The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-10-09

or TO devote his time and attention to them; and the
consequence is that children have to remain al home
and go to no school, or else walk four or five miles
70 schools. This is accounted for by the fact, that
many thousand acres of land are owned by one pro-
prietor, whe having no school near him, boards his
children out. The writer of this article although
raised within thirty miles of Washington, had to 20
four or five miles to school half his timeso
walking, and sometimes riding But since the north
erners are buying in "the old Dominion" and cut
ting up those large tracks into small farms, il is
be hoped this state will be materially amended, and
primary schools located in every ncighborhood.
If the impression is sought to be made, that those
"over twenty-one who cannot read or WRITE" in the
States referred to, Ignorant and not possessed Of
ordinary intelligence, il is altogether fallacious
There are many men in those two States ''who can
neither read nor write," who are better accountants
than any clerks in Washington; can tell quicker,
without resortiDg to pen or pencil, what load Of
wheat or corn amounts to, at so much per bushe
or make any calculation relating to farm. They
cannot it is true, edit paper, perform the duties
of a clerk; but, in the common and everyday oc-
currences of life, they evnce better judgment,
forecaste, can make better bargains, and actually
manage their affairs better than hundreds of those
who affect to hold them up to the contempt and de-
rision Of the world, because "they cannot read or
write"
This writer took the census of county in ls4O
and met with many individuals of good manners,
good sense, fine information, and of good estate
who, upon inquiry, would say "they could not read
or write" but which fact would never be discover
ed by their department. Persons who have been
debarred the advantages of education like the deaf
and dumb have their other senses greatly quicken
ed and frightened, by being deprived of greater ad-
vantages The time that educated persons spend in
reading, &C., the ilterate spend in reflection.
This writer knows three men in one neighbor-
hood, who commenced life poor boys entirely Tilt
crate, who are now wealthy, on good farms, and
have all raised and educated family. One is a
merchant, who does an extensive business; sells
some ten thousand dollars worth of goods in sea-
SON. seldom has a clerk; keeps an account with any
individual; and although he can neither read nor
write, he can at any time inform an individual
how his account stands, what he purchased, how
much per yard, and the aggregate The proof Of
this fact can be adduced, if desired. | am not, how
ever, to be understood, by any means, as adj
vocating this gross neglect of education. l am
merely explaining why it is so, and the fact that il
does not produce general ignorance. should be
much pleased to see every person in Virginia and
Tennessee as well educated the erudte editor of
the Journal. 1t is notorious, however, that educa-
ton in Virginia is not by any means much neg
ccted os it was formerly, when it furnished more
Presidents and great men than any State in the
Union; and the inhabitants are as intelligent
and well informed as they ever have been. The
present representation in Congress are all men of
distng uished talents and will successfully compete
with the same number from any of the educated
States. Virginia has always stood high, and al
ways will, whatever may be said of her want of
education. Look at her sons in all the other States
seventy at one time in Congress, and twenty
odd in the United States Senate But still there are
many in the State, and have always BEEN who are
uneducated; but until 1910 it was not discovered,
because there was investigation of the subject
Yes, keep it before the peope-that although there
fftyeght thousand persons in Virginia and Ten
nessee who cannot read or write. and it has always
been So yet they the only States in the Union
that have had son reelected to the presidency
that "ns plus uira' Of human greatness; that these
two States will have enjoyed the presidency at the
expiration Of this term forty years. and all the other
States collectively only trere years; and that the pres
ent 'son of York." the youngest President we have
ever had, and will be among the most popular, was
nominated without effort on his part, and elected
by the people by reclamation. And that in one of
these States is the tomb of Washington, in the
other that Of Jackson, which will give them I'M
ceasng celebrity, and cause more pilgrims thereto
than to Mecca or Medina.
POTOMAC.