Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-03-09
ThnrSday, March


Senator OF the U. S.
On motion of Mr.. ARMSTRONG, the House adjourned
Thursday, March 4.
The following communication was received from the
Senate
The Senate have passed The bill, entitled An act TO
change the mode of supplying vacancies in the Office
of Aldermen in the town Of Lynchburg.-And they
have postponed indefinitely the bill, entitled An act
concerning the Cour, Of Appeals
BILLS PASSED.
The following engrossed bills were read third time
and passed:
A bl incorporating the Peters Nonntan Turnpike
Company.
A bill changing the time of holding the Circuit SUI
peror Courts of Law aud Chancery Tor the counies
OF Jefferson and Frederick.
bill establishing inspection of -four at the De-
pot near Gordonsyll!e, in the county of Orange.
A bill 10 amend the act entitled act Incorporating
the Giles, Fayete and kanawha Turnpike Company
A bill concerning :he Hastings Court Of the town
of Winchester.
A bill to refund to Emory x Henry College sum
of money for taxes lands enormously charged on
the
A hi! authorizing the Portsmouth and Roanoke Rail
road Company 10 dispose Of Inoietv Of their road
south Of Gareys, and Of the Weldon Bridge wiih an
amendment from the Senate, and another amendment
by the House.
A Bill concerning Alfred Wood and others.
EDUCATION
Commissioners, 10 devise plan oil popular education,
with the substitute thereto, proposed BY the Committee
Of Schools and Colleges, was taken up, upon motion OF
Mr.. Lee
Mr.. BURw ELL, Of Bedford, opposed 10 The plan
proposed in the hill, which sought 10 delegate
Their body the duties winch the law had imposed upon
that house; and should before lie sat down, 10
amend the bill under discussion to provide FOR the
performance by the President and Directors 81 the Ii
terary Fund OF the duties referred by ,a; BILL 10 Com
mis- To be cd ny he 10
opposed Commissioners oil thai character, princi-
paly because they usually proved, III practice, inei
cient-and perfectly spoasi5e-aGd he objected 10
this proposition because he feared that, b. committing
the whole school system Of Virginia 10 others, might
have recommended, for our adoption, under the
posing aspect of repor; from this commission
system, specous Itself, which answered well else
where. probably transcript from the system Of
other State, but utterly unsued 10 the e1igencss
of the State of Virginia; and although not strictly IN
order proposition TO amend, he would ask the in
diligence Of tie House while he made few cbserra
tons upon the present school systemic show that
il was misunderstood BIZ some-mlsrepresented by
others-and that II possessed many advantages which
N ght possibly be lost BY the recommendation Of
and distinct system which we might expect from Exc
cutlve Commissioners and he prepared to contend
that while the President and Directors OF the Literary
Fund perfectly with the operation Of
the present system, and regarded 1t useful and
ritorious they not blind TO lis defects, but
prepared to recommend amendments and alterations by
which, while preserved the frame work Of the
mon school system, might perfect It BY any aera-
tons which their experience or the suggestions Of others
might recommend These officers had expressed their
opinions to this effect and he would only recall the
collection Of the House 10 the patriotic and practical
views of Governor Gimer upon the subject Of popular
educaion-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 (the superintendent) were before the House
and showed devotion 10 the education Of the
poor-not an evanescent interest, but deep and
sincere and laborious devotion, evidenced by the
fact that since his appointment 10 Office, he had
produced degree Of efficiency in the system, and
degree Of punctualiiy in the reports Of the School
Commissioners throughout tine State, which afforded
to any gentleman DESTROYS of examining sys-
TEN ample materials for doing They would then
see that with limited fund, with all tie Disadvantages
of scattered population, in addition TO those dsad-
vaniages Of general indifference which prevail else
where that much good had been done and that du.
ring the last year, &c 900 out Of 5000 poor children
were entered and taught in primary schools and that
nearly the whole fund Of $4,000 had been expended
together with other facts gong TO shew that the ad
vantages of the present system are extending them
selves are gradually overcoming prejudice, and com
mendng then seves 10 The appreciation of the people
He would take the liberty Of hoping that the House
would be cautious how adopted provided for adopt
ing anv system while the present might be cor.
rected and improved-and would mention that the very
sparseness of population would show sufficiently
ton, as pracsed in the Northern States would be
applicable here-and cited among other facts, the great
disparity between the proportion of and population
in the Northern States and Virginia, stating that while
the proportion which the population of Maine Mas
sachusets bore TO the from 10 Il per square
mile that the free white population Of Western Virgil
MIA was about = and that of Eastern Virginia about
per square me-thus showing that any general sys-
TEN must be naturally unequal its enefis and ope
ration. He referred 10 the farther fact that under the
lazy NJ wa with
the counties in the State to adopt the district school
system, but that counties had been laid off
districts, and had school houses built several wears
ago. that the system had been abandoned the school
houses had roted down; and that there at pre-
sent, but four FIVE counties in the Commonwealth in
which the district school system was in operation
thus showing that not prepared for the adop-
ton of some of the most advantageous peculartes of
the plans OF ed ucation in operation else Vs. here. lie
wond, therefore, TO amend because he did no,
anticipate any action the subject from the House
during this winter and was, therefore, willing TO re-
fer the subject To that body which the law had const
tuted-the guardians Of the Literary Fund He was
not fond of novelty, and contended that fsked
entire and injudcious change in our common school
system by trusngth subject into the hands ofohers
when we may readily amend and correct all its de-
ec,s ourselves and asked the indulgence Of the House
for having detained il in asking their attention to
subject of so much importance TO 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 defeating this
measure, and the people of Virginia must connu the
present school which appeared TO be only valua
lie for the pepetuaon of ignorance. HI trusted that
the time had arrived when the people to have
more Judicious expenditure of their money for edu-
cation Virginia, in ISIS, before this vaunted Common
School system brought into operation, had, was
proved BY the late census less ignorance within her
limits than at the present and yet they were
called upon keep in the hands of the workers Of this
Objectionable system the right TO originate new one
He called upon the friends of Education in tina, House
10 sustain the present b and to forward for the
education of the people