The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-03-23

pciiant as loon as he had acquired knowledge
Of his alphabet; and his fri exercife in the
art of reading, introduced him the mott myi-
FERROUS doctrines of the chriitian faith. This
practice is continued in our own times. After
the atlembly's catechifm, the proverbs Of Solo
mon, and the new and old tetament follow in
regular tucceiiion; and the fcholar departs
gifted with the knowledge of the facred writ
| ings, and receiving their doctrines according to
the Interpretation of the Weitminiter confefion
offaith. Thus, with the inftruction of infancy
In the fchools of Scotland, are blended the dog
| mas OF the national church--with a ftrong at
tachment to the national creed. is conjoined a
bigotted preference of certain forms of wor-
fhip." If, infead of creeds and catechilins,
| the frit books which were put into the hands
| OF the young contained moral lelions, and the
| mott remarkable events which aiom the pages
| of Grecian, Roman, Engliih and American hif-
tory, the bisotry ofthe Scotch would be avoid
| ed, the mind would be left free to form its own
religious and political opinions, and an attach
| meut to freedom would be infpired into the
mind of the infant, which would 'sgrow with
| his growth and ftrengthen with his ftrength."
| Bot difficulty here occurs which requires
SNcon6deration. How ihall the people be en-
Z, lightened? Shall government take under her
care the education of youth fhall ihe employ
the retources of the people in diheminatng in
| left to the enterprife and induhry of individu-
| ais An enlightened foreigner regrets that
there is in the United States a national preiu-
dice againf the encouragement of literature by
government. On the other hand, the author of
the Wealth of Nations has endeavored to prove
that the encouragement which government
lhouldgv to education, hould be limited, and
that the endowment of colleges, and fupport
OF teachers by means of falaries alone, would
| cauie an improyident waite of the trcafurc of
nation. Admitting the opinion of Smith to be
correct, yet it is certain that few evils can be ex
Pected to refult from the application of part
of the public money to the inftrutlion of thofe
children Whole parents have not the means of
providing them with an education, or to the
erection of colleges, and furniihing the appara-
tus and libraries neceiiary for the Improvement
OF youth in the higher branches of knowledge.
Ifindeed fufficient fund could be collected bv
the voluntary contributions of individuals. for
all the purpoies of founding academies and uni
ver6ties, without going through the tedious and
expenfive procefs OF afiellment and collection
OF taxes, all the benefits would be experienced
| without any OF the evils which neceiarilv ac-
company taxation. But as there is no reaion
able ground for iuppoing that an obiea offuch
magnitude can b. accomplished by the beraIi
ty of indviduals,,I can Zee no reafon WHY the
whole community 'hould not contribute to the
improvement OF the whole. The duty of the
public fesmsto be ola twofoid nature
It's primary duty ist,o dtfuie las muci informa-
ton as is practicable amongt all the members
of the focety. But it ia impoiiible that the
whole or even greater part of fociety can he.
come men or learning, it isuot to be expected
that ihofe who depend on their own labour for
iubiitence can acquire any knowledge be-
yond the limrs of their trade, unlefs they ac
I'm in heir fa 4,
Hence the propriety of ettabllhing paril1
fchoos. There are many however who are
placed beyond this humble fate, who if oo-
portunitieS were prefented to them ofacquirinp
knowledge, have leifure to fore their minds
with the fractures of ancient and modern fci-
ence. If thefe opportunities are not afforded,
the men who are defined by nature to become
ornaments OF their country, and to improve
the condition of fociety, will difipate their
time and their talents in ufrlefS or perncious
puriuits. Hence it becomes the duty of the
governmental eitabliih academies and colleges
i'll fuch manner, as will involve the community
in the fmaictt pofiible expence, at the fame
time that it fhall extend the benefits of e.
ducation to the greattf pofble number of the
people. 1t is not for me to propoie plan BY
which this object fiall be accomplished More
than twenty five years ma elapfed fince A plan
fraught with wifdom, and whole defects are
few, was propoied by men luxurious for their
virtues and their talents to the confederation of
the Legislature of Virginia. The bill ofor the
" more general diffufon of knowledge which
was propofed blythe committee ofrevifors in the
year l7L9 oughtto be read by everycitiZen whoaf-
pires toa feat in the Legislative body; il ought to
be read at the commencement of every felton,
of the legislature, in order that its excellent rea-
fonings and provilions may be deeply mpreGred
on the minds of our citizens. propofe to
take fuccinGt view of this fcheme, and to
point out fuch parts as appear to me to be de-
fective.
! The frf part of that bill propofes that AL
dermen TO be elected annually by the people
lhould divide each county into convenient bn0-
dredJ in each of which fchoo houfe Mould be
built, where all the free children of the hundred
lhould be taught for the fpace of three years
free of expence) reading, writing and common
arithmetic; The (aiarie5 of the teachers and o.
Their expences TO be paid by the county.
| The frit objection to this part of the plan a.
rites from the thinnefs of our population, and
the extent of our territory. There are few
counties in Virginia in which the fate of the
free population would afford the Establishment
of bMaredJ which fhouId be mail enough TO
enable the children reGdent within the bounds
of them t. board at the houfes of their parents
and daily to attend the fchool, and at the fame
time large enough to fupply the fchooI with the
requihte number of fchoars. have no data
whereby to aicertain the number of free inhabi-