Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1818-02-12

losuphy % Nj. Jefferson. tie zeal OF Mr.. Mon |
roe, the i'aiiery cf Mr.. Nicholas, aud the cen /
sure ct the Enquirer.
IL there We're sncli objections to this measure |
ny The Constituent believes, the cepSure applies !
10 The eacnieS, ratser tiIiu TO the friends Vt
the bill. There was indeed one reason why the |
tricndS Ot the bill wished il - he submitted tu
the people and that was, that il had been
grossly miSreprcsen,ed Ia the people, probably I
with view to influence tie April elections
aud they were anxious by its publication 70
rcfu;e their calunniiators. and indicate iheu-
selves 10 their constituents and To postrrilv..
Bat 50 lar as the motive srrau-. from desire
10 ascertain the sentiments oi'he people it ne.
longs 10 those WHO \. ere srgpficai, anti ip in
the language o.the Senate which rejected the
bill. we're not satisfied that the plan vi pIuca-
ton provided for IN thlS bill * the best suited 10
the present condition OF our country Aud
really, Representation is intended 10 express
The will OF the people, am unable To perceive
the nnproprety OF the repi eSeutatives asking
their opinions on a subject OF Importance, on
which they proposed to act IN the ensuing SEES
si0n. The argument derived from the nahil-
~ OF al the people 10 understand il, would
equally apply 10 the proun cation OF the laws
themselves. Theidea o. restricting legislators
h The u>c OF words 70 lie found III Jolimsons
Dictonarv......It is believed that there are
many words III .,Ohnson's Dictionary as umn
tciii:ib.c 10 the people IL Il, drofa,mics, and
many not there that are quite d intcli.,ible
as any that the Constituent ha~used hmseif
such, Tor example, as to advocate, To apire-
ciate, 10 deran.e to Influence, to neutrliixe,
grade, &c. &c. SOME Of which are to be seen
e, Ell III his classic pages.
The ingenuity OF the Constituent has dscov-
cred that the legislature have adopted new
principle of leglsation, by the union of phi.
vate liberaity with public spirit. which they
have attempted by that section of the bill tor
the establishment ot seniHarles, which requires
the county courts TO appoint commissioners 10
receive such contributions towards this lauda-
bic Object as the citizens are disposed volunta-
rlly TO make aud he asserts with very little
scepiicism, that this is " the chief plliar upon
which the stupendous fabric OF public iistruc-
ton is made to rest" Having assumed this
position, which shall shcw to be utterly I'M
founded, he gees on Ia Institute Il comparison
between the old mOde OF Legislation and the nctr;
AID, by Il Kind of ieAicograpmcal argument, to
settle the preference for the latter, which did
not, as he declares, depend upon the principle
of voluntary contrihution-but upon that or
force, which lie thinks is the necessary adjunct
or rather the essence of all laws, by the very
definition ut the word; excluding thereby that
whole class which has been called permissory
and which have for their sanction the inter st
OF the citizen. That hc should object TO The
system as {" depending Solcy on the ,ciH OF the
people" is certainty sufficiently reasonable,
| c9nst. ring the very humble opinion lie enter
tams OF their understanding. lie Will OF the
people however, 1t might perhaps be thought
u, Others, would be sufficient securityfor The
attainment of AN Object from which the people
are to derive the benefit. There arc two kinds
of laws, those which prohibit something bad,
the former intended 10 he rFpledidt tie latter
preventive. As pumls hmcut is the sanction Of
the former, force Is required for It's execution
but the latter, relying on the stronger sanction
OF iEteytS! NAV aud ought to dispense with pc
naltleS. The principle OF compulsion ought 10
he introduced seldom OF never III those laws
which y is the interest and wish OF the people
10 enact Tor the promotion OF objects universal
~ desired. III every thing which merely pro-
poses good tho people, - the best Judges of
their own happiness, ought 10 be perisitted To
paiiIci pate III such propott 'nr SArpcarS meet
10 their own understandings. Where the good,
however, is of snch nature that those may de-
rive the benefit oft who are not willing 10
contribute towards IL, - those who won't ito
right without control" the majority may uSe
compulSioD TO procure the aid OF tire minority.
This principle has been carried into effect IN
The system OF education under discussion, by
the creation OF the literary fund, TO which the
Whole community have been made TO pay, by
an equal system of taxation. As 10 the obser-
walton OF tile Constituent with respect to the
period of the creation of that fund, thls is u
subject lave usthing 10 do with. 1t has no
ton whatever with the - merits OF tile
proposed System, or the conduct OF the last
Legislature, who we're not its authors. The
Constituent however seems to be Of opinion.
that The only benefit which can be derived
from voluntary contribution l. The empty re-
ward ct fame, The enjoyment of which II APP
pears rests exclusively on the promises of
Governor Nicholas and the Legislature pre-
misses which he declares" will exert an efficient
lullNGNCe prlnClpallY upon the JO0tlW anu me
rain" He thinks "tlie correctness of these
observations will be fully excInpitied by Il
measure adopted by the last General Ascend Y
for the erection of monument TO the great,
the patriotic and The beloved Washington,
resting solely on this principle for its execu
ton, and afterwards informs lis with much
apparent exultation that since the conclusion
of the paragraph, the Governors conlmunica-
ton which " announces the entire failure OF
the experiment" has fully verified his prophe-
tic declaration.
1 am too little acquainted with those WHO
have contributed towards the erection ct d
Monument TO w ashingto 10 determine wheflI- !
they were Influenced by'' vanity" and 4" fol-
ly," OF by gratitude. l am induced, however,
to believe that its failure Is not yet eSta blish
cd, as lave understood that there are many
of those WHO have subs Cribed, that have net |
yet paid 10 their subscriptions, and many who !
waiting aud wish TO subscribe, who from |
the neg ect of tie :" Inendicants" in circulating
the Subscription papers, have not had an op. |
pOltgHity. l would also observe. that tue eX- |
ocutou Of the system ofpubiic edu, aticn rests |
upon very different foundation from this |
experiment" as the Constituent calls il and |
that Oiuniury contribution IS very small part !
OF IL. The inducement 60 Subscribe 10 a mo- |
nulTPat 10 Washington. only have this |
impulse of gratitude, or tie stimulus OF vanity
but the iuducement 10 Subsci be TO a system |
OF education consists III Tie advantage to 90 !
derived from IL. he n,ouey laid out on oue j. |
consumed without reproduction; that laid odi !
or The other, is stock vested in the moSt pro- |
ductise OF ali fnndS-that OF knowledge OF |
power ; and In this case is the condition OIL |
when only any portion lie literary fupd can |
be obtained, winch is to he distributed on |
such principles that the greatest contributor (
will he the greatest gamer, as will be seen |
hereafter. Che charge of niendciy against /
the collectors OF the contributions, and the |
Characterizlpg those contributions by the IN
popular denomination 1t aims is one ot those |
miserable attempts to enlist the prejndWCs OF |
the multitude, equally insulting to them. aud |
unworthy of tie author. liio,s are Il gratRity |
IL.