Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1845-07-29

nave Wrnn9ih thls mighty change Did they
l'kr me tabled army ni Cadmus, spring from The
ground on which they move Z Were l,a, posi-.
hle. perhaps, !rnm 4 people 50 originated, more
ini.h re hoped for han from our actual Popula-
iini. ior, having known other country nor Go
veThmrhi, they might NC expected 10 prize and
protect thai 20 which they were horn. They
@onLi have received no impressions elsewhere
hhiavofable 10 rational liheHy, and might more
easilT DC moulded inlo q Tree am! vir,uoGs nation.
I'm no ioih every nation ans! Kingdom on tie
Siour whence they have hren driven by iyranny
anu moral degradation. which may either have
taught them The habit al srfrilr submission. ~
nave Goade'i Them 10 a mad impotence OF all re-
"train' 81 law. l!iey cover Inc mighty bosom OF
me ocean with their sails, and through hundred
channels they pour into lhi,, their md OF refuge
III me Wesi. otill does lhe mighty ihrong press
on--bever ccasing, bu, ever rapidly increasing
troop succeeding troop AMI each The precursor
Of a mlgMlcr one 10 follow YET all Of these. un.
fis;ed n ihey alc by habit and education 70 assume
The rights and dulles q tree citizens, all ignorant
Of The Constitution and policy nf our Govern.
nlenl, and many II them Of our written and
printed, II no; Of cur spoken language, and rear
ing children, Ihr in,nre citizens Of The Republic,
in The same ignorance, are necessarily admired
into participation in the government Of The
State; since they must either I've aH0tic2 and sgn0l-
" ,nffreN.d fHtens or an immense body of dis
cVnirnird 0litnf. resident III tie country, AMI feel
ing 70 attachment 10 il, nor interest In lis welfare.
And thus an ignorant foreign population, degra-
died. BY all The vices which ignorance and servi-
tt!c cn.rnder, added 10 the deplorahly great num-
Der OF onr n0f,re nH'dnraird titl:caS, compose 10
great extent, The materials OF cur corntry's po-
puiaton. Is il said that lifginia has little 10
lear from this cause, because her share OF This
llood oi immigration has heretofore been cumpa-
rativcv small! That this has been So we owe
10 peculiar circumstances. some OF which have
nuw ceased and others are rapidly crasing 10 ex-
isl. The day is not tar distant. when Sis 100 will
b" Inundated Already, irt!red, has the cnfrer,
sci in towards her shores MANY are already
amongs; us lun they are hui as The restless MP
pie on The beach, indicating The approach OF The
mighty hillow. that darllv roll, and threatens IN
the distance. The chea pneSS, productiyeness and
abundance OF our lands, Tie rexhausliLle store
OF minerals the facilities for manufacturing and
all The other resources OF tbs oll Commonwealth.
have but recently become al all known 10 foreign
els; and each day they are made more extensive.
Is acGGa ntad with ,liem-whii>i III. lhinness oi
our population lnviies them, by securing them
rori ca'npciiiion. 10 come ana occupy and i'm
prove them. The rapid decrease in The proper
,ion OF The black 10 ihr white population. and The
Subdivision 81 The principaities irio which The
lands al lie Stale were formerly divided, have
removed :wo @. the g;eacs, obstacles which have
heretofore hndcred immigration, and we NAV
soon expect 10 see the waste AMI vacant lands,
now 81 abundant lhroughou'lhe stale, occupied by
\ foreign population or what we may expect
rom snch stale 81 things, The experience CT
New Nori; and other States. Ia which foreign
immigration has chiefly flowed, NAV afford us
same. but no adequate conception. no adequate
idea. ! say ior these States have been blessed
with The anlidole Of sysem oi, tree schools, and
have put il in the POWER OF all who desire II 10
obtain the rudimens ot earning--have placed
in The hands al all their citizens al least that Key
o knowledge which may make them masters Of
all the secrets OF Science and Ar. But Virgil
MIA alas with all her pas, honors of which She
nigh, he lnsIv proud, did they not contrast so
strongly wih her present Virginia
nom is dis'a.HiHSr3 for having more citizens who
can neither read nor write than any other State
in The Union. What. then, may we expect from
such -tai. cithncs, when 81 large portion otolr
citizens plunged in the darkest ignorance, and
all the vices which ignorance produces What
can iE.0 know OF The principles Of the Govern
ment in which they participated or. il they
eonld rs . miracle lie made 10 understand them,
