Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-01-20
go FoR rHE wnfu.
To fhe Csmniffee on Sehools a.d cou.

foteAN ruuSouon. lhat such
lions have not been realised to any considerable
'en'' certainly no fault Of yours nor has the f,ul,
lsMsystested ON your predecessors. Under the in.
huehce OF what some regard short sighted and mar.
: TOW phAeip'es OF political economy, amid the a.,
fractions OF party Strife and excited by the ambition
~ exercise the preponderaung influence on Federal
Politics, which formerly distinguished our "OlJ ~
, mnlen." our Legislature has for many years p,e.
eImueu the interests OF Education or but slightly
, nouceu them. While weeks have been snen, :,
aninatng debates on FEDERAL Relations The se,,ls'
ment OF Contested Elections or the reconc;,,;on -,
. n, claims on the score Of Internal Improve.
me"s, lew hours have sufhced to az av ON
ue "oie or postpone" such propositions or hin.
connected with the great subject of Popul,r Elm
seuon, as your Committee may have presented or
, individuals suggested. "
|, LIE Presidential canvass is clo,ed md much ~,
us asitatns influence has ceased to excite the way,
r " party strife. The State policy on Internal I'm
p'o,een's is settled Tor the present: at least, pro
{ &c son embarrassed by debt Our influence in
VIC Nauoh"l councils Is merely coordinate. In the
comparative calm OF the present and next ,yinte,
may u moi tnen be supposed that Popular Educa.
) uoh may cain the attention its merits demand !,
ot no o.t'er reason because its discussion will nf.
oiul me legislature subject of debate, to exc on,
tue usual session. But, gentlemen. there are orr
mediate attention. y" f"u' i"'-
In ,ss9, Gov Campbell reported to the Legisla-
'o'e tue melancholy statement, that i'm alouI Ioo
Sounues IN the State, the popular intelligence az,
peu e'tner stationary, retrogressive or but sl,sb,
"menueo, after about 20 years OF an annuul o..
pe"u"ure OF sIa,Uoo Tor educating the poo- The
oNSrs " 'his statement, was a comparlson or tho
proportion OF cross mark signatures to m,rr;a 80
oonus, To the written signatures nj two por;ofs
one loo 1887 or 5. the other 1917 or Is IA nnn.aso
" ,ho oc'uai count, that at bo:h periods The pro
PoI'oh was generally the same, ranging from / In
,, TO TO 10. In some counties The oro1o,;n W
increased, IN others, diminished under the bene6c;,
ope'auon OF our much lauded and much abns.d
c,IIu Senoo. system improved and systematic
Sa"y, energeucaIly and wisely administered MS !,
mas been, by one of our best men and mos, A.,
omcers, MIR. Brown. The correctness of tho c.
rernors basis for his conclusion was oues,;on.J
Dut tue people have been mum bered. and the Start
!'ns iact announced, that in a central wealthy ,nJ
in'eiugent county, there 700 adult, who came,
,e"u nor write In another county, the boas,., nil
TAR OF Repuhlcanism, there are 1900 and in \yss,
ern virginia $4,000. What will lie the whole conn,
~ nol hno~-out Judging from these, we may not
suppose great mistake, were it shewn thai one
t"eiih or htteenth of our adult population are en-
lJoyns all the bliss of ignorance of the mvs,er;s
which support all book know ledge From hi, hmm.
...'"s picture OF our actual condition a commu-
hy let US turn TO inquire what additional motive IN
eNeFtion IN this cause may be derived from comm,
ring our past laborS with those of other Sta,cI ~
nations. Dropping, as vain and arrogant, the car,
phrases, hsht OF the 18th century," march of mind
IN our day." and such like is there NOT son,e,L;n,
to excite us in the aspect of the civilized world n
nowl WIN just
The intelligence ard virtue of the p,onIs i ,ho
sure foundation for the purity and perpetuty of Re-
publican Institutions" is Sc ntiment So of,cr -
IN 4th july oraIions that every school I,c,, =; io
lar win II, and the most superficial observers of
men and things must relgiousy believe IL I s,a,,
not To discuss the question: whether the production
OF tins virtue and intelligence be the reSnIt of co..
