Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1818-01-01


| disposal, that,ii limited its mendicants, i'm
| their requests 10 the people, 10 the mo-
| derate sum of twenty dollars. The sue
cess OF this ingenious continuance is not
! known but II appears TO have escaped
The recollection OF the General Assembly,
| that fame, which could be purchased
lor twenty dollars, Is not worth u cent.
| Fameconsisis IN being Distinguished from
| the bulk OF mankind, by some exiraordi-
Z, diary badge OF merit A fame, therefore,
which every oEe may command ioriwcu-
| ty dollars, would be entirely lost in the
facility of its acquisition. But The Gene
| raj Assembly seems 10 have depart, q from
tliis caution, II rs presumed IN conSi.iera-
ton OF The greatereApcnsC a;., nagnihlde
| OF the object, wheni il rclaxes al restraints
III a solemn pledge to The contributors in
The following words
I" In the minutes of the proceedings of the
board OF publ Instruction, aGd of the trustees
OF the several colleges, academies aud rrinia
~ schools, Tie names The Subscribers 10 Tie
foundation thereof shall be catefti'Y .,Iscti,,cd
Win the sums subscribed by each rp, cate
thereto, as perpetual LltHioridi Of ~ tersonS
tc''o SnaH mare contributed 10 frumete "a. fiifa
son 81 haowteGge throughout ikc conference.-the"
Even this relaxation is attended with
many obvious iuconvenienccs. and II Is
fortunate IN practice, than the limited ex-
pcdlen, prescribed IN the case of the mo
mnment; and If unfortunately IN that
case, so interesting 10 the affections OF The
heari, so captivating TO human pride, and
so honorable ia itself, the General Assem-
bly, should !dii m executing lis object, IL
Is presumed, II will be deferred from ha-
za:ding IN future the execution of ANY
sredt and peramicNt measure upon the
sanie cNpetiicui."
an When an individual paws
his money under the usual obligations OF
law. he always believes that the object of
the law will be effected, and that others
VIII pay III just and equal proportions
with himself; he therefore generally paws
with confidence and with pleasure; when
the contributions are optional, he neces-
sarily dlstrusts the execution of the law :;
and lie knows that The contributions will
neither be Just nor equal; he therefore eli.
ther refuses 10 pay, or pays doubtingly !;
nor can liz tell, III case the object of the
law should not succeed, how his money
will he applied. 1t is Hoped, your Con
stltuent VIII be Pardoned for expressing
souic surprise, that the principle ofvoiun-
tary contribution should have been so Ii
beraliy drawn upon by the General AS
senbly, al time, III his Judgment, pecul-
larry lnauSpiclouS TO u successful cXperi-
meni upon II. Recently after war, The
pecuniary burihens OF which had been
tell with an unusual pressure bv Virginia
and It's general expenses incalcuabiv in
creased by the iniudicious, inefficient
measures adopted Tor conducting il (; az
gravaied, too, by destructive and nu.e-
ratINe embargOeS, &c. sc. as well as bv
the extremely unfortunate selections OF
tie diSburseTso of flIepubiic money. When
moneys raised by Tie extraordinary exer-
tlons OF Virginia, Tor purposes oiloCal de-
fence, had either not been wholly reim-
Dursed; or the portion which had been
so, WAS destined 10 accumulate The litera-
ry fund, and not TO lie relief OF The Deo-
ple-wten III addition 10 the ordinary
taxes, sums perhaps c1ual in amount. are
blenniaily paid 10 bank stockholders. in
| tie form OF dividends-in IA wear of un-
common scarcity and hardship, i'm CON
| sequence of Il general failure Of crops
and when the destructive effects of the
| Hessan fly, ere depriying The farmer OF
| a great portion of his expected profits
from his approaching wheat harvest, &c.
&C. &c. II was hardly 10 have been ex-
| pected, that such a moment would have
been seized upon, as the layorite one, to
testing The visionary experiment Of a. k
| ing voluntary contributions. SiilIlcss was
II to have been expected, that such CON
| tfibull0ns for variety of splendid and
magnificent objects, calling for eNpendi
! lures To an amount incalculabIe. shoultl
have been pressed upon the people al the
| same unpropitlous moment. II appears
| not To have occurred TO the q neral AS
| fsmblY, that nothing is more embalrass.
| 'nS to the pride, nor more distressing ia
| HE feelings of mdn, than to be pressed
Tor aims, when he has nothing 10 give.
Having, IN the foregoing observations
made candid disclosure of the principa
| embarraSsmeuts with which your ConSiii.
uent IS cncOmpaSsed, III executing hi,
present undertaking, he will nevertheless
proceed, with as mach freedom and com
pOsure as due sense Of Tie pressure up.
on HIN will permit, TO enquire, LIST, What
Is the object Of the General Assembly. in
The proposed change OF the principle oil
education ! ID, What are The means in
vented for its execution Sd, lie will then
attempt 10 suggest some of lis most obvi
GUS aud Important consequences.
Since writing the foregoing, the governor
communication has been seen, which announ
ccS the entire failure Of tlle Experiment.
ss..........
SOUTH AMERICAN AFFAIRS.
! We have been favored by "a ganil man o
Baltimore with copy 81 mall udn,phlet
which we deem Of interest enougi, 10 throw
into our columns IN erteRSo--'ihe writer Of III,
Introductory remarks IS known 10 ,is-Ng e nee,
scarcely say, i0GfgOms,y is Il warm friend u
the Patriot cause Cohhett, whose letter HI
re publishes, has on his occasion az least
written with that power aud precision of argu
mcni, which he himself rarely displays Their
nre mary useful truths scattered through hi
etter-cyery member Of congress ought 10 col
IL Oyer well.
Ills general principle that we ought not 4
prohibit the expectation OF arms or muiutiou