Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-10-13
EDUCATION IN VIRGINIA.


anpeared TO take in the cause of education in
the South" and particularly in Virginia. You
feeingly regretted the neglect of this all-impor-
tant subject in the Old Dominion, and forcibly
urged, both upon people and leaders, the great
necessity Of exerting themselves in cause so
worthy of attention-a cause on which the per-
manence of our liberties is based, and which Is
the only true and lasting safeguard OF pubic
happiness, and Of public virtue, its invarlable
antecedent. A residence of two years in the
interior of this State, has brought under my OBJ
servation many of the disadvantages resulting
from the want of those facilities for acquiring
an education, so universally disseminated in
the Northern States. | have seen men, whose
sterling integrity and purity Of intention rem
dered them an honor to human nature, become
the dupes and tools Of designing and dishonest
demagogues, merely from lack Of that infor-
nation which would have revealed to them the
selfish motives Of those who were endeavorlng
to lead them astray, to promote their own am
bilious purposes A casual observer, or one
not acquainted with the difficulties in the way,
might be inclined to visit on those who direct
the public councils Of Virginia a censure, more
severe, perhaps, than is their due for the SEEM
ing want Of interest manifested towards this I'M
portant subject:-the fact is, it would be almost
as difficult to adopt any general scheme OF edu-
cation suited to the circumstances of the whole
State, as to hit upon Tariff or any other great
public measure entirely agreeable to all the
States and people of the Union. 1t is this va
riety Of sectional interests, doubtless, which has
hitherto, in a great measure, contributed TO
damp the ardor Of those who have directed our
public affairs, and to whom we naturally look
to foster and advance the cause of education.
But while we regret the apathy with which
this subject has been so long regarded, we have
cause to congratulate ourselves, that Z" a gene
rous spirit" has been found, whose devotion 10
democracy has evinced itself, not by high-sound-
ing pretensions that the mantle Of this or that
great man has descended upon hm-not by
pretended hatred for the rich and exclusive love
for the poor, (and at the same time living in
wealth and splendor,) but one who found time,
amid all the agitatng and engrossng questions
Of the last session Of the Legislature, Gin which
he took conspicuous parD to give his atten-
ton to the best interests of the poor and friend
less-by endeavoring to devise scheme where
by their minds might be freed from the shackles
of mental bondage, and the blessings of free
education extended alike to all ranks and con-
dtions, and the poor mans son enabled TO en-
joy this inestimable blessing, on an equal foot
ing with the rich, without having the honest
pride of independence crushed, as it is so apt
to be, by the odious distinctions fostered and
perpetuated by the present system.
believe, sir, from the interest you have ma
infested in regard to this subject, that you will
be rejoiced to find, that, while a Leigh in the
Senate was CALAMITY breasting the storm of
Executive usurpation-while a Stevenson, for
place and profit, was willing to prostitute his
high station to party purposcs-and a Rives,
forgetting his former principles and the honor
Of his native State, was bending the supple
hinges Of the knee and paying homage TO the
Hero, such man as THOMAS w. GILMER was
found devotng portion Of his time and ia
Tents to the cause of PRIMARY Schools, and en-
deavorng TO save his country from the " GER
tain fate Of popular ignorance" This gentle
man, now in the walks Of private life-eXempt
from the toll and hustle of public station, must
feel, when he looks back on this part Of his po-
litical course, a calm satisfaction, which can
never be aspired to by those parasites of Power
who have clothed themselves in the garb of de-
mocracy to obtain the confidence Of the people,
and to enable them the more effectually to clutch
the spos oc victory. Mr. Gilmer, in letter to
a friend (Which have had an opportunity of
perusing,) last winter, mentions the difficulties
to be encountered in improving our school sys-
tenn; but think we may infer that he does not
consider these difficulties insurmountabe.
will venture to make short extract.-He says:
son this as on every other subject unfortu-
nately for the interests and harmony of our
State, there are such conflicting wants in the
different sections of Virginia, that it requires
the patience and perseverance of years to re-
concie the opposite views;-schemes for edu
eating the poor, which would answer very well
in our mountains, are useless on tide water and
rice y
submitted plan to the Committee of Schools.
&C., yesterday, for the distribution Of the ag-