Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1845-10-17

and the obvious incuTrectntss ul inc Ia"ei h''J
he easily accounted for. The lornier are 'lie {.
ports Of officers, selected specially ana scieiy loi
The purpose of managing INC systems on seneia'
education in the several States, ana reporting az
curalely and often on cath, al stalen peiivoS, .n'''
condition and operation. ne Ctnsus ic'u'".
upon This subject. on the other hand, were com
piled by men who were charged with the col
lection Of an immense mass OF statistical infor-
nation. ON great variety Of subjects III, as nc
government ever before ALT implied 10 cnilecI, dhd
who. having no lest or supervision Oh me accu-
racy OF their rtturns 10 undergo, would naturally
enough create much confusion, anu COMMIT many
errors in those ,eIn,ns. Besides tie questions
which they were required 10 PROFOUND TO thc
people were such as were iBcoupIeheiSibie 10
some, misunderstood by others, sometimes ny me
Census takers themselves. and so offensive 10 ma
nv. that that they would either refuse 10 answer
them At all, or lake ml>chlevous pleasure ~
practising evasion or gross deception uIoH 'He
officer. How many people are there IN me conn
Try, who would not Know What precise uesc' T.
ton Of school was intended ~ Son:ieN ~ 'ne
term common or primary Schoo'! m'sn'
ask who is there uLo does kEow2 Is il entirely
free school, nj which nothing is paid hy any
OF The scholars? i il a school where only a
small pan OF The expense OF keeping il is paid by
the scholars, and The rest by the Government, as
in some Of Ike Slatr,l Is II an ordinary school
OF any grade Of instruction, where some ol the
scholars pay nothing and learn almost as little.
whilst others pay hiel tuition fees, rs in some Of
those in Virginia? Or does The description ap-
ply 10 the grade OF earning 10 lie had IN The
school? and if so, whal is The grade which makes
il onlya "common or primary school!
These questions, 30 difficult and doubtful TO
the most asiule and ealncd interpreters oil The
law could hardly br supposed 10 be OF easy aoiu-
ton 10 the census.lakCis and sill less 10 The PEG
pie at large, on whose correctly understanding
them the correctness Of The returns entirely &C.
penis. Suppose, then, The cen>us-iaker, PROFOUND
Ing 10 the Ignorant and suspicious larmer, yco-
man or laborer, among other vexalIous, ami, a.
he thinks, impairment questions, The following :
GLOW many children have you who are educated
al The public charged" "Whal dpes that mcanl'
the counlryman would ask. How many OF your
children areschooled al The exp eDse oil the Slae?'
replies The officer. What" eYclaims one, fare
you going 10 tax my children too? shanI tell
YOU" Another, never having heard oil Literary
Fund, or State School Fund, or ans such thing,
and looking upon HE aid he receives in educating
his children Is coming from ilc county commits
sionefs, either as Their private bounty, or, like
poor rates, as part Of The county levy, denies
education OF his children, OF whom he may, al
that very time, have several entered by The com
missioner>, al the expense OF their countys quota
OF the Literary Fund Anolhcr, remembering
llial he has had State TAX and county levy 10
paw, will 70, admit ia, he rays nothing 10 The
S!aleor county Tor the schooling q ms chi''ten,
thus lnsilyirg his negative answer 10 The cues
lion with what would tail 10 suoih his mortified
pride, and aversion 10 accept ot Stale hoHhtv,
sufficiently, 10 make him acknowledge that he Is
dependant on The public schools .cr The educa-
ton of his children. Others, (and, unfortunately,
too many.) rather Than acknowcds, tie mcrlily-
ing iacl, do not scruple 10 deny The truth wiully
and knowingly. Is il 10 be wondered al, then,
that The census returns, in this respect, should be
vely far from correct and worthless!
