Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1818-01-15

NV eil,'e-ptcduSe they have The
power OF iniilsng iaio.the elections of the
governmental agents. fbeir own esprit 81:
corps In the formation of these payticu-
lar corpora!ions, there is included pr,o-
cipls, which must have the effect. and
would seem 10 he intended for the pur.
pose al annlliiaiIng the princip.e ri nh
state elections the principle Of electine
The trustees at HE primary schools, which
Is different. aud Opposite, from that o.. O.
lecilng the state deiegateS-ihe one NV
lousekeeperS, he other by freeholders
The number elected ilRder The first nrint;.
pie beng about ten thousand, The number
elected under the other about Two hum
dred. Can any man OF common sense
believe. that these two militant princinIcs
of election could long sIbsisi harmoni.
ousiy III the same state? Does nor every
man perceive, that the two hundred must
depend Tor their elections upon the intIp-
ence OF The ten thousand? For what indi-
viduaI could hope to be elected 10 the
General Assembly, who would boldly on
pose any taNorte prptcnsion of fle trps
tees oi the primary schools? These pre-
tensions, too, must be considered as inf
n,leiy more systematic and formidable
when dictated by the board of public in,
struciion, consisting of only ten individ,I-
ais, and empowered 10 control and direct
this vast mae liinery of corporations. And
II the General Assembly itself should be
constituted under The irresistible influ
ence OF tins combination of corporations.
inpe!led by one head and directed TO one
object, II Is asked, Where is the check
upon their unlimited powers? Where is
The responsibility of this system of corno-
rations !fihc General Assembly should
VANITY hope, that il would form a cberl,
1t would most probably ti.d itself meta,
ken, as It's members wouid denend for
their own stations, upon this corporate
influence. 1.-THE people be looked TO for
protection, 1t viii be equally in vain be-
cause, aithouglls;he housckeepers elect
inc trustees, The trustees when elected
are expressly placed under The control of
ne poard OF pubic instruction, the merf,-
hers OF which are elected by the General
Assembly, whose members will necessar;.
~ be elected under the influence of thar
very hoard ofpnbIic instruction.
AGAIN II is asked, Upon what princiDIe
81 right or policy is it, that the General
assembly, iielnga corporation itself. con-
sitnuonaliy created, aud immediately
responsible 10 the people, and for,i.atvc-
Ty reason entrusted with tie legislative
rights oi The people, can transfer any nor
non 81 these general legislative rights TO
olher coynorationS, not knownto Ihe pco-
pies constitution, and not inmedia,eiv
responsible 10 the people Indeed to ,o
inuc', further in the transfer of rigb,sEIo
transfer not only governmental rights.
properly apperialning 10 itself; bui the
ihalViduai rights Of the people, which had
never been transferred 10 the General AS
SemDiy Itself, AMI which constitute
gFeat portion OF the sum of the domestic
happiness OF Individuals. Sucl, surely
are the rights which constitute The reIa-
lions between parent aud child and A.
mongsi which the right Of educatiou in
all Its concomiiant relations mnst he
deemedfhe most important. The Roman
empire affords many instructive lessons
ufon The nature and effects of cornora-
Mons: IN the plenitude of its power. i'm
the highest meridian of IFS wisdom. II felt
lis greatest Jealousies, aud exeried its
greatest energies, against the princinJe of
corporations. Yet Notwithstanding aIlits
wise and Jealous precautions. il fell a VIC
nm 10 that dreaded principle. It's reii-
| S'or, lis Customs, lis manners. and its
throne, all yielded TO self-crea,ed cor
poraiion, supported by the irresistible
principle OF suborolinalion.
Corporations are indeed the inconsi,le
rate ana inwIse rage of the present dav.
4 ne circulating medium Of the country is
already devoted Ia system OF corpora
uohs, ano such IS the rage for the extern
sion OF this principle, That above lortv
banking corporations III one OF the states
have recently been voted into existence
upon single question of YEA and nav
| anu so far from any abatement in This nm
fortunate and fatal passion, the infection
| seems To have extended 10 other states
| and TO have pervaded The whols United
States. Some OF the effects of this ruin
Gus system were developed by war of
| only two years duration. What events
another year of war would have brought
about, is happily left to conjecture. What
! seven years 0fdisasirous war would bring
about, might be coniectured-but sucn
CONJECTURE is too horrible for reflection
nor Is II believed, that even without a war.
human foresight can penetrate into The
desiinles which await the government
and people ofthe United States-destinics
whicl are suspended upon banking In
corporations, and the tboughtless exten-
sion Of paper credit. Yet such is the
! fatal influence OF this nalady. ina, after
me circulating medium Of the country is
gwen IN monopoly 10 corporations the
dearest individual rights, the sweets of
domestic happiness, The endearments Of
parent and child, must also be surrender.
cd TO monopolizing corporations.
| ltisnot known for what object the plan
OF pubic education reported by the very
enlightened revIsors OF I776, was made
10 accompany the PRONUNCIATION of the
system al present proposed-whether for
support or counteraction. 1t will certain
" appear, that at that day no incorpora-
ton for That object was deemed necessa-
~, and probably that the rights of edn-
cation even not then deemed proper oh
. Jccts Tor Incorporated monopolies and
so far 1t forms strong confederation 10
tie presenl nrniecf R1i nun., H.. -.