Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1826-12-05

assurance that you wiii labor assduously in the |
same holy cause.
Among those subjects possessed of the most !
manifest importance, In the accomplishment of 4
this end IS the organization of system for the
diffusion of general instruction among the great
mass of the people. II the mind be set free from
the bonds, in which ignorance would bind il. the
body will sooner or later psrtske Of its condition
| and the most efectual mode of enslaving the one
is by benishing the other. This is sufficiently
evinced by the history of the world in all it's stages
Not to 60 further, in search of an example we
might be content to refer to that period of English
History. when under the early Kings. all the learn
ing was confined to the Clergy; s. it was denounced
as an offence of high magnitude for any other than
| Priest to be found in possession even Of Bible.
This was the age of slavery, the offspring of men,
tai ignorance and superstition That age was sue
eeded by one of greater light and greater liberty;
and, in all countries the aaeliora,ion or debase-
| ment OF mans condition, has been the constant
attendant on the spread of intelligence, the ex-
tinguishment of the lights of science With
| US, new motives exit for enlarging the
means OF instruction, as TO embrace all the CON-
munity. The happiness or misery of any indivdu-
al is tor the greater part, merely comparative, and
what is true to individual is also true in re-
gard to community. Hence the great importance
in government like ours, which fears no compa-
| rison with any other that has ever existed, but
claims proud prominence above them, that the
| mass of its citizens should be well informed. A
government emphatically of the people, necessarily
rests for its support and durability them, and
their general instruction becomes therefore desde
ratum of the first importance: Otherwise they are
apt to be made the ready instruments in the hands
Uf the designing for the overthrow of all that is
dear and valuable. These truths have evermore
been acknowledged, and your predecessors in the
Legislative Hail. acting under their influence have
| not been unmindui OF the solemn duties which
they imposed The University at Charlottesville
nd
most fattering, and promises fully to crown the
| hopes and wishes of the State 1t exists as
proud monument oil Legislative wisdom, and X
| cites TO new exertions in the same generous cause
of literature and science. Its immediate benefits
must, however, be confined to few; and turn,
therefore, with anxious soiicitude to the examine
tion of that system whose efforts directed to
the diffusion of information among the great body
| of the People. On this subject, and all others
| to which in the exercise of my duty under the
Constitution may advert, / shall speak openly
and without reserve. We ars fellow labourers
IN the same common cause.-The cause OF
Country; and / should justly be esteemed as I'M
worthy the station which hold, did cloak dis
semble my opinion on any question connected with
The public good.
| The Literary Fund. devoted to the diffusion of
primary instruction, has had its origin in the pur
est patriotisn and is founded in the wisest policy
but venture TO suggest the enquiry, whether it
does not require organization. in order TO
fulfil the just expectations of the State. Under
its present arrangements, ii fails to produce any Of
those great results which ought TO flow from it
| Ii is devoted. exclusively, 10 elemosinary
purposes; and the reports of the trustees through
out the State, present the result of its char
BILE operation, the education of 9779 children. 1t
is exclusively directed to the instruction Of the
! children OF penury and want, and looks no fur
Their. In this light, it undeniably possesses much
beauty, and is productive of some benefit. But,
should not the condition of all the youth of the
! country excite the efforts of parental govern
ment: Does not that condition call for the
tablishment OF system of instruction embracing ALL
and alike available 10 alll If it be said that the
rich require no legislative interpositiOn enable
them to educate their children, yet there still re-
mains numerous portion of our population, who,
while they far from being medicants, would,
nevertheless, be greatly benefited by such inter-
ference. This portion too, is every day augment
ing, and must, necessarily, augment, so long the
| Act regulating descen's, and which deserves just
! ly to be regarded of the main props TO our
political institutions, shall remain unchanged But,
| in addition TO the circumstance, that the Fund is
| thus CONFINED in its operation, being little more
| than mere Fund of Charity, it may well be OBJ
Jeced, that il fails 10 bestow any great good
| on the few on whom it is expended. There is no
thing permanent fixed in its character, and its
application is altos ether fortutous and accidental
| For few months, sometimes for a whole year,
| 10 opened, ahu an opportunity auOTueu 10
| the School Commissioners to search out such in
diseni children reside in its neighborhood, and
TO send them to it; but how often does it happen,
that before the child of Legislative bounty, has
been advanced through the elements of instruction,
the school ceases TO exist and he is restored his
parents with the certainty that he will forget the
| little which he may have learned? Here, then,
exists aborlive effort, the sole effect of which
is, 10 consume the resources OF the fund without
impsrting benefit. II any thing more were want
ing 10 satisfy OF the defects OF the present sys-
| tenn, might contrast our situation with that of
some of our Sister States. Take, for example,
The State Of New York. Here we annually ex-
pend $45, 900 for the purposes Of primary nstruc-
ton, and we nominally, | say nominally, for, in
the great majority OF instances, it amounts to little
NOR y Instruct 9779 children, whilst there, by the
| expenditure of somewhat less than $780, 9O, the
benefits OF education, through the instrumentality
| of about 5000 permanent schools, impaired 10
425 $50 OF its youth. 1t is true, that that sum is
| assisted by contributions made by the people to an
equal amount; but deducting the one-half of the
above number for those coniT butions, and there still
remains the large lumber Of 212, CTS children who
derive their education by virtue OF that beuefcent
expenditure.
Governments manifest their wisdom by deriving
instruction from the examples of others. And in
this instance fortunately, the example is furnished
US, not by enemy foreign state, alien in SEN
timent from Virginia, but by sister republic, be-
ing a member Of the confederacy with herself
and srdently devoted to the same great principles
which are TO her deeply interesting. Such a
change should be made, as by reducing the fees of
instruct ton, would place it in the power OF ALL