Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1814-11-26

MENTIONS with peculiar force, the law PAL
sed during the last session of our legislasur,
subjecting its students to the performance {
military duty.
Whilst it has ever been, and Is now. tn
pride and boast of every other state in ~,
union, TO encourage, by every means in thei
power. the advance ncnt Of literature ant
Isisnce--whi'st their respective Legislature,
are Offering their aid ard protection &
Watching with Uaremitting care X attention
oyer every nst'utinn VI the kind; Virgin a.
a'crcs is imposing rp them the%moss s!s.
Wish fctters -fetters as ssronss and CALLING as
legislative power could render them, and
which nothing but the same power is able TO
dissolve lam lost IN as.on;shment, when I
reflect that our Legislature, as renowned as
any in fhe union fer It's wisdom and justice,
should have Committed so glazing an error.
as the enacting of this inindicious. fatal law;
alaw. which is calculated to arrest at once,
the prog ess of literature. and to Danish
from our state its native genius and talents.
or sutfsr them to remain obscure and nnno>
ticcc In their prcmeyal rubbish. II any one
can doubt, fora moment. that this is not an
mjudicious AMI inpolitic law, let him read
that part of Mr. Smiths oration relative to
it, and he will there find arguments. in
proof of it as strong as holy writ Before
these proofs, every lingering doubt must
vanish, for they can be answered BY no =
Ebiliiies, however briIliant--ao sophistry
however ingenius.
Although, this law has been in operation
but few montlis. its melancholy Hfects on
the institution before alluded to, ar: but too
apparent Instead Of a Aourishing semina
ry, fostering in its bosom, one hundred of
the most respectable youths of Virginia, ar.
dent in the pursuit of knowledge, emu!ating.
with a Iaudable zeal, the wisdom OF their
fathers. and promising to their Country the
rich effects Of their laboricus studies you be-
hold its venerable walls now desoiate and
forsaksn About fifteen or twenty solitary
students are, at present, its only inha5itanis
an d these few are, continually, subjectto be
dragged to, and fro,:,s the humour or cap
riceof militia officer may dictate. Even
when they are permitted to attend und;stur-
bed to their studies, they have no induce.
lmcnt to stimulate them to iaudable excrtion
Their former friends and companions have
either gone to snme other state, whose laws
are more rrnpitious 10 the pursuits of lite,
nature :or they remain in obscurity under
their parental rcof--n-, (Which is worse than
eithcr) they are Carried into the camp
where vice roa ms uncontrolled. and dissipa.
tim is daily exhibited arraycd In all It's al.
Iuring charms, Every friend to literature
TO humanity will have cansc Indeed, L
weep for this unprecedented error in the
| legyqiatureof our state.
Butf am cheered with the hope, tina
| their eyes are already cpen to the fata
consequences of their mistake. am con
| fident that thew cannot behold, unconcern
ed. The sad effects which ii has produced
and that they will take the earliest oppor
unity of exp'ating it, by repeating this per
nici5ns law
| Virginia must be reduced to the creates
straits indeed, if she cannot defend herse!l
unless aided,by a handful Of students, from
her ppbl:c seminaries. Tnat territory a
extensive and fertile rs hers, and a pop,
lation as numerous and brave. can rossiDl
! require IN. little ai;l, that the s,uden,s Q
4 every public seminary, which she c:ai.us
could afford. is z position that have no, sui
icient faith to believes Permit them, ti,er
to pursue. uninterrupted, their literary ave
cations. restore totaem their former priv
! Lodges and iin.unit;es. dissolve those snac
! kles which you have imposed upon litcra
ture, and your public sea.inaries will ris
with renovated s?iendour from their preseT
fallen and degraded Condition. TYROt