Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1812-03-16
JOHN HElsKEL.L.


MONTESQUIEU, who may be Justly con-
-sidercd master in the science of Polfticat Geo
n6n,y, has wisely remarked, that free govern
Tnenis, to be durable, must have their foundati-
on laid in the Spi6do7r and virtae of The govern
ed The history OF free governments, both an
cicnt and modern, (if any have existed 70 which
that character could be fairly attributed,) fur
nsh conclusive evidence to the trath of that
great writer's position. 1t is a painful rcGecti-
on, that Republics have been ephemer;d and
short lived The proud structures Of Grecian
and Roman liberty, whose apparent strength
gave promise of M.lianeal duration, might still
have remained the wonder and admiration of
the world, had not tie dissemination of useful
knowledge, and The practice OF VIRTUE, gi.en
place to the eternal round of gauiy and enerva-
ting games ard exhibitions, devised and multi
piled by ambitious men for their destruction.
Every effort, therefore, calculated to difuse use
ful knowledge, mend the heart, and inculcate
principles sound morality, under a govern
mcnt proudly pre-eninent in the scale of RE-
PuGLIcs, such as tie wisdom of onr forefath-
ers established fog the people of the UNITED
STATES, may be considered 4 keystone in the
arch of our political fabrick, s; may Justly claim
the patronage Of a., who participate in its ines
timable blessings. II may be safely asserted
the surest barrier to the destruction of our free
government, is to keep the people virtuous, aud
sufficiently enlightened to know and appreciate
their own rights And until q national system
of education be adopted and carried into exc
cution, that general diffusion of knowledge, so
essential to the preservation Of our government
in its pristine purity, can be effected in no way
80 extensively, as through the medium of peri.
oa;cal publications embracing subjects ofuse-
full learning, calculated to promote virtue and
enlarge the Observation-Disclosures, in cost,
TO the economy of every class in society, and
in size and extent, to the leisure of every man
whatever may be his pursuits. Publications Of
the foregoing description, cannot be too much
cherished or extended. 1t would be for the
happiness and welfare of our country, If every
town and village contained one of those pure
fountains of instruction, TO the exclusion of ga
zcttes, which make the domestic politics of our
country too often the theme of party violence,
rancour and falsehood.
In Virginia, it is to be amented not soli-
taIy journal, conducted upon these principles,
Ii to be found; while every insignificant village
affords at least one gazette, devoted to the dis
cussion of topics calculated 10 arouse all the
turbulent passions OF the human heart. A pc
riodical work will be published in Winchester
as soon as sufficient patronage is extended TO
tho Undertaking, to be entitled "TEIE MONTH
LY MAGAZINE AND LITERARY JOURNAL"
This work will be made, rs far as is practicable,
repository for USEFUL RNowLEDGE, calcu-
lated to instruct and amuse it patrons. To cf-
feet this object, all the distinguished periodi-
cal publications, both FoRErCN and DoMEs-
TIC, within the reach of the Editor, will be
procured, from which it viii be his unceasing
soiicitudc, assisted by literary friends, who have
kindly promised their aid, to make the most
judcious selections-carefully avoiding all
subjects calculated TO excite passion arouse in
temperate controversy and particularly avoiding
domestic Poiitics.--Much original matter
cannot be promised-every occasion, how
ever, will be seized with pleasure, TO pre-
t, e 81. =
munications upon Agriculture, or subjects con-
nected Herewith, whenever the facts they con-
tain promise 10 be useful. Selections VIII be
industriOusly made from foreign and domestic
publications on the culture Of The soil.-Agri-
Culture being the basis Of our national prospe-
rity, this subject will engage the particular at
tenton Of The Editor. This work will also be
made the repository Of important state papers
and documents relating to the population, com
mcrcc, manufactures and public revenue of the
United States, and particularly of Virginia--in
fine, it will contain miscellaneous articles re-
lating to c-ery subject proper for insertion in q
literary i'urnsl; and 10 the vOtaries OF the
Muse, aud lovers of AnccdOte, the Editor pro-
miscs, that al ample share Of his attention shall
not be wa ting. With Che foregoing pretenti-
ons to the favor and patronage ofthe publ;c, he
submits the following
CONDITIONS OF PUBLICATION
J. "THR MoNTHLY NAoAztaE and Lrr-
ERARY JoURHAL" will be published on the
first of every Month, with a small nsyy t,c,
and on paper not inferior to thc Port Folio-
Each number, shall contain sixty four oc.avo
pages Croyal size papcrl It's sfecati2s shalt
he inferior to no other periodical publication
in'the Ueit;d States.
II. The Price per anuum will he FOUR DOL J
LARS, pay bic, one half on The receipt of the
first Number, the remainder at the commcuGe-
mcnt of the second half year.
nj. The numbers will be so arranged as %
form two volumes in can year, and q ttle
page and index viii be given with each vol
unc.
" No Subscription to be discontinued ex-
eept at the end Of the year, aud on payment !
Of what diem may bee due.
Y. Those persons who may procure ten sub |
scrbers and become accountable for tho |
payment, will be entitled to one copy.
or The work will be forwarded bv AIail 20 |
am part Of the State, al fy cents Psr aunuIp, or