Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1845-09-18

~ Fund, shelving that the present fund is |
wholly inadequate TO educate even the indi-
gent children.
There are in the State between the ages of )
and 20 years, 29l.l Us white persons; a. whom
I11,i only. were in the course OF education,
IN lSi0, at all ,he schools. colleges and acal-
emes IN the State, Including tte University.
How snail The sum To bc expended i'll conhpar.
ison To the number tn be taught any general
system he adopted yln, some general system
should b. devised we believe every Nirginian
upon view of such statistics win IL ready
tn admit. We cannot expect great results
without adcquatc means. The people intfst
feel and know that ii is nccesssw 10 submit
| To moderate education tax. a small tax lev
led either upon property, on upon persons, in
such proportions as shall be deemed by the
Legislature most just, and accofdant with the
benefits To be enjoyed by each individual and
his ability To pay, would b. sufficient. With
out meaning tn intimate that such principle
OF taxation would be the best that could b.
adopted, we may suggest. by way of showing
how small would be the burden compared with
the great object To be attained that tax of
twelve and hall cents upon each free white
citizen oi the State would produce the sunr of
S92 Cpl, which added 10 the income oi the
Literary Fund, would he more than sufficient
under the present system To educate all the
inuiSent Clllltircn IN the State.
Ii would be worthy of consideration. il we
could compute the amount annually paid by
the State for the punishment of crime. conse-
qucnt upon that state of moral dcbascment
which is ever the offspring of ignorance, and
then ascertain how much less it would require
/ To Introduce intelligence and virtue. Ii would
| be speculation worthy OF deep attention, To
estimate what proportion of the cost of sup
porting the poor might be dispensed with, if
! those poor We're taught the means of obtaining
an honest livelihood. If we could tell how
many millions ignorance and vice cost the
State, we would then see the importance of
educating every child within our territory.
We would iain hope that the public mind
Is now prepared To require the Legislature To
adopt some system TO libeate the minds.
strengthen the energies, and cultivate the
moral and social virtues of our ignorant citi-
Gems. Ii is the duty of Government To pro-
vide system oil education that will tend "to
elevate the masses, To pour light upon their
paths, that they may find the ascending road
To dignity their toll. TO enlightcn their under
standings, and purify their hearts" Ofall the
sources oil national wealth il may be safely
affirmed that 1.-The mind, the intellect of the
community, is not only the richest, but that
II Is that which gives value, and riches, and
beauty, and convenience, and comfort, and
refinement to everything else" 1t deserves
more labor, cultivation and improvement than
all the other items of public property in the
statistics OF a nations wealth. Are we To
leave the immense number of uneducated
children III tins State 10 grow up with the
fierce instincts of their natures or are we to
elevate them to the condition of enlightened
and virtuous citizcnsl Are we to leave UNI
educated the mass of Females under twenty,
and lose forever the influence which they bring
upon their offspring? How truly has it baen
said that ''the education of males is thrown
away. if the unholy lips of ignorant, degraded
and impure mothers breathe their moral con-
tanlnation on the infant mind. The midi
viduals who compose the fountains of public
action must be pure, if we desire the stream
oil our civil and political progress to be calm
and he lthful. The soul of Republics is in
telligent virtue; when this departs, the form of
Republican Government may remain, but its
liberty breathing influence is gone.
We call upon our fellow citizens to consid-
er these suggestions. Every man has influence
i'll the circle of society in which he moves, let
that influence be- excrtcd TO the utmost We
invoke the aid of the Reverend Clergy. What
a noble theme for the pulpit. What a noble
aim 10 awaken in a fcllow-man the conscious
ness OF his powers. What mighty achieve
ment To give To thousands the capacity TO
exercise those powers for their own improve
ment and the advantage of their country
How glorious to lead them onward to the ac-
compishment of their own intellectual and
moral destiny!
We call upon the Press-the powerful en-
CINE OF Liberty the handmade of Science, to
lend us It's thousand tongues to reach the hearts
oil The People. Who will not give his hand
and his heart TO this great undertaking! Who
VIII not aid i'll opening the doors OF science
that those who are now shut out from all that's
best and dearest on EARTH may enter her noble
portals, and boldly assert their own humanity?
We must tear down the gloomy flag of igno-
rance, and run up the bright banner of know
leuge, the emblem oil peace on earth and good
VIII To all mankind. Who will not aid i'm
heralding the dawn of brighter and happier
day Tor Virginia, when she shall WELD the
developed energies of all her children, happy
IN their prosperity and virtue, formidable in
power, and commanding respect and admira-
tom
There is no maxim more true than that
knowledge is power. In Republican Gov
ernment, then, where the people 'are sover-
clgn, how essential is it that they should pos
sess the knowledge which always gives To- its
posscssor proper ascendency! Republican
Governments are based upon the principle that
the people are capable of seli-gOvernment.-
and are unfit 10 govern others. While they
continue debased by ignorance, they are but
the Instruments OF intriguing politicians and
designing demagogucs. From the peculiar or
ganlniion OF mind, il must advance or retro
grade, IT cannot be stationary, and the govern
mcnt whose foundation is laid in ignorance,
must lose It's influence, its power its glory
must sink lower and lower, i'm the scale o( ma.
uons until nothing is left but its ancient fame
and the shadow OF its former greatness, deep
enlng by contrast the shame OF its dcgeneracy.
Here, then, Is choice for the people, -igno-
rance or intelligence. light or darkness beau
/ " or delormi'y, power or weakness, exalta-
uoh or degradation and decay. Something
must be done speedily. 10 arrest the State in her
downhill course. A new spirit must arouse
tile energy of Virginia. new movement must
urge her onward aud upward That spirit
must speak with an elOquencc appealing to
to every hope. to every fear. to every interest