Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1818-03-20

system. All that the legislature has attempt. |
ed, has been, TO provide a mode to enable the |
people to do what they have desire 10 do, |
but what they have not the knowledge or the |
concert 10 accomplish without governmental |
aid. As for the argument drawn from the few |
great statesmen which the free schools oi G.. !
Rritaiw and Connecticut have 2iyen birth TO. !
II is quite frivolous. IL Is hot the object OF
free scbcolS 10 make great statesmen; hut
useful and Yrtuons citizens; to Improve tile
skill, aiid 70 widen the sphere OF enjoyment 10
the poor. 4 knowledge OF reading, writing
,i,d arithmetic, whatever tue Constituent may
think, is not a contemplate education. 1t
furnishes at least tiie instrument ior the acqui-
>iii0u OF knovissr, which Is the u ne object OF
lnvenite education. 1t makes the mechanic
more Skii.ul, and the aborer more accurate,
aud both better judges ui their Interests aud
duiits AID lift had ue oikrt advantage bur
that oi opening TO them the trcasnte OF divine
trnth contained ~ lhe oneL OF God. and the
consolation ofh;S promises. which the poor so
frequently need this alone wOnld be inesti-
mablc. Education Ought TO be suited to the
sphere in which the individual on whom it is
bestowed is intended TO nose Otherwise n is
calculated 10 produce dissatisfaction, and an
Mcapacii. 10 our dates. 4 maiiwho Intended
10 be- a shoemaker, woUid have no great liking
far, or skill Ia his trade, il he were 10 consume
| a valuable portion OF his life IN acquiring ii
knowledge OF political philosophy, poetry. the
tne arts. or of sciences he could never use...
III all the individuals in society were converted
into philosophers, the evil would not he less
than the Constituent SupposeS. But there is
certain dcgreeioi education which is useful TO
| every one, whatever ma he iIS occupation
| tile education Just described. Ii is tins kind
| which the bill would cOuter on all those who
are capable OF higher degree and who mani
| fest talents which might he useful, employed
| IN a more eula ged sphere are provided with
| the means 10 obtainit Nrxi 10 The evil in soc
ETY. OF not Improving at all, is that of attempt
! ing 30 improve too fast. Wherever YOU at
tempt TO force Improvement, without regard
| 10 circumstances, you me tablyretard il. II
| q
! eiiectuoliy provides against this evil, by the
| total absence of arbitrary regulations. aud by
| requiring Tor every step the express approba-
| ton aud active cooperation OF the people,
| who never go too fast. The idea that GER
| tain propensity IN the people of Connecticut
! TO mistake other peoples property for their
o@n, Is 10 be traced TO their free schools, is
about "a reasonable as IL would be te suppose
! that ii was occaSiOned by cod fish or potatoes
for the only motive for placing this propensity
and free schools in the relation of cause aud
| etfect-their cO-cxistence-Would a,.niv to the
| cod fish and potatoes.
l cannot believe that il is necessary further
to expose iae SophiStry of the Constituent.
| All that have done, has been TO prove his
| Inconsistencies and errors by placing his argu-
ments IN luXtaposition, so as In direct the
public eye TO the prominent parts, and o shew
| that lac has refuted himself. III have neglect
| ed to answer any argument iii from inadver-
/ terCe, not design. L hold myself ready at all
! times TO meetth Constituent this subject,
| which under favor believed is not his forte.
| In writing on education, lie hasnot less n,ista-
| ken ms talent, than the clown who attempts
| to initiate the leap OF Harlequin, and instead
| of going over, hangs by his posteriOrs, exposed
| TO the derisioD of the multitude. 1t il should
| be thought that III the course oil my observa-
ton have not treated my adVersary's argn-
| ments with respect, il is bdNause ! have not
| believed that they deserved it. Had / seen
| any thing like a spirit Of candor of patrio-
| tism in the Investigations of the Constituent,
| however we might differ, should hnve offer
m e m TORI M n1nr
| respect; but when have perceived through
| out the whole publication a manifest want of
| sincerity, wiltul perverSion of the plainest
| meaning OF the bill, and cold bIooded afiec-
,ation OF philanthropy, have thought myself
| abSOlved from the ordinary rules which should
| govern controversies between men i'm the
| honest pursuit of the same laudable object,
| and entitled TO beStow that Tidicule which his
| puerie absuIdities so justly merit. The most
| charitable motive which can he imputed to the
| author OF the Constituent, is a fondness for
| scrbbling; but have been reluctantly com
| PEELED 10 believe, III the course of examining
his volgDlinous pages, that some less worthy
motives had al least a share in giving them
birth: That he was really influenced by
desire to enIighten the public mind on the
subject, is Improbable both from his iDcom-
petence, of which he could but have been
conscious, and from the gross misrepreseuta.
tons by which he has endeavOred TO inuTe
those who differed with bm-misrepreseuta-
tions so much the more ineXcusable, as we
learn from himself that he was one of the ia
vored few who obtained the pamphlets in
which the school bill was published a consid-
Grafton, which alone would dictate the propri
ETY. of a fair and candid discussion of the sub.
ject. Why, too, if this was his object intro
Ruce so much eXtraneous matter which has no
sort of bearing on the case All these consi-
deratiOns, together with the internal evidence
of the production, give color TO the suspicion
that he has merely made use of this subject
because he thought il presented a favorable
vehicle for venting his spleen against the
reputation of certain persons, who have had
the irretrieVable misfortune 10 have in some
way or other sub ected themselves To MS dis
pleasure and as a means to acquire little
iearned popularity, by deceivIng the ignO-
rant, and eniisting their prejud.ces. If these
suggestions should have any fonUdatiOn. tho
l would willingly attribute the miSrepres enta-
ten NJ the author To inattention TO the subject
what then should we think OF man who could
make use ola great question, on the right
understanding of which so important portion
of public happiness depends, 20 CRAFTY his
private malice, or TO promote his personal
interest. Far be it from me 10 SAY that the
Constituent cannot or does not honestly disap.
prove of the bill but that he believes that il
could pTOdHCe one tenth of tie disastrous
consequences he has asCribed 10 il that he
believes that it can change the principle Of
elections; that il can introduce an established
religion that IL can convert society into phi
lOs0phers and throw the mechanical art into
the hands ct slaves that il can make men
more idle and imprOvident; thatit can increase
their poverty; that il can make sober men
whiskey drinkers, and honest men rOgues, is
incredible itwOnld require degree of folly
OF which shall not willingly believe that even
himself could he guilty. With respect to the
assertion that the hereditary priucipe is intro
dncod into the bill, and that il proposes TO
interfere with the right of pareDfs to edu-
cate their children. leave those who have
read the bill, and who know the character OF
the last General Assembly, TO form their own
opinions.
II is the misfortune of VIRGINIA fo cocfair