Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1842-12-01
POPULAR EDUCATION.
From the Richmond Enquirer.
TO THE PEOPLE OF VIRGINIA.

since In this city, to recommend s',o your SOL
emn consideration tho subject of general primary
instruction." we respectfully proceed to the dis.
charge of this duty. In the performance of so
| grave aad important task, we solicit not your
| sympaihies in behalf of the poor, still less do
we seek to excite in your minds any pieiudices
for or against the rich. We address ourselves 10
all, and in behalf Of aM We cannot believe
that 1t is necessary to dwell on the deep impor-
tance oil dlitusing Il certain amount Of literary
knowledge amongst the whole people You can
not forget that such knowledge is calculated to
lessen crime, to promote morality, refine the tastes
and temper of the people, while it strengthens
and maintains the spirit Of national freedom, and
essentially tends ts promote, if it does not abso-
iute'y secure, the institutions of civil liberty
Fopuiar Ignorance has ever been the parent Of tu-
mutt and excess on the one hand, or of despotsm
on the other. What valuable Improvement in the
use'u' arts, and In the application Of science to
the practical purposes Of life may not be expect
ed, when every handicraft man is laugh, the lead
ing principles of physical science, and to observe
and to think, with mind stored with the means
oil giving direction TO his observation and his re-
fcctcnsl The humLlest mechanical employ
inent admits the application of scientific princ-
ples aud he who exercises the employment from
day to day, with small knowledge of science,
and habits of observation and thought, is likely
sooner TO make useful discoveries, than the most
sanguine and ingenious theorist in his closet
Nine-tsnths of the greatest discoveries in the
application of science to the arts, have been made
by working men, who had acquired little knowl-
edge, and applied it in their respective vocations.
Watt may be said to have invented the steam on
CINE, so greatly did he improve it, while he was
but poor maker of mathematical instruments at
Edinburgh. And the telescope is Justly claimed
as the invention Of an obscure spectacle maker in
Germany. With such practical blessings, flow
ing from education, is 1t not matter of the high
est public concern, to provide the means of ele-
mentary instruction for every child in the Com
monwealth?
You provide for legislatures and halls fer leeis-
lation-you provide courts OF justice, and all the
apparatus necessary for executing the laws at the
public charge; because they are o! general bene-
fit, and without them The clemens Of society
would dissolve before The united efforts of force
and fraud. Does a less extended benef, spring
from the universal possession of intelligence by
the people! Is it not better TO diminish, if not
entirely prevent, the prevalence OF cri,s.e by NOR
al and intellectual culture, than TO repress it, or
endeavor TO repress it, by stripes and the Jail, by
The penitentiafy and the gallows An eniighten-
ed economy itself recommends the application of
this great conservative principle: for, as VIC eX.
tend the benefits CT education, arrest the rnul-
duplication Of crime, and lessen the expenses Of
criminal Jurisprudence, and increase the produc-
tive powers of the Commonwealth. Besides
where Is the master-moving power Of our Govern
! ments Who chooses our Legislators, and pro-
vides our judges, the one to make our laws, the
other TO administer them, and dispose of our prop
erty and our lives! Who judges Of their acts
and condemns or approves their proceedings! We
are called on as jurors to aid in the admnisra ton
of the laws Of our country, both civil and crini
nal, III their most important and delicate applica-
! tons to our affections, feelings and interests
| There is one, and only one, answer to each of
| those inierrogatories. All must reply, II is
| OUR PEOPLE, The great Jody of our people,
who are commanded to perform these grave and
important functions. How can duties 80 hume
rous and so inappreciable in their importance be
wisely and virtuously discharged by the people,
unless they are enlightened. But, we foIbcar to
| say more on this viow Of the subject.
| 1t has long since been the conviction Of enlight-
ened observers, that many grievous defects exist
In the system Of primary education which has
hitherto Prevailed n Va. Many think that not
only Is :he money whch is expended in the educs-
ton OF the INDECENT, injudiciously bestowed, but
that amongst tie substantial citizens of the State,
| education was almost al its lowest ebb, In con-
sequence Of the great difficulties of maintaining
good schools IN many pats of the State. Few
! persons, however, could have faihomed the depth
and breadth of the parvading ignorance. The
Federal census Of l8i0 disclosed results, at which
every ono who is attached to the prosperity and
| happiness of the Common salth, or who is pos
sessed OF spark of generous pride, must recoil
with shame and dismay. The statistics dsclo.
sed by the census are startling. The picture is
irightfpl, even making, every possible allowance
| for the inaccuracies of The document. BY it we
'o"'h, out vi "h''O p'PuIdtioH u doou'
! 100000, there were $4,000 persons in Virginia,
4 above the ago Of twenty years, who neither
write nor read-that is thirteenth Of the whole
population, or one i'll every six o. those who are
OF and above the age Of twenty years y
This census exposed our general ignorance in
strong and humiliating contrast with the superior
enlightenment of other States of the Confsderacy
:. Whose heart is not panied at the comparison! In
common with you all, we are keeHly alive 10 the
discreditable difference, but we must remind you
, that those of and above tho age ef twenty year;
who are unable TO write, are in the proportion:
y following, TO wit;
In Connecticut, one to 500.
] New Hampshire, one TO 500.
!, Massachusetts, one to l6l.
$ New Y ork, one 10 81.
Michigan, one to 81.
Yes in young Michigan, but The other day
!, territory, and so recently admitted into the Union
her proportion is as one 10 81, whilst ours is on
) to 49, The number Of adults who are unable t
II write and read in single county in Virginia, an
n thai county OF the most intelligent and wea
| thy in the State, exceeds by half the whole nun
# Der in like state Of ignorance in the State
", Connecticut.
y Nor o0ghn We, in making this painful and mo
tifying contrast, 10 omit the important consider
= ton, that in the States above enumerated, II
o working classes are all included, vhilo in vi
Il ginia our largest working classes of opeTati We
$50 called,) constituting nearly one half Of OF
if entire population, arc excluded. Is it vain
hope, that you, the people Of Yrgiaia, will tai
Il these thingsto heart, and firmly resolve, that the
u shall no longer EXIST That dark and deep IGN
III rance shall be swept from our beloved State, a;
r. iIle beaming light Of education shall shed lis IL