Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1831-01-18


Ceremony as wooden clock. No useless aud riekelty
parcel Of lumber will be treated with less respect But
this machinery cost vest sums Of money, was erected
for the public good, and capable Of doug an
table amount OF good work, II rightly Fixed up aud
kept In motion. IL would be bad economy acd worse
pol cy, in republican feeemen who to exercise the
rights Of egovernnen', TO put cut their ghts aud
do this business in tho dark. Indeed cannot b. per.
formed in the dark. 1 men will be free ihey must he
enlightened, aud this tbsy cannot be without literary
institutions. shall presently advert to the radical
defect 10 our System, which, when cured, the whole
system OF public instruction will harmonize and work
we'll.
The annual appropriation Of $45. 900 to the elsmsn-
tary schools, a noble experiment: tho motive
thy Of all prsisehe object the mot desirable. But.
Us In many schemes Of philanthropy, in this tho be-
ginning was made At the wrong end Fortunately,
however, tho matter is easily set right the General
Assembly will II. A demand for any thing
must exist, before supply IL needed. The desire OF
knowledge TO be excited; is value 10 be right
iy apPreca' ed; its Independently TO the freemen OF
r. preventative democracy, In order TO the right
else Of the elective franchise wa to bs fully under
stood, before could by any means Of public in.tuc
ton be economically, usefuiy, and generally difiu.ed
To distribute bread those who have appetite,
10 bu, charitable waste. The stomach s not filled with
food. the heart with gratitude. 1t is admitted
all hands by those who. without prejudice, have watch
ed this experiment. that iii has entirely failed, the
amount Of good effected has been far less than had
anticipated, and g.eatlv disproporonae to the money
expended. Had the University, in the first place,
heen endows to render il cheap institution,
accessible to the Of the middling cass Of ciz ms
these would have crowded to i for with Them the sp
petite for knowledge already existed, and they would
have carried away from It. and would have diHused
among the lower class taste Tor it. Manv Of than
would have became competent teachers OF elementary
and grammar schools-suppiyng its proper nouTsh
mont to tina, appetite which II would much benefit
country To excite and supply Then the sppropis
ton OF $45 900 annually would not fall like show
OF rain the DESERT sinking into the barren sand but
fruitful places, causing every seed TO veges,e and
spring up into lif- IL IL not too late to give its full
effect to this benevolent appropriation. We must have
tesehers-eompetent teachers Of elementary schools.
b. fore they can have scholars The of society
must be eavened, before IL will rise and the Ieaven
can be made mos, cheaply and mo.t abundantIy At
cheap University. The radical detect in our system
OF instruction s that our great Paratory echooltbe
University. is not sufficiently endoced 10 render il
cheap, as well a learned sad able institution The
consequence Is, that IL s no., and cannot be- attended
bv sufficient number OF students because Of the fees
tohich must be paid by them 10 the Proe ssors. These
fees necessary with The small endowment which
the University now has, in order to make up a COM
pensa,ion to the Professors for their services Without
good salaries cannot have good ProfessorsMen Of
learning, talents, and industry, will not work for less
in one hborou. profession than they can get in an
oher and their salaries must either be paid by endow
ment, by the stuien,sor by both jointly Reduce the
salaries 10 pspce and the chairs will be occupied
mot hled-by men OF inferior powers and acquire
meDt. without ability TO sustain the reputation OF the
school. 10 benefit those who would ate nd them
But such would cease to be attended, and the atl-s
Professors, such now have, cannot he numerous
y attended, because the cost OF ate ndance exceeds
The mean. Of a great maj ,rity OF those who wish TO
nd their to this scbooithe sons OF the respect
able yeomanry OF the State. The annual appropria-
lion now benehs only the rich, without enabling the
Independent, farmers to send their 10 thi, school
The Institution, does not produce its proper
amount OF good nor is the actual good produced justly
appot toned More than one hundred young men have
annually ma'ricuiatsd there, while more than five
iundred have been kept away by The sxpensiveness OF
he school Let The fees nov paid by the students be
made unnecessary to make 1p reasonable salaries TO
he Professors. by wise and just endowment. aud the
IONS OF the people will crowd TO the University. As IL
these !ess with the rent Of dormiories, library
Sc IN. great majority of he people cannot pay when
hey have also TO purchase clothes, books, aud board
Hence the unpNpulariy Of this great school, and the
cause which, II not removed is to work i,s downfall
event to be deprecatedto he averled we are TO
;on inue tree and in order to be an enlightened
people! II must be distinctly understood that rst
Professors cannot be had without sal rice at least equal
the profits of those who stand highest in the learned
and without such Profe ssors, University
deserve and long retain character OF great uti y.
3u. il these salaries paid by fees. any considers
i.feated by the means of its support Many cannot
tend ithey canno, ink at this fountain uu,ess they
nay drink freely. EGdow the institution justly and
he isi,y for high fees Ieast ceases white the
bes Professors will still he retained, without burden
the students Fees Professors, rent of dormiiory
md library ticket, cost nearly 800 Take away these
expenses by endowment, ani many more will b. able
o meet the other expenses of board, &c. II viii be |
'endered accessible to the midding class of cz Ems,
md the legislators who produce this result, will be
tiled to and will receive the thanks OF the present and
uture generations The institution will then be justly
popular, and widely useful, and those who shall have
made So will be honored in all time TO CONF as the
oster fathers OF liberty and the preservers of national
reedom. l..
NoTEWe would ugse,t intelligent respected Cor
e,ponden whether his plan rendering y pop-
lar am1rg middng f,r,une calculated psry,e
he enese, Of the University. We muh devoted
Of this Intuion he be- will the plan
ng the Professors upon their salaries entirely III.
all their Pupl contribute render indo-
and insyel We respectfully invite ,,ponden 10
cad the I'll Article OF the 5h ok Of Adam Smiths Wealth OF
',tions upon this subject He presents which is certainly
cry striking II conclusive the sake OF the general resd
the following brief passage
some Uivei.s .e, makes part and s,uenty
small Of the emoumens Of The teacher Of which The
part from the honorare fees OF his pupils.
eeey application though slway les, diminshed
ia this entirely taken Reputation in hi. profe.,on
I'll Of him, and he still has dependency
the afeeton gratitude aud v"rsbs II those who
tendsi upon his and these favorable
kelly gain well by de'efvny them that is
he sbiie, aud diligence with which he dsehnses
Il, duty,
unver,., the teacher prohibited any honorary
Zee from hi. pur and hi, ..ary ronus The whole Of IN,
which he derive, from hi, Office Iii, IL,
set as directly IN opposition 10 his duty it's possible set IT,
interest every al can;
nd IL his ar, 10 Re the sam, whether ne dos
does perform hnriou duty certainly bis In
il toS.iher or IL he Is ome authority Which will so .o
do this oareies, ,ovenly
a. sub,rity will permit Ifbe n.tuay sotive, and low
sbour his interest employ ths activity way from
Inch he derive advantage rather than 10 the
hi, duty, from which he can derive none"
We trust however, that the Legislature will literally
University for all necessary purposes Ioooducted proper
nd harmonious spirit tho part the Peesso with
quo energy and wisdom tho OF the Visitors
OF Virgins. now 10
train OF experiment Let only few fine specimens OF
coompishod let OF lite graduates distinguish
,emeyes in society," and every particle will rush support
nd will stretch his for the purpose sending
Iii. =.