Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1818-02-19

tie elections OF certain gentlemen, wko we're
in its promotion, and partly from
Il wish 10 have the powers given to the board
of public instruction, conceutratedin the pre-
sident and directors OF the literary fund, who
are residents Of the eitg Of Richmond and IL
am not mistaken time Will shew the truth OF
this opiniOn.~ have no information that tie
gentlemen who compose that board desire
this accumulation OF powers except such as
may lie derived from their own report, which
WAS anterior 10 the bill, to which Il Is very
possible they might dtterwai DIS have given the
preference. However this may be, il does not
materially relate 10 the subject, and | shall
therefore leave it, To notice very cursorily
the assertion that under the power To enact
ty tars, the board may enact laws more general
than the genera! laws they are required to
recommend TO the assembly, and To declare
that is founded on previously exposed errors
and in direct opposition To the fact. As has
already been asserted, the powers of the hoar d
are confined exclusively To the enaction of by-
il,rS, a term which every body understands 10
relate merely TO internal police, aud not In be
OF a legislative character. The same power
IL is also well known, is exercised by the trus.
tees of seminaricS in every part of the United
States, which, III fact, have greater powers ia
relation TO their semiuarieS, than the board has
IN relation to those under its jurisdiction The
only thing IN fact now III the structure of It's
powers Is that ii has some OF the same privilc-
yes with respect TO all the Summaries IN the.
state. which may be placed voluntarily under
its auspices, which tits usual Tor trustees TO
exercise over only one. The miserable oulbbi,.
upon the words, and, or and nor, by which orr
infallible critic attempts to prove that Il by
law must be contrary both TO the constitution
and laws. before II can either be unconstitnti
onal or Illegal, is utterly unworthy of notice
As Il kind of apology for this frivolous crit.
cism, of which the poorest petriiegger of
county court, would lie ashamed he Inform,
us that the redoubtahls Horne 'rooke. IN n
most learned aud elaborate work, once under
took io prove that the British parliament d..
not understand the word that, which he thinks
however il might be deemed inircorous on the
present occasion to intimate in relation 10 the
General Assembly. His discovery then is
perfectly original and not the result of imita-
ton, and it will be readily admitted has fully
as much merit as some of the" etymologica!
riddles, OF his rival, Mr.. Tooke, which (says
Stewart Z" although mistaken BY many OF his
contemporaries furproIound philosophical dis
coveres, derive, IN fact, the whole oftheir nlvs-
sterieS from the strong bias at shailew reasoners
10 relapse into the scholastic errors from which
Des Gates, Locke, Berkeley, Hume and Reid
have so successfully laboured tn emancipate
the mind. ! imagine, we have at last traced
our anthor to hs prototype, tor his snecu.
iatlons bear very ciose analOgyto those of
TINS philosophical materialiSi, So close tina,
VIII venture 10 assert that the same remark
which once heard very distinguished cen.
tiemau apply to the" learned and elaborate
treatise OF the MASTER" that No one could I'M
derStaud him who was under i've and twenty
years OF age" may be predicated with couai
truth OF the paraphrase ofthe pupil. 1t certain
Is cannot be SAID of our author as of the Young
AscanIuS, sequiturque patrem non passions e.
gus. His last chronological plecis have plac-
ed his quibbhng qualifications beyond dispute
and entitled him at least TO the honors of "A fell
lowship.
cannot close this number without an apo
syior HE proliXlty mto which l am sensible
nave suffered myself TO be BETRAYED bv the ex
treme digrcSsiveneSs ofthe very miscellaneous
production have uEdeTlak en- to dissect: and
promise that my future observations shall be
more concise. The cOntagiou OF example is
almost irresistible.
The whole this No was compIeted before tho uni
ter saw the biaey reported by committee of schools
and colleges by thai bill will perceived that the
president and directors OF the literary nnd are vested
with some OF the most essential powers of the board Of
public instruction. Thus, great irresponsible corpora.
ton three tourths OF whom may said 10 hold their of
C'e ioI lie, are 10 be made ccio The supervisors of
the system OF public education. Then are TO auDoint
'he trustees OF the academies they to select The
commissioners who are TO r on The seat OF the unver-
sty fhey Is presumed, liz the salaries Of The
pioiesSorS The danger be unprecedented from giving
these powers TO the president aud directors ote iera
ny und Is not precisely thai of universal suffrage or of
an established religion, would defy the board even il
such should he their designs in The present stage az
knowledge effect the latter these objects or eyen
the former, unless public opinion should require it,
nut is there not some reason TO suppose, that these or
Wic3o fTedSHrerS aud 0pPGnters Of professors may
not always choose the nUSt scientific men TO enjoy ac-
cess to their sanctuary, and that their particular iayour
some reason TO suppose the commissioners selected by
these er 9fcio residents of Richmond to r on the scife
OF Tue university MAJ be apt imagine that the best
scare WIZ M The one most convenient their ntO
CONSTITUENTS! is there not believe that the
youth educated IN the university of Richmond would be
hatered ana caressed by the citizeGs and that the same
youlh (when they afterwards come to be legislators in
I've same pace)would not be among the violent en-
ees TO the doctrine Oi the rTepeaiibily Of charters
tue monopoly OF banking capital ana bank DISCOUNTS & G.
&c is not possible that these Legislators might think
the salaries OF the senior judge OF the the
governor the attorney general and the treasurer rainier
TOO low for the 0bci0 holders puralities is is moi
possible although the university is be laced where
the most money property, buildings Willie subsci
Deu and not IN The language The bill the last sess
on, near Tue geographical centre of The common
wealth-that, as buildings money may be indifferent
received these assessors may have peculiar notions of
the Valde OF buildngs-and is building of a given
Staunton Lexington, Charlottesville Has the Cons
tnsnt any - timid oubtS" Ibis snbjectf
III ID not my object to examine the proposed hill.
VIII only observe OF 1t, that like the other far as IL
relates TO the primary schools il requires eoopeTa
ion OF the people, no dangeTis to be from
mat source The dangers those limited at above al
So mere Oeing no express provision against he universe
ty and seat OF government being at the same place and
the appropriation of The fund colleges managed by
trustees who are perpetual and who not under The
conirou Of responsible body trustees Of the
colleges TO be established aided By the bill OF the last
session. The whole course Of instruction. the only ian
porant matter after all, by that bill was under the
legislature will ask itself before it decides this bill -
what fiscal literary functions nf the president and d.
fect0Ts Oi the literary fund could he equally well
performed by the governor aud council
RICIfDTOND P1ITENT
Il n ~