Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1821-02-15
RICHMOND, FEBRUARY Is, 1891.
q rmr EDITORS OF THE ENQUIRER

| - OF TIE ENQUIRER
| = writer i" your PAPER OF the s'h inst. ha,
!hongh' proper to arraign the ptincinles and
| inipuSn the motives, which induced MIR. Grit.
mn. delegate from York, TO present TO the
iJouse OF Delegates The resolutions some " e, K
ago offered by him, on the subject OF the dis
l'oSai OF The revenue of the Literary Fund. IL
was hoped from the Signature this writer hal
chosen. and his quaker like" modpsty. that
little more charity would have been extended
10 tue anil,r OF the fes0luii,ns- r. ne volerce
has ever been a characteristic virtue of the
sect whom "Philo" seems TO delight TO
nnhonr. u is expected that the candour anil
iii'eialiiy which ought ever TO characterize a
Iree press. will rcuder the same paper the
fenuy vehicle of the defence of the resoIu-
lions. The author Of the resolutions little ex-
prc'ed when lac submitted them 10 the House
OF Delegates. that they would l,ecop,e the
causes OF an Introduction OF his name into a
puDhc PRINT. This u "A distinction lie did
NOT covet- a favsr Of which he never wa.
ambitious. The canse in which the au,hpf
OF the resolutions had embarked was the
Cause OF the poor; the cause of INDECENT
he pursued was one, which JUSTICE aud policy
dictated To him. From this course lie NAV be
Inverted By argument aud reason but he brgs
Philo distinctly 10 understand, that lie Cannot
DC laughed ont - IL ny the vikings of the
day, or driven 4 it hy the powers of any
Que whatever may be his official elevation
The resolutions are calculated saws Philo.
TO frustrdie the wishes and attack the inter-
ests of 'hp staie-ih short, that they declared
open hostility TO the University Tae reso,n.
lions carry upon th,ir face a reiutatinn of
these charges. They we're offered IA The House
OF Delegates neatly seven weeks a.o-the
designs ot the author must have beeu deepIy
anu nicely conrfaiec so long 10 have escaped
the microscopic eye of Phiio. They have moi
YET been fully acted Hpon because OF The do
ranged. aud apparently inexplicabie stale of
the Literary Fund and its accounts Mucl
o' This fund has been pu,loined Ly a public
hIslln al ia "a
ascertaineJ. But let ns examine The resolu
lions and charges. above recited the rcso,u.
tiO"s emIi raced objects wiiir. were deemed
by the anthOr important in their consequences
{" the rising youth of the stafe-and OF vital
iinroIi to pnsferiIy. Ii WAS believed that the
benevolent intentions OF the Legislature who
enacted The law creating the Literary Fund,
were not confined 10 particular seminaries OF
learning-hut were intended To establish a
permanent system of education for the moor
youths of the state and to aid in the extern
sion of the blessings of science throughout the
COMMUNICATIONS patriotic. humane and
wise imteniions of the Legislature, we've likely
to he fr,piraied, by limiting the benefits of The
fund 10 particular institutions. The rolicv of
ii,- law seemed TO he two.foId; the di,semi-
Daiion of knowledge through the state-aud
the education OF The nOar. This latter object
is especially evinced. by the solemn protest Of
the Legislature, against the aunIicatinu of the
tunl destined Tor the estdl,i >hment of primary
schools IN each county and borough OF the
OF the Door" which is found iB The I2th sec.
ton of The law referred TO. The objects of
the resolutions which have excited The ire of
" Philo' were vsiiOus-frsi, 10 secure TO the
counties OF the state (Which had not drawn
Their appoittonment OF the annual appropria-
iions OF the fund.- the amount due TO them
Very manv counties in Virginia had not drawn
fheir aBnna' apporiionments, chiefly because
The sums allotted TO them were imadt quate 10
set in operation the primary schools when the
hrst apporiionmrUt was made they were suf.
fPr@d 10 remain in the treasury, NOT as n dire
iici tnnd but because ii was expected, they
could be drawn at any future period and
when the dividends Of income for somp wears
had accumulated aud been united that then
this portion of the scheme Of education a,
dopied by the Legislature wonId become zen
orally prosperous. BY a construction of the
law (whicl. the author of the resolutions dee,p
ed forced one) those counties of the state
which had not annually drawn the amoun,
allotted 10 ihem, were subseQuentjy ietused
their appointments More than one half of
the counties of the state. were i'm this si,ua.
ton. sum Of more ii,an S 43. 900. has Tins
been withheld by this construction from The
education OF the poor To remove tli, diff
Gully and 10 prevent recurrence of IT, were
the objects of the two first resolutions Ia il
jGst that some counties of the state shouId re.
ceive Tive benefits of tie fund and Others moi ,
Is 1T policy TO educate one portion of the oeo
pie of the state and not the other1 Il oue
part of the community entitled to and secur
N
Benefits, which the other il noti Can il he
believed 10 have boen the intention of The Lee
gislaiure 10 extend their fostering care TO on.
portion OF the people OF Virginia and not to
the whole I Are the beauties of literature 10
bloom only within circumscribed geographic
cal limits The other objects which the rrso
buttons contemplated were, to extend the aid
Of the Literary Fund to such academies and
colleges of the state, as afforded prosppcts of
their being usefnl-and To increase the ann,,,l
appropriation to the University-fur ihis aid
these academies, cole ges and the uu;vp,sity
were TO support and educate some of the moor
yoBihs of the state. who had in the minor
schools evinccd capacity, and an inclination
for literature and gave promise OF ,utire or
nament and utility 10 the state. Is il crime
in Virginia To educate her poor is honest
poverty crime in this state. for " PhiIu" tn
frown at {? Shall genius wither and vast o
her sweets upon the desert air" hecause on~
pressed by indigence9 II is true, that any
surpius disposable revenue that should remain
aHer The payment OF Tie standing appropria-
| lions 10 the schools, academies colleges and
university, were intended 10 be applied to the
primary schools Of the state bpcause thew
iorm the basis of the system of education es.
tablished by law 10 ret them into general
and complete operation, is of Tie utmost inn
| pOrtance. knowledge must have commence e.
ment, like all other requirements and pnr.
| suits in life-we must begia in The elementary
schoOis. ere we can expect 10 reach those
where the higher branches OF literature are
| taught he would justly be deemed a maniac
| who should talk of commencing = bniiding of
| the roof, before he had laid the groundwork
of The structure. Is ii then frustrating the
wishes. and attacking the interests of the
| state" TO educate its citizens. 10 impatt sc f.
| ence 10 man 10 disseIniDat tie into every quar-.
| ter OF the stale, the charms aud blessings o
literature Are The interests of the state
frustrated, 10y emil gbirning those, on who's,
| Will the existence of our happy political in.
| situations depend' Can tue wishes of tI,
state" be frustrated. by educating those wht
| cannot educate themSeivtsl viii il PROSTATE
| the Interests Of the state 10 instruct an,
| Inform those, who in times 0f alarm aud dan