends of the system of articulation," says the Report of the Board of State Charities, "do not believe that it can ever have a fair trial in the Hartford School, because the Managers have the whole power in their hands, and being honestly and firmly wedded to the old system, will feel obliged to adhere to it. Such persons will therefore persist in efforts to obtain for the mutes of Massachusetts the benefit of what they believe to be a vastly better system of instruction." (p. 58.)

We suppose they will, and therefore we do not desire to see the poor mutes of the State, subjected to the wearisome torture of a fruitless experiment. What possible hope is there that if a new Institution were today established in Massachusetts, it would escape the persistent efforts of different persons to modify it, change it, and convert it to their peculiar views?

Suppose Dr. Howe were entrusted with the management, and should adopt articulation as his system; would the vast body of intelligent men in the State be content to sit in silence, and allow the money of the State, and the time and patience of the pupils to be wasted in such experiments? Suppose some one from Hartford were placed at the head, would it not be essentially the Hartford Institution over again, and so be exposed to the same objections which have been urged against the Hartford school for the past twenty years by Dr. Howe? The only practicable ground for the State to assume, in reply to these clamorous cries for her interference, is to say, as she doubtless will, "Gentlemen, until you are agreed in your plans, it is in vain to ask the State for aid."