Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-03-25

lature of Virginia has cautiously excluded from its
poor school laws all compulsion. To The absence OF all
power, to compel the people 10 support OF tree
schools permitted by the act OF leg, has been justly
ascrbed the failure Of that law, 10 produce bene-
fi But such persons sometimes proceed faIther-theJ
deny the right Of the Legislature to impose taxes for
supporting institutions of learning Was il an over
srh, or a designed evasion of The difficulty, that, in
providing Tor The Literary Fund.- v bile direct taxation
was avoided appro praions OF money made, which
is as really truly part Of State income, the land
or poll tax The proceeds Of tie Literary Fund, are
as really The public funds az any other aud their &c
traction, from the ordinary purposes OF Govfrnmeni
imposes additional taxation by just their amount Tne
people of this State, them are now annually taxed
nearly 100000, for the purposes Of educating the
children Of portion of citizens. But if strict cen
struc,on fcrbds The Legislature to compel me CT my
negbbor TO send child 10 scool, does not The
ton forbid the Legislature 10 compel us 20 pay
tax Tor the education Of another mans child /: The
reasoning, ard the only reasoning that is valid, by
which The latter power is claimed is based the fact
tina, education is public beneht-,he State is bound
10 supply this benefit The education of the people is
as fully contribution the public welfare as the
strucon of road canal, the rernlson of invasion
or the suppression of an ipsurreclion-I mean, OF
course it is really contribution to the public veal
say nothing of the comparative value, although il is
topic on which much may be offered, whether we
have not commenced at the wrong end, and may be
our public Improvements, for the want of population
capable of approaching, with such intelligence and
enterprise, that they will benefit themselves by the
generous provisions of the State Indeed, Sir, may
appeal safely 10 your own experience as of the
champions of the policy of Internal improvements,
say whether the schemes adopted, would not have mel
with more ready reception, and more extensively popu
lar approval had population presented one in 400
instead OF one in adults who could neither read
nor write;
~ Than
scrupcs presented, oevnce the want oilegsa,ve
troll | am well aware that the proposition 10 INTRO
duce any thing like legal compulsIon, connected with
school system, is exceedingly unpopular. But TIL
plan be devised, embracing tins feature 1t IS IN
vain TO expec, much real improvement in the present
state of education. greatly fear The repagn.nce 10
this feature will, however, continue to operate TO fill
our statute books with dead letter enacinlens for the
"bsuer encouragement OF learning
). The sparse population nj State has frequently
been alleged, insup erabe difficulty the opera
ton OF any thing like free school system. We have
bat little prospect parts OF the State, that thus
difficulty will ever be removed But the want of INTEL
ligence yearly increasing the difficulty Had il not
been wiser policy, to have commenced twenty years
SINCE and would not the benefits Of more intelligence
have greatly facilitated the success Of oil subsequent
legislation; and indeed, might not hope, that with
the active efforts since made, :or The moral and ag.
cultural interests of the State, this very sparseness
would now in many instances, have been succeeded
BY comparative density Of cnterprsng and indus
trous populations The difficulty, certainly, does not
obtain every where and the sooner our efforts are d.
reced TO the of popular Improvement in districts
which admit of the speedy operation of our schemes,
the more will we Approximate 10 the removal OF the
disgrace Of ignorance under which We labor.
6. For several years past, suggestions of improve
ment in our primary schools, have been repeatedly,
and Often the Legislature, successfully met by The
plea that we are doing well enough by means OF the
existing poor school system. This is the place 10
no IF no nla Lot ur, sOus
look at The facts 10 which alusion has been made, in
the first letter addressed TO you. Can be shown that
any thing has set been accomplished al all proper
,ioned to the expenditure Of abou. 81 ,G00,0O0, not
calculating the interest on the successive annual ap-
preparations It does really seem, tina, it world be
very hard 10 devise scheme which would accomplish
less
But sir, after ALL feel that this enumeration OF the
ultimate Of the present state of educa'on re-
lcrrng, they do, to legislative action, IS incomplete,
by the omission Of that, which has already, under a
.ferenl esnect Of the subject been somewhat discuss.
ed | mean the public Indifference to the whole sub.
iect This paLic indifference may have arisen from
the state If th rs 10 which the neglect OF edu
cation by our Colonial and lis continual neglect Tor Sc
veral years by onr present. Government But, 10 what
ever it may be ascribed, there is melancholy evidence
Of existence. No reproach is designed peculiarly
attaching to the present Legislature, when it is OBJ
served how little time is expended in discussions of this
subject. One Of two results has generally attended
the introduction Of bills for common schools. bill,
charged with the necessary provisions for taxa!ion, 10
raise the requisite funds, and plan for securing
efficient operation speedily disposed OF "on the ia
Bile Bills which amount to little more Than recon-
mendations- such The law of 1890 command votes
ny their mere innocence. They do no harm, and
nav do some good. That is, they do hazard the
popularity of their supporters, and may enhance it
While write, a bill lie passing silently through the
lower House. eciting lilile commentator, and less
opposition. Perhaps, debate is deferred until The las,
reading; but, if the Legislature adjourn in SIX days
from this time. have bnt little 10 expect Will no.
thing rouse public attention 10 this momentous topic
Shall We await the yet more humblng revelations of
another census' Shall hazard the dearest interests
we have men, citizens and patriots by longer delay
With great respect, yours, &c,
LANCASTER.