how can hsg be depended upon 10 preserve or
maintain lhemf 1t ic HE proud maxim OF cur
theory Of Government That The people are ca
pahle 81 seli.governmenI." A!e M>ss he rcop.e
flle IL govern themselves and others} CouldIh
ever he expected 10 choose III rul5rs 10 govern
them no; but tor faction, anarchy corruption
an, des1Gsm, they indeed are The ,itlrsl Of all ma
Icl;als. Where sotew have the capacilyio govern,
Tie macs must, necessarily lie led nv them and
thus wha IS nominally a Democracy. tecomes an
unsettled Aristocracy. who, having their power
secured 10 them by no ar!no.,icd21d principle OF
the Government, will endeavor, hy intrigue and
corruption, 10 establish permanently, llhy their
inioleIallr expressions or disseEnoh- among
themselves, they compel The people 10 the rxtrrme
OF anarchy, or 10 seek in lnoBnrrhy al least that
qnic, and stability II government. which the
could not Otherwise ENJOY, preitrrins even the
despntic sway Of one master, I" the vtNatious OPP
pressions Of many. And what 4 triumph wonld
ihis he 10 The tyfanls The aristocIas and the
hguls Of Europe--lhosr beasts Of prey who live
hy Inc misery al their brother men, and look with
jealousy and diamay upon thi. experiment OF
freedom and sell governments, eagerly watching
for, ana fomenting each symptom ., distraction
or decay, winch may appear III our systeIn. How
would hey cYult and rrIoire Ia hnd, that though
W. may Tor time have cast oil theif chains, cur
mint, we're not free enough 10 preserve our itclg.
\ MI shall such BE- The result OF this grcat expert
ment which millions throughout the world now
watch with breahless anxetyl sd IIhid, Onr
duy 10 ourselves, 10 our postcrity, II mankind,
ave. and Ia or Creator all forbid that We should
30 ,iishoGor and ,lehase tie blessings which tie
has given ": r. Him We 0w"thc opportunities
which az sn)os, Of cn!tiva;inq The i-ourdlfss pow.
ers Of our minds BIZ, lie never gave them for
our own selfish use and enjoyment aone-brt
rather thai We should initiate Ina houneou. e1-
AMPLE AMI as he freely bestowed Them upon IL,
freely communicate Them 70 our less f1vond
brethren. Oar bcnishled ielow-ci,izens haze a
y,gU 10 expect this al or hands-a claim 10
which every principle Of generosity, humanity,
patriotism and christianity, prompt rs 10 respond.
But il NAY be objcflej, that our utmost Efforts
can effect but little, and we are reminded 0! that
old saw, 50 often misappled, that "a lle know
ledge is a dangerous thing To this reply,
thai wisdom AMI experience teach rs lie MAXIM
"Despise mol small begnninPs.' Teach every
child in the commonwealth 10 ,rad and write,
(and Ices we cannot dol and You place in The
hands of The lowliest a power which knows
mo lmits-rhe power 10 rival the great New
ION in exploring The systems nI worlds above
~ or 10 faihoin The secret rpcessrs OF The human
heart-like Franklin, he may snatch The hnn-
drrbol. from heaven, and the scepre from tyranls.
That many may not improve tins opportunity,
cannot be denied; but theirs is the bidmf-we, al
least. have done our duty by them 10 trffp
one The opportunity has been afforded, ana II II
!, not improved by 0u,c that should neither deter
us from our duty, nor discourage US IN The per
onnance Of il; for the number oil those who rW
improve them, and he benefits resulting TO orr
selves from thcir efforts will far more than COM
pensale us for our pains. Besides, each disiin-
guished example will stimulate others 10 follow
in The same glorious race; whilst fh-v in their
iurn, will encourage Others. That such must be
The case, history, and even our own experience,
move. Look around for those great statesmen,
poets and philosophers, who cast a lrstre on The
prcsen. age. both in this and the Eastern helns-
pIhere. ,;eel, in the page ol history the memorial
Of those whose bodies, indeed, have sunk into de-
cay. hul whose minds still live, and mus ever
live, in The benefits they have conferred. and in
Tie influence theyeXerl on all mankind Whence
sprung those mighty sririis7 Was il from The
hoi.beds OF wealth and arisocfacyl Was il in
luxurious halls that they first saw The lieht2 Did
riches and power surround tier infancy, or ca.
Ter 10 the whins and passions al hcr youth
No in The lowly co, Ct penury ard toll was f4eU
childhood passed. Tie instruction which soIie
free Miool, or some kind friend, afforded t-em
awakened The fire OF genius in their oreass.-
rThronnb hardehins and liric uIiies, winch al