Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1845-09-02
THE ENQUIRER.
Ric.,n,o;ld, september l.
rur FIRST BLOW IN THE CAUSE or ho0o"'-
Srp1.cK BY RICHMOND.

r,ov STRUCK BY RICHMOND.
On Thursday afternoon, a highly respectable
meeting Of our citizens was heid d. Jus -,
Hall 10 devise some means OF es'ao'is"i"1 :
h.ra, ,.;s.. and more efficient system ci puoi'c
oduo.,;,n ON motion Of joseph Mayo, Esq
covsrnor Nc poweil was called 10 presie-a'u
on mo,;nn of Peter v Daniel, Jr., Esq, Joseph
Mayo, ESQ, was appintcd Secretary
Governor Mcdowell, in that chas'e' i'ei' ..
and s,oouen, language which is always al ms
command explained The objects OF this gathering
Of ,be neope Of The Metropolis. Il was saa 10
s,r,nae .nec,acle, in This venerable and vehe-
rated Commonwealth, which had oeen es'ao,'s''.'
more Than 200 years, 10 see al ms 'a'e u"', "
oee,;rg IN The Capital Of Inc State, TO take me
sense of the reople as 10 The proper means u ~
,roa,c;no +. nroner system of Education, IN ofoef
- rcassm Inc morifying ignorance OF me iahu.
~, ,.Dowe, alluded 10 the astonishing ana
disorac.tul TACT. thai, while IN Conhec'icu' 'ne'e
we're no, more than 800 persons over ~ YEARS o.
,oe who canno, read or write, IN NE ga Do''i',
n;or ,bs,e were not less than sixty thousand
n.,.ans ~ Inc same age, whose intellectual
r,.,,,;os were paralyzed or exlinguished we
will no, pretend 10 follow The Governor 'hrous"
his interesting statistics, or bis stirring Appears %
y;ro;n;, n arouse herself and shake oil hcI Ia
,al and whitening leIhargy on this vital SUBJECT
Ar his moment, in particular, when the whole
world was iumined b. The wonderful lriumphs
Of science and knowledge; when We were sur
rounded BY young and vigorous States WHOSE
zeal and energies had left US far behind, II was
indeed time that Virginia should awake iiom her
slnmbers ard vindicae her character. In Inc
language Of the prophet OF old, he would say 10
her. "Ge, Thee up, get thee UP; why iest 'hou
on thy lace?o The beautiful and appropriate al
dress of the Governor seemed 10 thrill through
The meeting. Would that the whole Stale conla
have heard il-or that we could give even an
outline O.. lis beauties.
On motion Of p. v. Daniel Jr., Esq, COM
miuee was appointed 10 report business Tor me
meeting. The Committee, through their chair
man, Mr. Daniel, reported an admirable pream-
ble and resolutions, Tor which we refer 10 The Oh
fetal proceedings. Mr. D. Introduced III Re-
non with few appropriate and stirring REMARKS
in n, course OF which he referred 10 the present
rs the auspcious moment for action; II The pre-
sen, opportunity be allowed 10 escape, this vital
question might he defeated for eTer Mr.. ID. re-
marked ,ha, the Committee had not gone into de-
tails or recommended any specific aclion-be-
cause i, was thought safer 10 leave thai 10 the
wisdom and deliberaton OF the Education Con-
yen,on ard The Legislature who were iinally
TO decide upon some scheme. tie added, win
truth, that were primary meetings TO recon-
mend particular schemes, a thousand plans
would be brought forward, which would conflict
in details, excite The jealouseS Of the authors. ami
end in defeating the whole sabject-ihat our only
object was 10 arouse the people, and 10 urge iacm 10
command their representatives 10 do something
d biol out from our archives The humiiating re-
cord. thai 50 many thousands o! our iellow.ciil-
zens were cropping in utter darkness and iSno-
rance. Before concluding, Mr. d., i'll The name
of the Committee, thoroughly disclaimcd any IN
tenliun 10 interfere with the appropriations made
70 the different colleges oihe State. This meeting
had nothing 10 do with that subject.
The preamble and resolutions were then una
nimously adopted.
Richmond has spoken, and We sincerely hope
Tia, her example will be promptly aud vigorously
followed up By erery county in The Stare. We
rejoice, that next Monday the people OF Hcnrico
will meet 10 deliberate upon this great measure.
We cannot douu! that their intelligence anu pub
lie spirit will make nob'e response TO The voice
OF Richmond. Let all the papers the State rePub-
lish our proceejines-let all The leading men in
every county devote their zeal and talents 10 the
cause-lct meetings be held in every county on
their respective couri-days, and lei every Senator
and member of the House Of Delegates be spe-
caly instructed 10 carr out the wishes Of
his people, By this Simultaneous movement,
an enthusiasm will be kindled, which will
result in The adoption Of some beneficial sys-
tenn Of general education. II is essential 10 the
permanency Of free Government like ours,
where all power emanates from The people, that
they should be educated and intelligent. The pn-
rity and safety Of our institutions require that the
seeds of education should lie scattered broadcast
over the land. The general education Of the peo-
pie embraces in itself every thing connected with
the interest the pride and honor Of the State.
To arouse the sumbering energies and pride OF
Virginia, We publish table exhibiting The num-
Der OF white persons over The age Of 20 in each
State oil the Union, who cannot read or write
Can Virginia read the Notifying record, and moi
resolve that the dark spot shall be erased7 The
people have he matter in their oUn hands Thcil
voice can command reform. Richmond has
spoken lei no county aller on the threshold