Thus far, this subject has leen discussed with
"Outis" only as measure OF Sae economy
matter Of dollars and cents. II mas leen at
tempted 10 show that, as The most economical
investment OF the public money, on productive
OF more general benefit 10 all the citizens II
crcry part Of the Stale, al an eXpense 50 compa-
rativelv small as scafccla 10 crcccG III apprcPria
hom rsISistc jar one q nc local r"6s, which
would compose "Ouis's" ''iberal system Of
STATE works" of Internal Improvemeni-one
which would more than any olber tend 10 increase
means Of eifecling every other work Of Stale in
provemcnt mnsl lie derived, whilst il diiiu>ed
amongl Tie people that information anc itefality,
which would most surely prompt them lutlcious-
" 10 plan, and skilully 10 execute, all such
works. as would be extensively beneficial and
profitable, lcjcc,ins such as would prove ruinous
or disastrous; that, even in this respect, The es-
iahishEcni of more eff cicnt ard general sys-
TEN. Tor the education OF tie people, demanded
more than any other sutjec; ul legislation The
immediate and united exer;ions OF the Ieop'e and
Of their representatives, ILL., by an adequate ap.
proprialion Of morev, raised by a Just and Judi
cious taxation and distributed and managed ac-
cording 10 well-Gi2ested system oi public IN
by means ul faithful agents employing
instructors, we had provide lcf lhl>,
The first the most important and III sl urgent
want OF The Commonwealth. But though IN
addition 10 these advantages, which coniefs
upon people, "Elucalon" in the language
IL Burke "is the eaeap dcfcnes Of natitns." ma
king thai The bone and sincw Of he bod polite,
which wonli Otherwise lie e0n"'epc and
fatal disease; YET lis claims to our attention ard
fostering care, are enforced by motives q lar
higher and more authoritative character, than
any such economical or pecuniaTy conside ations
as these. Each one OF these thousands aId tens
of thousands Of children Of The State, VII m we
are suilcrin. 10 grow up in total isnoiahtc, anu
all The vices which ignorance and want pl lduoe,
sha III one day have as potential voice IN ne go,
ycrnmcnt Of The State as the most vlr,iou> and
well.inlormed citizen in il. According % our
pyessut regulation Of lie right Of suffrage,
a vcrv large proportion Of them are voters
and, should The Legislature imrose a rll, or
other lax, however small, (of enc cent on e-chD
every one who is a house-keerer immcdia'rl. nc
comes, under our present. Constitution. qua!ifed
voter But The tendency OF "nr lnsiilutioh' 10
wards universal suffrage is irresistible; AID ioW-
ever much we may deplore lis ccnsnn1ina'iot IN
the present condition of The people, II i incV a.
bic What, then. is our security for our rroreiy
against the asslessions OF aetafianism, and "a
Iu>i taxation, and every species OF oppression
OF what value 10 rs are the guarantees OF WI
len Constitutions in The hands Ct those VINO nav
neither The ability 10 read, nor the disposition -
regard, those sacred Charters al Liberty! W ia.
stability, what virtue, what justice, can We eS
poet 10 find III laws made, as in Repuallc thel
must be, by such a reope2 in word VIVA
can we look forward 10 from a continuance OF s'e
present Stale OF things, but oppression, violence
anarchy, the corruption aud final overthrow OF
the Republic?
In such state OF things, what would II avail
lis, that we had canals meandering through every
valley, or railroads extending their iron arms
over every eminence and perioraling mountains
Could The magic OF their influence fulnlihe gold
en- visions Of "Outs," in extracting pen'eous
harvcs,s and every element Of wealth from bar
rem or rugged and mountainous regions, where
Nature had denied their existence, they would ou
add 10 The other dangers which would environ
snch Stale, The luxury, avarice and corruption
which have undermined the republics and en-
piIes Of former ages, whose wealth exceeded Their
virtue and capacity 10 use il well.
No these are not The elements Of true greatness
in a State, nor the Chief means OF attaining II
for,
"What Constitutes State!
Not high. raised baulrmt nts, mr. laboTcd mounn,
Thick wall moatcd gate
Not cities proud, with sprr aud iufIet cioWhed
Not hays or broad arm ports.
Where, laughing AT the storm, rich naS,s rice
Nni starred and spaDged c"iirt.,
Wbrru low bred batrnts- WATTS perfume to Pride
So--Nea, high minded rnrn,
With powers NJ lsr above duh brutes enducd
In forests, brake or den,
As b, asts eIrel cnld roc ts and brarnbles rude: