Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1825-02-01

wise as we are, and viii know how To amend,
and to amend il until it shall SUIT their circum-
stances Give 1T to us, then, In any shape, and
receive for the measurable boon, the thanks of
the young and the blessings Of the old, who are
past all other services but prayers for the pros
perity of their country, and blessings 10 those
who proEoteit."
Permit me TO SAX you, gentlemen, If these are
the sentiments of a nonopolist, devoted exclu-
siveiy 10 the ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ola particular and
favurite Institution Where is the man whose
heart is So coL as not to grow warm at the re-
cita! ofviews like these? The name of this great
and good man will descend with hi. works to
the latest times, and will be hailed with ra3tu-
rous enthusiasm by the friends of liberty aud
learning, in every quarter of the civilized globe.
A FRIEND OF SCIENCE.
Copy Of a letter from Thomas Jefferson to a
Member Of tie General assembly.
POPLAR FOREST, Sept. 0, 1877.
Dear Sir: promised YOU that | would put
into the form at bill my plan of establishing
the elementary schools, without taking a cent
from the Literary Fund. | have had leisure at
this place TODD this and now send you the result.
If 10 or 1900 schools are to be placed under one
general administration, an attention SO divided
will amount to a derelicton of them to them
selves. 1t is surely better then to place each
rested i'm its conduct. In this way the Literary
Fund is left untouched to complete at once the
whole system of education, by establishing
College in every district Of about 80 miles
square, for the ID grade of education, to wit =
Languages, ancient and modern, and for the Sd
grade a single University. in which the sciences
shall be taught in their highest degree.
should apologize perhaps for the style of this
bill. dislike the verbose and intricate style of
the modern English statutes, and i'm our revised
Code lendeavored 20 restored to the simple ope of
the ancient statute. in such original bills as
drew 10 that work. suppose the reformation has
not been acceptable as it has been little follow
ed. You however, can easily correct this bill
TO the taste of my brother lawyers, by making
every other word ssaid' 'aforesaid' and
saying every thing over two three times, so
as that nobody but we of the craft can untwist
the dictiou, and find out what it means and that
TOO not so plainly, but that we NAV consclenti-
ously'divide one half or each side, mend il there
fore in form and substance othe orthodox taste
and make it what it should be or if YOU think II
radically wrong, try something else, and let us
make beginning in some way, no matter how
wrong, experience will amend it as we go a
long, and make it efcctual in the end.
THOMAS JEFFERSON.
Ert,act from bin entitled, an Jlkfor esia5-
by III. jefferson, ind offered By mr.. TAILOR,
Of Chestexjietd IN the House Of Delegates at
the session If I3l7-18l8.
And for the establishment of Collepes where.
at the YOUTH Of the commonwealth NAV, with
IN convenient distances from their homes, re-
ceive higher grade of education,
ii. Be it further enacted as folows The
several counties OF this commonwealth shall be
distributed into nine collegiate districts where
OF one shall be co'nposed OF the counties of Ac-
cornac, Northampton, Northumberland, Lam
caster Richmond, Westnorcland, Middlesex.
Essex, Mathews, Gloucester King and Queen
King William, Elizabeth CITY, Warwick. Yorll.
James City, New Kent and Charles CITY: one
other, of the counties of ri.segs Anne. Norfolk
Norfolk Borough, Na0setnond, Isle of Wioht
Southampton, Surry, Prince George, Sussex
and Greenville: one other of the counties nj
Fairfax, LoutOua, Alag eSeoigc, Stafford, Prince
William, Fauquier, Culpeper, Madison. Caro-
hiis ard SpottsglYGnc' cue os..a. of tte counties
ofHaDover, Henrico, City of Richmond Cyoocb.
land, Louisa, Fluvana, Powhatan, GUNNER
land, buckingham, Orange, Albemarle, Nelson.
Amherst, Augusta and Rocibridre: one other
of the counties of Chesterfield, Petersburg, Din
widde, Brunswick, Amelia, Nottoway, Lunen-
burg, Meckienburg, Prince Edward, Charlotte
and Fairfax: one other of the Counties of Camp-
bell, PittSylvania, Bedford, Franklin Henry
Patrick, Botetourt and Montgomery: one other
ofthe counties of Frederick, Jefferson, Berkeley.
Hampshire, Shenandoah, Hardy, Rockingham
and Pendeton: one other OF the COMMITTEES of
Monongalia, Brooke, Ohio, Randolph, Harrison.
Wood and Mason: and one other of the conn
ties of Bath, Grecnbrier, kanhaway. CabeII.
Giles, Monroc, Tazewel Wythe, Gravson
Washington, Ru,selI and Lee.
10. Within three months after the PASSING Of
Tins act the President and Directors of the if
erary Fund, who shall henceforward be called
the Board of Public instruction. shall apooint
one fit person in every county of each Of the
districts, who, with those appointed in the other
counties OF the same district, shall COMPOSE the
Board OF Visitors for the College oftIiat district
ana snail within four months after the passing of
thls act, cause notices TO be given to each in
dividual so appointed, prescribing 10 them dav
within one month thereafter, and Il place with.
IN their district for their first meeting. with SIM
Elementary instructions for procuring a meetino
subsequently, IN the event of failure, at the time
first appointed
16. The said Visitors, or SO many of them as.
oeiug majority, shall attend, shall appoint
Rector OF their own body, who shall preside at
thelr meetings, and Secretary to record and
preserve their proceedings and shall proceed 70
CONSIDER OF the site for College most conve
Dient for their distr; having regard to evtent
population, and r,t-- circumstances; and WITH
IN the term of six months from the passinp of
this act, shall report the same to said Board of
Public Instruction, with the reasons on which
such site Is preferred; and if any minority oft,go
Or more members, prefer any other place. tbc
same shall be reported with the reasons for and
against the same.
7.