The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1824-02-13
REPORT TO TIE "a. LEGisLAIUhE,
os TuE sp"I.cT OF

nN TnE su"IEGT OF
TIE PENIIENI1Akf INSTITUTION.
I'll. committee 10 HON have been re.
c.rr.d all subircts bfo'f before this bntISr.
/ many way CONNECTED with lhe pcnllentiary
establishment uf the coin cath, lncln-
ding the remarks made upon the principles
as we'll as the present condition thereof, ny
the chief magistrate, IL iiIs annual eolnmu-
uiratinn aud the obserN atl0ns aud reason
! n.s al the board of directors of The peal
! Tertiary, in heir report, ask the Indulgence
of the house. Tor SOnIe preliminary views,
/ before they recommend Ia their adoption
/ the measures determined by them It. be
Iexpedieut ut this JuBclure.
| The community can only d"piore, but
the Legislative body must anticipate, aud
endea,or To prevent, or must provide AIDE
quaie remedies for the moral. nnd hy5lcaI
q, lis, necessarily aitendHnt upon lie social
state al man., ~ ~ IL their authority "A-
tends.
At would be easy Ia point out the plain
origin of thu worst of human miseres, and
4h- tvur source of all GRIMES, in the i'll
governed passions, the in0.dlnate d,'slres,
the nnrsstrainrd appctites, and the impe
rious wants, To which unan, BY his nature,
must perhaps ever be subject ia some DE-.
gree. Bnt the time requisite would be
! much better employed in showing how,
| from the plable nature, the do,iliIy and
rapabllty of the human species, IA nv
raj, intellectual aud ply seal impro, emcni
OF il might reasonably hc expected, proper
Tomato To the htucss and fnrcc of the means
applied by constlnilon.I authority.
! Not an nprO, rment of infinite extent
as has been most nphilosophically thn'l
for the laws lmposed on the nature of man
must eicrnhhy conhne ms powrra, IS well
as his duration, within narrow limits ; hul
an indefinite amrl oratiun, such rs may b,
deserved, hoped for and expected, from
determined resolution to combat that oppo
silion, and 10 remove those INSTRUCTIONS
" hieh tia, T., er selfish. who profit by tn,
fully and imbecllty OF their fellow crca
tures, know 81 WILL how Ia excite and /,
create. new fortn of tyranny exercise,
IN the drnunciatinn of IL brnsr ohsnt phllu
sophy, springs from the unsoCIal passions
Of anhitinu, indi, idu,ls, aud ban-hes from
the deliberations aud The administrations u
, the most free GOV crnnicn,s, all such cnqnl
rirs, aud such rtasonings. Profound think
ing Is painful huInanr faellngs'arc uupro
ftah. disinterested laIpours are unwIse
/, therefore, Initiative. cold and mdrcouarA
art is substituted for all, and man IL cont
intended for him, In save the trouble u
rnising him higher :. the possibility q
: which is of course dclr1ed, To afford an apo
Iesy.
Il would be pleasing task to shew, thai
il, all those who gave religious ia,tructiot
Ia society, instead of dN, Him. Upon unset
tied articles Of faith, would make II thei
chlof Labor 10 demonstrate, how mlldncss
aud muncencr IN this world, Ia the full cx
, tent of thr means and powers posscssed
are Indispensable IL happiness here ant
hereafter much moral Improvement, aut
? consequent relaxation of penal law, Nigh
Justly he expected. 1t would be no dill
= cult labor Ia prove, that ii the parents an,
: teachers of youth, could be mdnred Ia Al
i tend more othr physical cdncatlon olihrl
pupils, they might expect FAR greater srt.
cess, in tie main object Of their n,T,.l an,
intellectual Improvement. BY stead,
and jadcions means known To science fo
. the confirmation, maintenance and rcstori
tion Of Juvenile health, the constitutional
onera y.uf tire BRAN, aud the CELEBRITY an,
4 certainty OF its influence over the system
1 mr. al he Increased, Of which, greater sociz
powers, more constant equilibrium q
srns4tlnn, perception aud thought, NOR,
iuiifarn tranquility of mud, and u less ac
tive propensity ia vicious indulgence, " oult
b. the sire consequence.
NhcR that science, which teaches the de
prndcncc al nHnd an body, Ieco,rrs IT.
place from the empty nietaphy sizes ut pre-
I 'eut in frsT and is better known To- tn,
world, II may become easy Ms il is nj
ways ikpnefiria, fo ,hi.w, talat the over
strained ambition of constant superiOrit,
'7'ver 'rl otirrs, 'sn perhicous in free gov
Lea nd ina -aal.I "a.
by envy and causeleSs malice, and Jromn
tHudc 10 calomoy, ar Ia Injustice, ls, IN usr
a Diseased condition uf mind and body, thai
might have been prev tntrd, aud may b,
relieved by IA purifying regimen of dad,
employment in the fields which should
ever b~ enforced, before the tarmcntina
habit of aspiring thoughts, and hopes al
tramp sVer equals. has rendered the pro
penSliy toenci oachmem perpetual, or tn,
utthnation Ia violence, obstinate aud ungo.
Vernahlc. Ii such sy ptoms were early
marked and promptly treated with rustica-
ton by the people, or 10y dHstrust in popu.
lar assemhiins, much of that mischief might
bepre, ented, which usurpation ofShc rights
or cnptr,l by force ar fraud ever, the free
WIN of others in ~ hateser degree it may
prevail, must certainly produce, hy destroy
ing that free play and consequent fur cqa
hbf1nm OF Influences, So necessary To the
preservation OF Popular governments. Pc
ricles might thus have been rrndt red ano-
thcr, and an ADLER Solon Cesar another.
aud a greater Cato: Napoleon n second
Washington and the sweeping desolation
caused by each, througho,a the spher, of
ms influence, might have been .n.ct,mIl,
presented. The endeasor, however d,tti-
:. cult, mfgh,pot be desperate, ~ open tue