Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-05-05
To the Editors Of The Enquirer :


To The Editors Of The Enquirer
CINcisNlT,, April 26.
| Messrs. Editors ough, 10 send you an int
resting letter now, lively and stirring withal-
that is, il my ideas be amenablc TO the bright in
fuences OF all around me. Spring is in fu
pumage, and 50 is all hope and enterprise amon
the natives. Nature and man seem 10 vie j
adjoining the earth, and the Ohio murmurs wit
| ioy at showing them how beautiful they hav
made it, That lair stream, as il dances down L
the Gull, hand in hand with its little sister Lick
ing which here joins it, is occupied with nom
but cheerful reflections; and, think II live
here, and called this my native land, my owl
would be so. Many and glowing have been hi
descriptions OF the young Wesi-the green dell
and beechen hills, dark with ,ne intensity OF yer
dure, that lead the eye lhro' their dreamy shades
10 visions of glorious fulure-the cattle on {
thousand hills and the forests on Ten thousand
the "river OF beauty" flowing alternately betwee-
white sycamores and busy villages oil hick, like
10 necklace OF pearl varied with coral-the ma
ny spots already enlivened by the social spirit o.
our race where the whi,e homestead, the waving
fields, Or the painting forge, plant the footsteps Of
civilization in those the savage has just lelt-al
you have been here yourselves, believe and
know how lille of wilderness much OF this
new land is, and how far above their present
condition would be many portions oil our own
State, were they as much improved and as thick
ly settled. This city may be called the focus OF
Western commercial as Ohio is of industrial and
agricultural advance; for with the growth OF both
commenced that OF the Ohio and Mississippi ba-
sins and from present indications their respective
progress will be coeval.
Nothing is more vague or apocryphal than es-
Inmates of the population OF Western towns, and
that OF Cincinnati is placed variously between
so and 5000. AT the same ratio which obtain
ed from 1890 10 ls40 will be in 1850 about 80, 000
The mere extent of The population is, however.
OF less importance than Its composition, spirit
and employment, and The chances OF its improve
ment in these respects. Of its composition, a
glance at the physiognomy Of street passengers
will reconcile you 10 the belief that one-fouHh
are German, with sprinkling OF Irish; its spi-
rt you inter from lis public schools, canals, rail
ways, and the hum Of traffic in its streets; and
for its employment you look 10 lis cotton and ma
chine (not TO say lard oily factories, foundries,
and the uncouthly majestic ministers of com.
merce, which hold their lcuce at the landing, and
puff in state like savage council evolving ideas
in their kindred smoke. | should like to be able
10 speak at length OF the school system oil the
city and State, its lberality and increasing EN-
Cheney; but cannot within the limits OF short
lie ter-nor is it easy gain detailed information
with regard 10 them. | send you the reports OF
the CITY school commission for the past years,
which will give you an insight into The organi-
zaiion of the system, and the Wilderness OF lis APP
plication. The number of pupils has been in
each wear. from '39 to AS inclusive, 1907, 1914,
q 488 q OOO A. 100, 4, 500, 5,0S5-showing an in
crease rather greater than that OF the population,
tho The number OF INDECENT children taught still
bears a small proportion 10 the whole number in
the city-indeed, question whether il is greater
ia proportion to the white population, than in
youl own city, according 10 our school returns
But they are instructed the year round, and the
average number of days they attend is about l50
There are German English schools Tor The 10.
reign emigrants, and for one year school for
coored children was carried on, supported BY a
tax on that class The funds which The city ap-
propriales 10 education amounted in lS45 10
1921, 4SO, and were raised by tax Of one mill on
the dollar. and its share Of the States annual ap.
propriation. This last is about 200,0 900 dollars
derived from the surplus revenue, tax of two
mills on the dollar, and the reserved Mirty-s,1U
OF the public lands. This reservation of The sir.
tenth section in each township, OF itself builds W
a very considerable fund, amounting al The mini
mum price, in State of Ohio's extent, 10 abou
100000 This wise provision is vast assist
ance 10 the new States, and it is 10 be amenlel
that this neglect or hardness in securing the pro
perty thus given them, has much impaired, and il
The Southwest almost destroyed its usefulness
Neither Illinois nor Kentucky can be said 10 hav,
any Government provision for public education
as 10 Indiana, have not heard; but in these young
States, it is altogether impossible that any thine
of the kind, any systematic attention on the part
one generation 10 The mental wants Of The next
should have as yet any distinguishabe effect upor
the social or political tone OF the community
Education North OF the Ohio is common-nearly
every one can read and write, but only because
they either learned it in Yankee land or "Fade
land" or their parents have SO far gained the OBJ
iect for which they left their homes iosalth, as L
enable them TO give their children what they hav,
experienced the benefits OF. The Yankee has twt
strong traits, the love of money and the love o
knowledge; and it is surely not strange that h
should indulge that Tor whose exercise there IS h
more call and the more room. He har beaten Vi
in the beneficial expansion OF both impulses, b,
knowing when and how 10 make The one subser
Went to the other, while we have been skipping
chidshly backwards and forwards between them
with too lille unity of purpose for the successful
encouragement of either.
Ihave something TO say on the physical improve
ment Of the country, its public works, &C.. hu
time at present lacks, and must make what San
Weller calls rather sho,l pull up.
Yours, QUITS.