Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1845-11-25
For The Enquirer.
aOUTIS" AND POPULAR EDUCATION.

FW Tic (>HTHUtI'
aOUTIs" AND POPULAR EDUCATION.
Messrs. Editors In his fourth number on
estate improvement, your correspondent, "Ou-
lis, :" entered into an elaborate replication 10 my
review OF some of the theories on the subject oil
Popular Education in this State, SET forth IN
his two first articles | regret that business Of
more urgent and important character has
heretofore deprived Inc OF the opportunity OF re-
plying. not TO the very courteous language OF
"Ou,is, " such as Ignorance, careessness, !"
absurdily," &c, but The ingenious and pausi-
bic reasoning, which makes his arguments, will
freely saw mare than "respeetaLle. That | may
moi however, be placed in false position, and BY
INV silence b. understood as admitting the accu-
racv of The statements and validity OF the argu-
ments Of Quits, permit me, as briefly as ! can,
10 notice some off the most prominent points OF MS
last article.
In snpnort Of his former assertion, that though
history affords many instances OF nations WIN
cont knowledge attaining power and wealth, II
" nresen,s NOT one OF a people reaching perma-
nenl greatness without trade, or in which The ad-
nvance ofinreect was not a result, OF that oil COM
"merce.; !" and in reply 10 what he terms my zig
noranld criticism upon it, HI Giles the example
If ,be RenubIic Of Rome, having its origin in
"a horde Of outcasts and criminals, who quick
:" 10 subiupated the polished and 7reahhy Republics
q aJynnnd hem" &c. Now, without undertaking.
like nOnlis." what would have been difficult
,ask for The antiquarian Of the era OF Cicero, OF
perhaps even OF Tarquin, from The vague and
superstirious traditions OF those times TO ascertain
The obscure origin OF thai great nation, and 10 pre-
sent with confidence and certainty It's rue history
bni beeinnng at a more recent ana beller au-
lhenllcaled period of lis annas-lhe era OF her
earlier consuls and OF her censors Wnen rome
ala indeed begin 10 "subjugate The polished and
wealthy republics and Kingdoms around heri
and recalling her history through the days OF her
gre.,e.t Glory and power TO the fall of Roman IL
her,v and The commencement OF the empire; with
uba, nronrieiy. let me ask, can The Roman peo-
nle he said 10 have been Individually and collec-
lively awilhout knowledge" or education, when
comnared with the other nations OF the world al
,ha, ner;od1 Did the state OF their agriculture,
better Than il is at this day in parts OF The same
connrv-ddlheir comparative proficiency in The
aus-,heir splendid public edihces and her hisn,
WAYS sill the best in The world-above all, did
her wise and Just system of laws, the framework
Of The civil law OF France and Louisiana al ms
day-did these indicate nation "wilhont Know
ledoe7n Has "Oulis" forgotten, that from The ear
lies davs OF The republic, the education OF the Ro-
man children was considered of the highestimPort-
ance and that her youth were not only trained in
athletic and martial exercises, TO make them good
soldiers, but TO make them good citizens, were also
instructed in the principles Of science, OF morail-
" and even of law; being required 10 commit 10
memory al least The laws of The Twelve Tablesl
Was not Rome indeed, when compared with
other co!emporary nations, emphatically an en-
Gated psopleo-a nation where knowledge; might
have atained a lower grade, perhaps, ,han in
others but was much more generally dltuscd -
Athens might possess more profound speculative
philosophers, more brilliant poeis, and more elo-
auent orators; Egypt and Phpnicia may have
excelled her in the arts OF luxury: but in then, the
masses of the people-,he strength and The glory
of the Roman nation-were ignorant, degraded
seryile And what was The commerce OF Rome
during this period, compared with that of other
na,ionsl Sc inconsiderable, as scarcely TO be
noticed by the historian; whilst she was yearly,
subuga,ing nations TO whom commerce had