Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1818-01-08
RICHMOND, JANUARY 8.
EOR The ENQUIRER.

jdfiy addressed 20 the General assembly Of
Virginia BY a CONSTITUENT.
a But with this, 1.-THE virGinian sovernment)
lpush man might he happy, he will not al
F" WAYS uor indeed iung b. sitiSfel.-He will
"r,.ach at perfection absolute and unqualified.
g lie farsets. that .heoreicci perfection in gov
U crnmspt aud rr1.tifd oppression. are closely
''allied. He will b1 more than man, and he be-
comes less Pursuits Of Literature
The second object Of enquiry prupos-
ed. was 20 examine, and exliiht 10 view,
ti,e means a; carrying iiito effect the OBJ
lect OF the General Assembly IN the con
ten,plaied change Of the principle of edu-
cation. In lacking into the bill for de-
Scripiou ot these means, the mind is
si,ack with establishment. al beholling
fitty-iour complete. arh perhaps moi less
than iwo thousand dcmi corporations -.
these corporations are Invested withpow-
ers I'm perpetuIiy, the most delicate, indie
finite, and irresponsible. The powers of
q machinery so tremendous, complicated
and uncomfortable, ought certainly TO be
well examined, an-' perfectly understood,
before j, is put iato motion. For the pur-
pose OF obtaining Tie most correct and
comprehensive view of the whole of this
machinery, AM! lis most essential com
poHe.t PARTS, The order of the bill will be
somewhat changed, so as 10 exhibit 10
view, first. the fifiy-four complete corpo-
rations with their respective organiza-
tions, ndthcr respeciiyep powers, togeih-
er with their reciprocal relations and Sc
copdly, the two thousand demi-corpora-
tons, more or less, also with their organ
izaiions. powers and relations twill he
found, that tho fifty -four complete corpo-
rations consist of three different organza-
lions, which will, The respective powers,
aud relations Of each, will be seen in the
following extracts from the bill The first
extract gives d full view of the board of
public Instruction. in all these respects
the second, of forty-eigl,t interpretations
far regulating as MANY academies and
The third, of five interpretations, includ-
ing HAT of William aud Mary, for reuu-
Eating the like number of colleges; which,
will, one university placed immediately
under the direction of the board ofpublic
instruction, makes the number of fifty
four complete corporations.
EXTRACT No. 1.
g BE IL eHactcd by the General AsseD,bIy That
for the purpose of digestng and carrying into
effect, the system OF public education provi.
ded for BY the last General Assembly, and re-
commended by the president and directors of
tle literary fund there shall be elected anuu-
ally by joint ballot of the Senate and House of
Delegates, ten airestors who shall he STYLED
@ The Board Of Public Instruction." in which
name tittN snail nave a common seal ami
pciuat succession shall be capable Of SUN.
and being sued ; pleading and being mplead.
ed : and shall have and enjoy all the rights
and privileges Ola corporation.
II. Anibe IL further enacted, That the gov.
ernor OF the commonwealth shall be. e.r otfcio.
president of" The BOgrdof PRLHc Instruction"
lad teU fe1hcr enacted, That the beard
may, at ANY time, enact, alter Or amend such
rules as to them may seem proper, for the pur-
pose OF regulating the order 0i their proceed.
i,igs; they may adjourn tor any period or,
when occasion may require IL, meet at any 9th
er place ihau that designated by aw: ihey shall
have power, subject 10 the limitations herein.
after provided, to establish and locate an Uni.
versty, to be called the University of Virgil
nis- aud the several colleges and academies
hereinafter named or described -; 10 determine
the number aud titles of the professorsIips
therein to examine, appoint, and regulate
tile compensation ~ the several professors to
appoint Ike trustees of The several colleges
and ac9hcmes to prescribe the course of
destruction a"d discipline of The university
colleges, academies and primary schools; to
provide some just and particular mode of adj
vaneinS fc0h TIE primary schools TO the aca-
denies, iroln ;ic academies to the colleges
and from these TO the university, as many Of
81 the most meritorioHs children of indulgence as
"a tae revenue OF the literary fund NAV suffice
"A TO educate and maintain after the whole sys-
81 tenn OF pubictnstructiOn, which the board NAV
N doyiSe. shall have been put in operation. In
n framns this system, the board shall regard
81 The primary schools as its foundation and i'm
y its gradual execution, care Shall be taken /. !,
the board OF public instruction., aud by the
u president and directors of the literary fund
4 that no money hail be drawn from the reye.
nue. OF tldt fund for the establishment of the
university, or any academy or college, so long
as II is probable that suclI an application OF
the fund may leave any primary school I'M.
4. provided for. In fine, the board of public ia.
struction shall have power TO enact repeal
alter or amend such by laws, rules and regu
lations relative to the various objects commit
IA ted 10 their trust, as to them may seem expe-
q dent, provided the same be not inconsistent
with the constitution aud laws of Virginia. or
al OF the United States of America and they are
farther authorized to recommend TO the Gene.
~ raj Assembly, from time to time, such general
" laws ~ relation TO public education, as NAV
4 be calculated, in their opinion, to promote the
intellectual and moral improvement of the
commonwealth"
EXTRACT NO. 2.
x. . Asi be IL further enacted, That the board
y OF public instruction, shall as soon as can he
4 conveniently done, divide the territory Of the
q commonwealth, from reference TO the last cen
sus of the free white population thereof, into
IS academical districts, containing each, one
or more counties"
XIII. Ind be it further etacfed, That, where,
III any academical district, there shall be no a.
calemy IN existence, or none which the board
OF public Instruction may deem it proper TO re.
commend to the pre- ,ident and directors Of tue
literary fund, the board may accept Of a lot Of
SToEnd, o! sufhcIent extent IN their estimation
. add conveniently situated in the district, for
= tue erection OF All academy for the said dis.
( fflct provided, that along with the lot OF
ground there sha. he subscribed bv one or
more PEE ,ns bodies polite or corporate, OF
the payment thereof be otherwise assured to
tl.e president and directors of the literary
tnud, iAree-iOurihs OF the sum necessary to g
rect suitdbe buildings thereon, for such acade
my, which suH shall iu no case be conput
Ell AT less th4n ten thousand dollars and upon
legal conveyance of thesaid lot of ground be-
iDE accepted by the president and directors o
tie lp.criry iuH1 and their being fully assur
cd nI lhn ms MINT 81 fI.a snrn NJ l,,.,,,n.,