Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-03-06
HOUSE OF DELEGATES.
THuRspAr, March 4, iSli.

Bills Passed.
The following ensrossed bills were read third
A bill incorporating the Peters Mountain Turn
pike company;
A bill changing the time of holding the Circuit
Superior Courts OF Law and Chancery for the coun
ties of Jefferson and Frederick.
A bill establishing inspection of Flour at the
Depot near Gordonsville, in the county Of Orange.
A bill to amend the act entitled "an act incoTpo-
rating the Giles, Fayette and Kanawhs Turnpike
A bill concerning the Hastings Court of the town
OF Winchester.
A bill to refund to Emory s Henry College a
sum OF money for taxes on land. enormously charg-
ed on the same.
A bill authorizing the Portsmouth and Roanoke
Railroad company to dispose of one moiety Of their
Road South Of Gary's, and OF the Weldon Bridge,
with an amendment from the Senate, and another
amendment by the House.
A billconcerning Alfred Wood and others.
EDUCATION.
A BILL authorizing the appointment OF Board
OF Commissioners to devise plan of popular edu.
cation, with the substitute thereto proposed by the
Committee of Schools and Colleges, was taken up,
upon motion Of MIR. LIE.
Mr.. BURwELL, of Bedford, was opposed TO the
plan proposed in the bilt which sought to delegate
to another body the duties which the law had mpos-
cd upon that House, and should before he sat down,
move so TO amend the bill under discussion as to
provide for the performance by the President and
Directors Of the Literary Fund, Of the duties refer
red by that bill to Commissioners to be appointed
by the Executive.
he was opposed to Commissioner of that cha
racter, principally because they usually proved in
practice, inefficient, and perfectly irresponsibe-
and he objected TO this proposition because he fear
ed that by committing the whole school system of
firginia TO others, we might have recommended for
our adoption, unier the imposing aspect of a report
from this Commission, some system specous in it,
sell, which answered well elsewhere-probably a
TRANSCRIPT from the n
but one utterly unsuited 10 the exigencies of the
State of Virginia and although strictly in or
der, on \ proposition 10 amend, he would ask the
indulgence oil the House while he made a few OBJ
servations upon the present School System-to
show that II was misunderstood by some, misrepre-
scented by others-and that 1t possessed many ad-
vantages which might possibly be lost by the
mendation of a new and distinct system, which we
might expedition Executive Commissioners and
he was prepared to content, that while the Presi-
dent and Directors Of the Literary FuRd were per-
tectly conversant with the operation of the present
system, and regarded il useful and meritorious,
they were not blind its defects but were prepared
TO recommend amendments and alterations, by
which, while we preserved the frame work of the
Common School System, We might perfect it 10y
any alterations whch their experience or the sug.
gestions OF others might recommend.
These officers had expressed their opinions TO this
effect and he would only recall the recollection OF
The House to the patriotic and practical views of
Governor Gilmer, upon the subject Of Popular Edu.
cation-views which he would cheerfully aid as
President OF the Literary Fund, in carrying out
The opinions and the services of another member
OF that Board 1.-THE SUPPLEMENTARY were before the
House, and showed devotion TO the education of
the poor-not an evanescent interest, but a Deep
and sincere, and laborous devotion, as evidenced
by the fact that since his appointment 10 Office
he had produced degree of efficiency in the
spstem and degree Of punctnaity in the reports Of
Inc school Commissioners Throughout the State
which afforded 10 any gentleman DESTROYS of ex-
aiming our system, ample materials for doing so;
they would then see that with a limited fund, with
nIi the disadvantages OF scattered population, in
ADDITION TO those disadvantages OF general indffer
ence which prevail elsewhere, that much good had
been done, and that during the last year, % 900
out OF 46, 900 poor children were entered and taught
IN primary schools, and that nearly the whole fund
oi SIO,oOO had been expended, togSsher eith other
facts going show that the advantages of the pre-
sent system arc extending themSelyes, are gradually
overcoming prejudice, and commencing themselves
TO the appreciation Of the people.
he would take the liberty OF hoping that the
House would be cautious how il adopted or pro.
Vlded Tor adopting any new system, while the pre-
sent might be corrected and improved-and would
mention that the livery spareity of our population
would show sufficiently that no system of general
taxation for popular education as was practIsed in
the Northern States, would be applicable here-and
cited among other facts the great disparity between
the proportion OF area and population in the North
ern States and Virginia. stating that while the pro-
portion which the population of Maine or Mass.
chusstts bore 10 the area from rs 10 81 per
square mile, that the free white population of West
ern Virginia was about $, and that OF Eastern Vr.
gina about III per square mile-thus showing that
any general system must be naturally uneou1I in
ITS benefits and operation He referred 10 the far
Their fact, that under the present law of Virginia
was already optional with the counties in the State
TO adopt the district school system, but that some
counties had been land off into districts and had
school houses built several years ago. that the sys.
tenn had been abandoned the school houses had
ToiIed down; and that there we're at present but
anur Hua Zoe sp 49, o.
the district school system was IN oDerstion-tbus
showing that we are not prepared for the adoption
OF some of the most advantageous peculiarities OF
the plans OF education in operation elsewhere. He
would, therefore, move TO amend, because he did
not anticipate any action on the subject from the
House during this winter, and was therefore will.
ing 10 refer the subject TO that body which the law
had eonsLituied--the guardians of the Literary
Fund. he was not fond of novelty, and commanded
that we rsked an entire and njudicous change in
our common school system by trusting this subject
into the hands Of others, when we may so readily
amend and correct all its defects ourselves and ask
ed the indulgence Of the House for having detained
It IA asking their attention To a subject Of so much
importance 10 the Commonwealth.
Mr. LEE hoped the House would not adopt the
amendment OF the gentleman from Bedford which
IN effect, would have the effect of totally defsating
this measure, and the people Of Virginia must con.
tinue the present School system, which appsared
TO be only valuable for the perpetuation OF igao-
Tdnce. lie trusted that the time had arrived " hen
the people were 70 nave more 1udtClOus eHpend.
ture OF their money Tor education. Virginia. in
1878, before this Esunlsd cO@non School System
was brought iato operation, had, as Yas proved bV
the late census, less ignorance within her limits
Than az the present noment and yet they were
called upon TO keep in the hands Of the workers Of
ihis Objectionable system, the right to originate
new one. lie called uLon the friends Of Education
IN thht house 10 sustain the present bill, and N
come forward for the education Of the people
Mr. hEEEE thought that there was no necessity .
70 be nj tie expense Of appointing Commissioners,
When perhaps, House would not net upon tbeir
report. he should vote against the bill
Mr. Cox was IN favor OF the amendment con- l
tending that The President and Directors of tbs ito
rary Fund were much more likely 10 devise a pr,c.
ticol system than, probably, strangers who knew
nothing Of the character md c0ndition Of their
State.
Mr. TATLoE ofKing George agreed with the eea.
tleman from Bedford
Nc GooDE regarded the proposition as eouiva.
lent 70 rejection OF the bill and consequent per-
petuluOn Of the present system. The President
ard Directors could give them no information which
they were not nov bound by law 10 furnish. The
present condition ofth 1oople dema nded the prompt
and emctent intersr -e q the Legislature. The
people had, by tbei petitions, called for a change
and they were bov1l 1 carry out the wishes Of the
people in this respect
Mr. CRoPPGR sad hat thsy had kept I'd the old
systcm long enough under its operation their good
Old State bad become the most ignorant in the
Dnioa, and be should, therefore, vote against the