Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1813-02-27

/ But to the distinguished and humane
LANCASTER we are prompted bot,
by our feelings and duty to pay our ,ri
butte Of deep respect and grateful admi
ration to raise our voice against the
liceHtious Vaudeville, who, to make the
Prince powerful and the nation happy
would keep the people both igneran,
and poor against the false apprehen.
sions. the illiberal insinuations and ridi.
,culous sophistry Of Trimmer, and in
opposition to the eloquence of Daubeny,
who even from the pulpit sounded the
toesin of alarm. and would have you be-
Iieye that LANCASTER is an inhdel,
and his glorious system calculated to
answer no one purpose, so much, as
that of amalgamatihg the great body Of
the people into one great deistical com.
pound"
In adherence and dctestation we turn
from these faithful servants and yiccge.
rents Of the great enemy of all that is
good and learned, to those distinguish.
ed and liberal patrons of Mr.. Lancaster,
who with heartfelt zeal labored in his
cause, and have triamphantIy succeeded
in silenciDg his numerous enemies
Upon the bright page of immortality let
there be inscribed that noble saying of
the English monarch, I" that he with
dclightlooked forward 10 the day when
every poor child in his dominions should
be able to read his Bible" On the same
luminous page let there be written in
golden letter. the names of George
Prince of Wales. Barshurst, Bishop Of
Norwich, Sir Thomas Bernard, John
Aoott. Dr. Wallis of Ipswich, s Brown,
Mayor Of Canterbury and let us, nv
friends, in this new world, by liberal,
assiduous and persevering attention to
this economical. rapid, and easy method
of spreading the blessings of knowledge
(Which we have already most success
fully commenced en.i,le ourselves to
distinguished places in the Catalogue Of
gensrous patron. of the Laacastrian
system.
When we contemplate the vast num-
bcrs in soc!cr whose only patrimony is
ignorance, aud whose only legacy is
vice, we caunot hesitate % pronounce
that there is no direction of benevolence
more favor, bic to morals and good go.
vcrnment, OF attended by more gratify-
ing results toa feeling and liberal mind,
than that which has for its object the in
tellectual and moral education OF the
poor. s..
A century, since, the peasantry OF
Scotland were in the most abiect and de-
grading state ofignorance. Vice in her
blacklist forms, and most shocking MT des
OF exhibition, triumphed without check,
and the dark catalogue of human ,dcpra-
witty seemed to have been extended Tor
the admission Of peS and unheara of
crimes. This con,agion Of moral tarpi-
tude at length Became So general and
destructive as imperativeiy 20 demand
the attention of the Scottish Parliament.
The poor were educa.ed.-lndustry
AID good morals supplantsa idlencss *
vice; aid Scotland from one st the most
vicious has, by the powers OF education,
been transformed into one o: the most
virtuous ninnunlties
Ii We Compare tn very distressing ::
gloomy picture, which las been drawn
of tht country by Fletcher Of Sat!oun,
IN 1893, with its present state, We have
presented to Us one OF the brightest and
most convincing examples recorded IN
history of the positions, wAlCh / have
(pcrhaps .tcdiousiy to my aahitors> ban
endeavcring TO establish; w that roi''
pian is the corner stone in The govern.
mental fabric, ard that national happi-
ness, virtue and power. arc the Imo,edi-
ate offspring OF the illumination and eS-
pansioa of the general mind
But notwithstanding these are ohvl-
Gus truths. and in an age different from
that in which VIC 1--we would not have
needed illustration, they suit not the &c
Nous Of the times Religion and edu-
cation but i'll accord with the philosophy
ofthc day: ard consequently Ito say the
Ieas;) have received bu, li,,lc or no pa.
/. is no matter OF su'p"'ze
that the times are out OF
Joints" for when the Fundamental Prin-
ciples of good government are taeoret'-
cally obsolete. minor doctrines are sure
to be practically deserted
Accustomed since the establishment
Of our independence to unmingled pros
peri,y, distracted from the turme,is and
miseries oftrahsa,Iantic contest. viewing
bu, in perspective the scenes of desolS-
ton and carnage, which for so many
years past have afflicted every other no,
,ion, and pampcred by the wealth and
comforts flowing fromextended and sue
cessfsl commefce, the recollection OF
the bardsbips we endured IN the gio'l