Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1815-10-21
TO TIE EDITOR OF THE ENQUIRER.

J have read with much interest, an Address in
your LAST paper, from Committee, appointed for
that purpose, to the Citizens of Richmond, on the
subject oil LIncaStrian Schoel-'Fbe appeal can
not but De successful one, becau:e il is made 10
al the noLler feelings Of our nature, and is enforced
10y considerations toU plain and powerin, TO be over
looked The subject OF Education long n plect-
ed, mist at length force itself upon the attention of
every true patriot; and period Is favorable
tnan the present, to place uon sure and solid
footing. The return OF peace, the state of COM
merce, the renovation and prosperity ofsgriculture
and the improving condition fall classes of peo-
pie, with the new hopes it inspires, and the grand
ard liberal viewsit opens, must necessarily affect
the corner stone Of the social and political edifce
the foundation Of whatever in our nature is great
or useful or agreeable--EducatioD. We have, IN
deed, attained that point where every thing makes
It necessary and proper, that we should longer
delay the noble work OF providing for the general
diffusion OF knowledge; y tits perhaps fortunate for
us, that we have attained it at late a period
he last twenty or thirty years have added much
t. our stores acknowledge. Many preiudices have
vanished before the light Of truth aud many err
rors, particularly in moral and political sclence
have gone to the " tomb of the Capuets' But,
above all, the struggle between established systems
and the unbrided spirit of innovation, cropping in the
dark, and unaided by experience, is over. We
have Just settled down upon this philosophical prin-
clpie, taught US by previous errors-Ihat we will
neither blndIy adopt old systems, nor rashy en-
brace new but, follow as reason and experience
guides, with slow and cautious, but firm and deter
mined steps This moderate and chastened temper
has led us 10 reject the fanciu tho brilliant theo-
RES III universal benevoence and human perfectbii-
y whist disposes to receive all those discoye-
ries, recommended by reason and tested by actual
experiment, which tend to the improvement of
mans condition, TO the excitement Of his moral qua
lIties, and the speedy deyeopemcnt of the latent
powers efhis mind Such, EOr example, is that
most interesting and important one, which forms
the subject of the Committees Address-of p me-
thod, "by which, 20 use the language of cee-
brsted Foreign Journal the blessings of Educa-
ion, may be extended to persons in the lower
ranks o. society, at price within the reach ofa but
the poorest, and to them also with very moderate
assistance from their happier brethren By which
the tdcaaty of eqr1!ng is ncdicpLa5ly augmented
to children OF e1e7y class, and vast saving of time
secured even TO those whose circumstances may
put economy of money out of the question while
the facility of teaching is SO much encreased that
within almost any gwen time, indefinite number
OF instructors can be procured"
1t IS not within my design to sllew how these
gratifying results have been obtained, because Mr.
Lancaster has fully explained his own system aud
an epteme Of it has been already given tn the pub
lie, la one ofyour previous Numbers, as well as a We
ry satisfactory account of its general outlines ia the
Ztst No. OF the journal have Just quoted.-lti is
enough, that 1t has etwh the appreciation and yea
lnus support Of the most enlightened men in the
Country otiIs birth, and where its practical benefits
having been seen and felt, can be most Justly APP
precated. This would OF itself constitute an argu-
nent III its favour, emitting it 1t least 10 fair and
candid trial, although it shonld be attended with
some little expence. But, the evidence amounts
almost to demonstration. when il is recolected that
this support has been afforded it, in an age decryng
every species oflnnovatlOn, 10 Country of sturdy
ana steady habits" ndby numerous individuals
whose interests and whose preudices indisposed
them to its adoption. Mr. Lancaster is a Quaker
and therefore had TO encounter all the zeal sfthe es-
tabshed Church, against a supposed teacher ofsec-
utran and latuhinarian principles. In his plan, the
children OF titled opuence and of paupers, were
brought togetherupon the same arena of intellectual
contention and what could be more alarming to
the adyocatesOi stately distinction, and the posses
sors Of hereditary rank1 He taught no political
system, and no religious creed. Ills pupils learnt
to read their Bible without gloss or commentary
and even the born-book ofpolitics' wns kept from
their view. For these sins the Church and State
might call him TO account, and the orthodox in Ell
Tier be justly ncensed-yet, in spite of all obsta-
cIes, las system homisbed in Great-Britain, and
. hourlshCth to this hour" The cry of opposition
has become more and more feeble-uutil its sound
Is entirely lost in the involuntary psudits of all
ranks and conditions-from the sovereign 90 the beg
gar-irom the phlopher to the rudcst and most an
ietiered clown
tbs triumph ofjust principles the predictions
pr Iudlces and bigotry Of their opponents II pre-
sents to the phiIanthrophist consong aud anna-
ting spectacle which forbids him TO despair. To
VIC NtueFouS anu HDefel-mluueu, u furnishes
motives to the indulgence Of his beucvolence-and
10 all the lovers of Freedom who believe that her
steps mus keep pace with the gradual diffusion Of
knowledge, il affords near and cheering prospect
OF that golden age, and ofthose (perhaps) imaginary
blessings, which, even in this gl6omy state of the
world, pregnant with the doctrines Of uOn-resis-
lance, and the legitimacy OF Rulers
I. SaH brora The efernaisigb.
FOR 1vhich nc rrish 10 irc, 9r dare % die"
TIE history Of Mr.. Lancaster and his establish
ment viii shew, that he had to encounter al the
opposition I have alluded TO, with the accumulated
cyI Of debt and povcrty--that ne vanquished the
with the torch Of truth, and was relieved from
tie other by individuals Of very moderate fortunes
(among whom the name Of 2 Mr. Fox deserves 10
be recorded,) who deeply impressed with the uiii-
ity Of his plan, nobly and generously stepped forth
to free him from his etnbarrsssments by paying
the debts he had necessarily contracted in the pra-
secution Of bis schemc-that these efforts met with
The deserved and most glorious succcss--that ~
length he found Weather aud more d,gnifed, but
not nobler patrons until tie blessings Of his I'M
pfoyeIncut spread themselves over England Ireland
And Scotland, reschre from ignorance and vice, tens
offAprsonds Of poor children, who wonld otherwise
have fvu,the common ronnd Of Folly and Of crime
eumfro p and respectable meetings attended by
~ tfst 70 IN the kingdom for talents or rank,
7fc riia tothe merit Of Mr.. Lancaster, aud
'efH si we'd that the "m0rai effects Of the
ltcf 80 been apparent from the most impor-
'fa eaa ioluestonahl~ faois-tbst cot enabled one
Fstfrt to teach reading, writing and arithmetic 70
~ rnmbey OF children by the agency OF his scho-