tect educauon-Civll'zed, christian men have SET |
tied that. Nor do | here debate with an E,S,cr, |
PoIuclan, OF very common name whether IN,
procurement Of such educ atom must he c,rsd
W, oy me Legislature or left TO the operation of
demand lie
Oy all It's acts for common schools has settled in "a
your oil the hrst alternative. So has the universal
ankee nation, and nearly every State north oC ne
IS now, and many have BEEN for years, pAtriotical-
" engaged IN providing for the elementary nstruc
ton OF every child. Nor is this a mere tGY,nLc.
notion" Kentucky, Tennessee Georgia and n !
carolina are all successfully initiating our nortbern
SISTERS Look abroad gentlemen. In Prussia, with /
Il population of 100000, an absolute Monarch
mas IN ms la'e reign perfected system of common
SCHOOLS which leaves no child IN the Kingdom I'm /
ignorance except by his the parents fault The
Governments OF France and Denmark Austri, and
nuSsa are concentrating similar schemes; and Re /
publican Nirginia-fIee Virginia the State who's
very existence is dependent on a yirtuous md en-
hShtened immunity, tells the world, "we exnend
annually $4,000. and send &c 900 poor childlen 10
schoo at an average OF "a days attendance for the
year, and these days scattered from January In De.
cember, IN the best possible way to secure the r,,
setl1ness OF what Is learnt. We leave, ne,nwLiIr
<uuOu children 10 grow up unable to inscrbe their
names on ballot, or read the charter OF their liner.
tts or the laws OF the land!" WONDERFUL R.nub
lean State! We'll may YOU renose ON m. l,pr.I.
oil a former day Loudly may you boast Of vour
Name your rights, your fame and your resources
uehtIemen, IS II not time To begin at least the
eno'' 10 90 somethIngf One al your fellow-citi- |
Le"s, WHO sores above all national distinctions in
The name OF Virginia, presuming to no oreat Wis.
uoh, humbly suggests 10 your attention the follow
ing proposition, already hiLted hy the Editors of
f Roo p pHPeG Establish Immediately, temporary
BOARD OF observation-disclosures the Governor to Sc |
leet some hlIeen or twenty men from various parts
OF me state, who have reflected much and read
much, and seen much, connected with scheme. for
Popu ar education. Assemble them in Richmond
~ ce'oUe'i ana require them TO report to the Leris-
azure the pest plan their Individual and united ,yiS-
Iom can devise. In the meantime invite con,nu-
ncaons addressed to them from Others thot in this
BOARD we may concentrate the interest and infor.
nauoh on tins topic which exists in the State
FURNISH them with all necessary documents sucb
as reports the school systems of Other State od
ofelgn Kingdoms For one, promise nv feeble
pen, TO keep the subject before the public Your
oHlcai existence and that Of the present Legislature
nus terminate soon, and there u.s. therefore, little
prospect That the subject can be fully canvassed this
winter II spared, may resume my pen and even
INTER me adjournment Of the Legislature use the
present address, IN endeavoring to excite public nj.
t s 70 me following queries, which now close
Oy submitting to your grave consideration:
]. Ought not our present school system IN h.
aooshed as incorrect IN theory unjust in its opera
lion, and inefficient IN practice
T. is II not the duty Of the Legislature TO relin-
qush all authority on the subject Of Education or
provide something suitable to our condition ard ado.
quite 10 our wan;sl
s. May not scheme be devised liable TO no ol .
stSces IN operation and no objections in principles
"hch do not apply with equal or greater force to
'he present, and more efficient in practice more con-
sisent with Republican Institution and ultimate
ly, cheaper1
Promising my efforts TO sustain the affirmative
OF these questions, am, gentlemen, with great re
speet and esteem, yours, truly,
A VIRGINIAN.
10 No wonder the Editor Of the Enquirer
wrlthes beneath the lash Of MIR. Langhorne. That |
gentleman, in his remarks on the Senatorial EIec. |
ton, exposed the systematsed seduction attempt |
ed to be Praciised upon Mr. Hyes, and present
cd the venerable Editor in a light which he did not
greatly relish. The interview spoken Of by Mr.. |
Langhorns actually occurred, and substantially as
detoisd by him
Library 9ssoeiaii0n- Tnisreaing LsciuTe.
The course Of Lectures before this Association
will commence This Evening at tho first Baptist
Church. Judge IT, S. george Tucker will deliver
the first Of the series tonight Judge r. is m ao-
complshsd Bellies Lettros Scholar, and is eminent.
y fitted by his genius for the elegant pursuits Of
Learning. lie will invest with new charms any