Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1816-06-19


>othing Could promote so much as this circum
lance, the views of Lord Castlereagh The m
'tary spirit. nay, the literary and scientific spir
2of The country, must in such state OF things
be blasted in the very bud A load of insirni6
cant formulas and mummeries will compress and
DESTROY The elasticity of the youthful mind the
liberty OF the press and liberty Circumstance are
already abridged: soon it will be q crime To
think at all. Nothing but the tame and stupid
suomissiyeness of Asiatc slaves will suit such a
system Woe to France, when the instruction of
her youth is thus surrendered to Priests The
maxim that religion ought to be the basis of ed.
ucaton, IS IN itself excellent. But does it follow
that the clergy ought exclusively to superintend
and direct national schools that members of that
body ought alone to be entrusted with the sacred
and important task of education suppose them
liberal, tolerant, unprejudiced-can you conceive
1t possible tor the same man to discharge at
once, with capacity and usefulness, the duties of
the priesthood and those Of juvenile instruction
1t q lite time OF unremitted and uniform study
and exertion often proves inadequate TO the mas
terry OF single art or science, if in proportion
as the student progresses in the career of &C.
quirement, new and unbounded vistas open be-
fore him, and never allow relaxation of his eff.
forts, how can he hatter himself to attain excel
lence, and to render his labours serviceabe to his
pupils and conducive to his own fame. if his
concileable claims ofmixed occupationsi But,
though strong objection to clerical professor
ships, this has comparatively small weight in
the scale. We chiefly depreca,e the close alli-
ance OF church and state-we deprecate that i'm
proper and even fatal league of the spiritual with
tile temporal power-We see with regret the
gloom of monastic forms threaten to overspread
the gayest country in Europe-and we deeply
lament that not even the chance ofliterary fame
and OF superiority i'm the sciences and the arts,
should be left to those who have lost almost ey.
cry thing that renders life valuable and pleasant
OT The Naval Commissioners are, it appears,
actively employed in surveying the Chesapeake
Bay and its waters Late intelligence apprized
us ct their being in York river.-It is well known
that the contemplated selection ola proper scite
tor Naval Depot, has produced an animated
discussion IN which the respective advantages of
Gosport and York have been examined. This
collision OF opinions must, as usual, shed much
light on the subject. 1t may aid the Commissl-
| ,ners in making final choice. But, indepen-
IDENTITY OF this, the People confidently RELY on
their nautical skill, their sound judgment, and
their unquestionable impartiality. They know
that the preference of one scite over the other by
those gentlem n will be the result of mature
and adequate deliberations and of a decision flow.
ing from views OF substantial and extensive utili.
ly.
The Members of the Board of Public works
constituted by an act of our last Legislature
lately met in this City. The object of this an
lticPated meeting was commendable The Dbl
rectors wished to organize plan of operation.
land to furnish themselyes with proper data
connected with the grand objects of the Act b,
which they have been called into existence
Inc Navigation of our great Rivers the opening
of various roads, the salary of the Engineer to b.
appointed, and many other important points en-
. gagged their attention The promising state o
the Fund destined for the intended improve
ments, the zeal and abilities of the members o
the Board induce the most sanguine hopes o
highly honorable and beneficial results. Ed
e Darlington was appointed Director, vice Tho
mas Jefferson, resigned-and Bernard Peyton
! secretary of the Board.
The Directors, after these and other prelimi
nary measures, rose on Saturday last, to NEE
again on the first Monday in November next
5 New clouds seem to overshadow ill-Gte
f France. The report of late Treaty of allianc
, between the Emperor of Russia, his Majesty G
Russia, and the king of the Netherlands, to whor
: it is supposed the crown of France is destined
Another report stating that Lord Wellington hs
: been deprived of the command of the RUSSIA
troops in France-all seems to Indicate an az
: preaching rupture between the Alles-The as
surances of Castlereagh respecting the friendl
I dispositions of Russia towards England, are n
more TO be credited thar his protestations @
Brit ish amity towards America. whatever ma,
be the case, we venture to predict that neithe
/ the king of the Netherlands, nor Napoleon tn
) FIRST, nor Napoleon the second, shall reign owe
France.-A scheme, to which Alexander is ia
? vourable, has long been in agitation, and thi
change may be the harbinger of its execution.