Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1843-02-09

and one TOO eorroboFated b. all experiences upon |
The subject. that ssThe ignorabce or he common
people Is The certain prelude 70 heir poverty
and slavery" II this Be true ID reference 10 our
own State. and Who is there doubu is correct
meas, in What depIOrabls aspect dues il present
he mass in our commonuealshs Il will be
recolleetsd lhaf>a few years since, Gov Camp
bell informed the Legislature, hat about one in
six or seven Of the signatures 70 marriage bonds,
recorded in The clefks' Offices, vas made with
alcross-mark- what vas yeI more lamenta-
be, thar This ratio existed ia 1883 very generally
Ihe same as in 1918, afler twenty years Of legs-
lation and the expenditure Or about one million
Of dollars, 10 improve The intelligence Of the
people. When this statement was made, many
were inclined 10 doubt rs accuracy. But since
then, the census Of our State has been taken,
and il has been proven, a. We have stated in our
paper heretofore. that OF $4,000 white adults in
the Stale, ihsre ara 81. 900 vho can neither read
nor urilel Making proportion Of one to six,
Of all persons over 90 years Of age, who do no.
possess even the elements 81 the knowledge re-
quisite TO make Them The Intelligent people to
whom our Invaluable Institutions should be com
mitled. i not reflection upon this fact, rnorti-
flying indeed, that Virginia, the mother Of States
and Of Statesmen, the birth place Of Presidents,
and the oldest State in the Confederaey, should
present among The mass Of her citizens, such an
amount Of ienorancei
With these evidences Of The almost uL rapaIlel.
ed want Of Primary education before us, il not
high time that The public voice demanded some eff
& - 49,
Would il not be more eomnendable 10 our pre-
sent Legislature 10 be INVESTIGATING the causes
that have cast upon the esenlcheon OF our State
this dark and damning disgrace. and providing
remedies for its removal, than wasting their time
and The money Of the people, in discussing Fe.
deral Relations, and expoundng the resolutions
o! '9s' Should there, however, be no legislation
upon this vital subject during the present session,
we should be glad TO see il made test question
at the Spring election, whether or not the candi-
date for support, be for or against the establish
ment Of the Free School system. As an evidence
that the people have moi been altogether dormant
upon this subject, il will Be recoIleeted that this
time year ago, Convention assembled in
Richmond to consider the interests OF Education:
eNSSHeNS
H By The LegslatureH Why, bill was founded
on The suggestions Of the Convention in the lower
House and passed. but was rejected in The Senate;
and so for one year more was the accomplish
meht Of this necessary desideraium to our hap
piness as people, and our standing as State,
permitted TO slumber.
Our attention has been called at this time 10
The mailer, by perusal Of Message transmit
ted 10 our legislature by Gov. Mcdowell, urg.
ing upon 1.-THE necessity Of some immediate leg
isaton in reference to azmore general diffusion
Of, knowledge among the people of the Slate
accompanying The Message, the Gov. transmit
ted plan for Primary Schools, submitted by
the Superinls Of the Military Institute, who
is gentleman well qualified TO furnish scheme
adequate to our wants. We present an e. tract
from the Message, as shelving forth the subject
in its true Light
whether his scheme Che Superintendanrs)
be adopted or not, il is rich in materials, ard
these may be 50 improved and shaped by the
wisdom Of your honorable body as to aid you in
establishing system OF public instruction which
shall efeclualiy protect the future history Of the
\ Commonwealth from the teproach 50, painfully
fixed upon the present; the reproach, namely,
that in the midst Of her means and her fenown
bSEse innha6iianls eflhis siate-of thai lhinkiug,
acting, controlling mass which regulates, al will,
every right and interest amongst us-one out Of
every twelve Of these who can neither read nor
H wrilei This uncomfortable fact, which has
been brought to light by our census, discloses
stale Of common education here, which appeals
10 our public authorities for immediate redress,
and appeals 10 them through the humiliaiing
II Ca tob ~ ie eeaA min
point and Iurgency Of persuasion, TO which moth
I ing can Be ADDED by words You are the au-
lhorty, and the only one, who can provide The
redress that is needed and representing, as you
! do. both The power and expectation OF the pub
| lie, you will not and cannot permit so perncious
condition Of lis highest interest to descend and
10 faslen itself upon any other than the genera
zion thatsuffers il. II is a condition in no Ie-
Spect tolerated by the civilization or requires
ments Of the age in which We live. II belongs
to one that is past belongs to an age nearly two
centuries back, when Governor Of Virginia
could boast, as be retired from his Office, that be
left 'ho free schools and no press behind him.
and trusted that he would be followed by neither
i "for some hundred years" This hundred years
and more have gone and although in that in
ierval, we have press which has risen up tol
maturity Of power, il not Of excellence, and all
Though we have legislaieh much and provided
much for the spread and maintenance clearly
education, yet "free scheolsr.haye been COM
paratisely as lille cherished in. Virginia, as if
they had never erased 10 inspire with alarm. II.
is for you. perhaps ahai lie honor is reserved Of
establishing and adapting Them, or others Of
kircred character by wise and ample provisions,
10 the wants ard situation Of our people. Il is
fJr you, who do not think as Sir WIN BeTkely
thought, that general ignorance is Blessing
but who eolhfnk, as The enlightened every where
think, that il is wholly an evil and especially an
evil to States, because containing in ilSeIf the
double power Of making the worst OF slaves IN
der governments that arsfnot free, and the worst
of masters under governments that are--iI is for
you to reduce this opinion 10 results BY so APP
plying the auihorty and the means confded 10
your hands that primary education may be easi-
" and cheaply and eveTY where obtained Only
lei this be done. let but The rudiments Of know
ledge be SO diffused and so sustained BY a sys-
tenn OF pToviden; legislation, that the remolest
and the poorest amongst US may be able 10 en-
\ Joy them, and il NAV be our lot 10 retire from
The trusts which we hold with the noble hope
that We leave not citizen behind u.s. who has
come 10 maturity, that cannot read in his native
tongue the o.scles OF his faiih, and The Consti,u-
lion Of his eouniry.n
That Bank of the United States, compe-
tent TO all the dulles which may be required by
the government, might be so organized as not 10
infringe on our own delegated powers, or the re-
served rights Of the States, do not entertain 4
doubt He'd ike EXECUTES been called upen 70 far