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

| qniries into file qualifications of the inie-
rior of the head. nor into the more desir
able qualities OF the heart. were al all ma
terial. The term republican" was alone
the true passport 10 office The fest was
equally applicable 10 measures. Once get
! the label affixed 10 any proposed me:,-
sure, good or bad, il then became heresy
To desert H. If The real effects OF this ar
iihce upon measures and appointments la
o.lce could be ascartaincd, lis mischief
would exceed belief; and would afford
most instructive lesson against the de-
piorable effects OF party spuit. These
remarks are made in consequence of
some faint attempts BY some, TO make Tie
school bill, as it is called, a new test Of
republicassm. tits hoped, however, thai
the influence Of this dangerous talisman
Is now passed away and that the subject
may be examined, not by sound, not by
any nlck-nanie 10 be given ii. but lay lis
merits. II IN tins view, n were TO be
brought Ia the true test of republcanism,
II would he found 10 be It's direct anti-
podcs. Rcpublicanism may be deiiaedto
be that kind OF government, which leaves
10 man in his individual character, the
greatest possible portion of his natural
rights, and gives To government the least
possible portion of them, which caa serve
TO enable the people and government, TO
perform their relative and reciprocal du-
ties to each other; and by fundamental
laws 10 secure the individual against gov
ernmcnial interference and oppression
If this be true definition of republican
government, II certainly secures to the
citizen the greatest possible extension of
individual liberty; lrow directly is the
proposed system of public education op-
in n IN, Ill tic f,,,l =
Instead of leaving man in the enjoyment
Of his own acknowledged rights, and Sc
curing him against the interference or OPP
preston OF the government, ii intrudes
itself directly into the exercise of his
rights, absolves him from his duties, off
clously undertakes their performance in
his stead and TO enforce his submission
to this inversion of duties, enirammels
him with the most veXatious complication
and iyrannical legal regulations and res
traints; inverting at the same time, the
best and soundest political axiom that e
yer was laid down in favor of individual
liberty; that she governs best, who
governs least"
Upon review the whole subject then,
it must appear that whether it be viewed
IN regard TO the principle ofthe system, or
the machinery invented for It's execution
whether ii be viewed i'll regard TO IFS ope-
rations OH the government or the people,
the most serious aud alarming doubts
may well he entertained of It's merits
and that instead of efecting its own lau.
dable object in elevating man above him
self, by absolving him from his duties, and
stripping him of his independence, il will
degrade him below the dignity of his ma
ture, and make him less than himself
" lie would lie more than man, he be-
comes less" In the interval between
writing the first and concluding part of
this number, your Constituent has been
favored with sight of the new and i'm
proved system of public objectionable
proposes 10 make his respects TO it in the
next number, and 10 subiointhe mere out
lines OF :" Counter Project for the APP
plication of the literary fund.