Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1839-12-05
NoticnaI EducatiCn Convention.

I,is a source of sincere regret that the subject OF
Education should have become involved by party
movement, in the politics OF the day In May last Inc
| American Lyccum of New York proposed a National
Convention to meet a, lndrprncnce Hail. III Piadel-
phia in November "scuss the varions topics con-
nectcd with elementary education in the T. States;
We entertained suspicion, that itcould be employ
ed for the purpose OF furnishing political capital to the
WHO'S until our attention attracted by The "5al-
timorc Republican 10 the movements III that CITY
The meeting TO appoint Delegates To The Convention,
is said have consisted of some dozen Wings assent
bled at the office of the Baltimore Patriot Their De-
leoat,s were Wings. They also called upon Governor
(irason to appoint Delegates in behalf OF the Stale
but he very properly declined, having authority to
act in the premises.
The Convention assembled at Philadelphia the
22d November in the Session Room of the I'd Frcsby-
terrain Church. The meeting was a tim "nc-Sevcn-
teen Delegates only appearing, out ol the Stale OF
Pcnnsyvana-hr these were from Baltimore,
from the CITY of \. Yorkand only One, South Of the
Potomac They passed Resolutions appealing TO the
State Legislatures and 10 tho People, III behalf of the
cause of Education They adopted other resolutions,
which were also couched i'll the proper FORM and How
inu from il proper spirit. They proposed among other
things, to have a General National Convention mt
Washington in May next. But they did not stop here
| They passed also the two following resolutions
Rc"iscd. That memorial from This Convention" I" inc Ton
oil the United states he prepared asking an early apr"Ea
III Smithsonian legacy I" the purposes "i education" Y"
whc was designed b! the seIers plan'los' whose name
! il bears
the Congress OF thr States upon that body the
ptic,y %i"pprin,nr ALL or ct" the proceeds OF the sales ."
We pass over the Smithsonian Legacy, protesting
against such fund being brought within the province
of the Federal Government, for any such purpose; and
calling upon Mr. Calhoun to make good his wager OF
battle against the whole design.
BIT we ask, what ri ht has Congress TO approPr
ate the public lands, cent OF the public treasure
To the erral purposes of education Is education ac-
ed under the jurisdiction of the Federal Government:
In what part of the Constitution is such power TO be
found; There j. no such clause whatsoever; and
those who claim the power must rest 1t ON the same
visionary basis to which the advocates OF the modern
Assumption of the State Debts are compelled I" re-
sort The ~ Y Commercial grants ''tllat the letter 9"
tie Constitution conf.rs such power, tovc! the AS
SUMPTION unless il b. found iii the "Grnrrai UataH
clause: and that clause rendered imperative by
the successive vctocs and usurpations oi iresdeh
Jackson" His usurpations. Why, his vctocs arrested
the lsrpatinns Of Congress. The "Grncra! Welfare
expression contcrs power, as Mr.. Madison DIS
tincty demonstrates But the power over tanning sno
new isu PATTON We find broachcd in Alexander tia-
millions Rcpor; on Manufactures, oi the OH Dec, lI?l
He there contends that is lr 'to the diSerc0R OIL inc
national legislature to pronounce upon tue onec's "ch
concern The Genrrai Warf and for which, under that
descriptions an appropriation of money requisite and
proper. And there 10 be no room t0r d0HW,
that whatever the gcHrral interests 81 fedrh
mr. of agriculture, of manufactures, and OF commerce,
are within the sphere of the national councils as jar as
regards an dPpitcGhon % money. II Is suP'iii"'"s
task rcfutc this sweeping and obnoxious doctrine
since Mr. Madison, iii his famous Report of 90, has
blown it SKI hgh.
But this movement upon the public Treasury is now
to be repeated. 1t comes in aid of Mr. Clays Land
Bill. 1t is the great hobby which the Wings arc now
to ride II is the great fund TO which every nccess
tous interest il to be directed Are the States want
of money to pay their loans They are told to claim
the sales of the Public Lands Have they any debts to
assume: Pledge the proceeds of the Public Lands
~ bfr ia he
| Go to the Public Lands Rally around Mr. Clay's
| Land Bill PLAY into his hauds. Swell the torrent ct
party potcs-What boots il that you have TO enlarge
| the Tariff and 10 PROSTATE the Constitution: