Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1804-08-11

20 BIRTH EbUcATIoT OF properly: and
brought up their children i'll such man
ner as 10 he most useful TO themselves
Accordingly. one was made CARPENTER
another Il BLACKSMITH, third TAYLOR.
! and aiourth u SHOEMAKER, TO the utter eX-
cluson of letters and just spirit of SUI.
bordination. We are now arrived at ano-
Their very important moment in our histo-
ry. We have seen, that as far as the ac-
tons OF our progenitors depended upon
their inc!inations, their habits became DE-
MocRATIC. This was sufficient to have O.
pened the eyes OF the mother country
and called loudly for Legislative correctiveS
Instead of this, by means of the hyitocrinc
ednf about hU6Lc Uirtue and simplicity, made
use Of BY SOME oftfeir 6 vernors, Tire h>ohLe
7uere ALLOWED TO GALL TOGETHER Po-
PULAR ASSEMBLIES, and to fortlfy them
selves in the diSgraccJuf steps they mad Ia
ken.
"The corner stone of revolution was then
laid in all the colonies, and our separa
ton effected at much earlier period than
1t would otherwise have been.
"Ifthe colonists determined, upon their
the parent country, and to assume a dig.
nilied rank among the nations of the earth,
their domestic conduct in theirintercourse
with each other was highly 6ldmea5ie and
tndiScrcet. II they determined to remain
true, and continue their allegiance, 1t was
still more so. | do not wish 10 be under
stood as disappearing of the American re-
voution, (for, in my opinion, it was an e.
vent always calculated upon at home) but
| DEsPIsE the MEANS by which it was
brought about. do not hesitate TO de
clare them BASE aud UNWORTHY and
| tremble for my country, when l con-
slider that they must one day prove her
ruin.
"This PLEBEAN principle Of cohesion
and admixture throughout the body polite.
continued In the full force till the COM
mencement of the revolution. Since that
event TO the adoption ofthe federal consti-
tuition, nay, even 10 the present day, this
MoNGREL B2EED has been multiplied in
greater or less degree. Even at the very
moment in which am writing this, RES
rECTABLE TRADEsNEN AND FARMERS
ARE APPRENTICING THEIR SONS TO BAR
BEks AND TAYhoRs, and some ocCUPA-
TIoNs OF still LOWER CAST.
From this statement of facts, the in
telligent foreigner will readily perceive
that, in this country, 1T is NO DISGRACE
TOHAvE EXERCISED AMEcHANIcAL PRO
FEssIoN, Gs manyfr5Sops offhis cast haze
ri&c't 10 the Mghesf places in the government.
Indeed, If helooks into The private history
of most of our "graye and reverendseni-
ors," he will find them tn: Legitimate lords
Of THF woRKBEMcH, or ofthe coRNFIELD
and much better .cGicuiatcd 10 move in that
SPHERE Man % act 7ghere they are. l do
not mention this as any reproach upon
them, but merely to prove the erroneous
conduct of those who have gone before
MS.
"The mind has some relief, contempla.
ting this picture, by rene6ting upon the
expansions of literature, and those aug
menting fountains of knowledge which
have burst forth dWing the two last cen
turtles. Every man, nay almost every
woman, now reads, thinks, Projects, and
sometimes accomhlshcs. The force of
human reflection, and habit of compar-
ing and contrasting passing events, can
not fail ofrestoring those 10 the light of
reason and self,preservation, who are now
wandering in all the darkness Of metaphY-
steal delusion.-CLIo."