Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-03-27
For nc Enquirer.
KING WILLIAM DAYLIGHT AMI " 4
LIGHT

According 10 The laws which govern Inc physi-
al world and he formation OF the organs OF
vision. il is reasonable 10 conclude that day
Geh is better than fpRsM, when we desieh
10 view objects in all their just and natural pre-
horizons. Blu, il has often happened 10 deluded
MORALS. when thrown in jux,aposilion 10 pafticu,
lar objects which present the images Of great ana
Interchangeable moral truths, that they could not
even in hoad dagGeM, see The true relation OF
objects before heir eyes. They bundered-they
stumbled: lhey could not discern The true position
Of men and things, their relations 10 Suou ana
evil. or their fitness under Gods PfovIcence 10
promote The happiness Of MANKIND. 4 ne foyai
house OF PhaIoah, in Egypt, aHhoush iiVinS IN,
der = brilliant sky, which cast is clear broad
Ianiie6. over their devoted land yet they could
moi see in The true light The objects around them,
nor discern The sublime relation They bore TO HE
majesty of Heaven The Jews, once favored
mopIe' whist basking on the sunlight hills oil
Palestine with byoad daylight around them,
and The sureradded glories oil Mount Sinai >hi.
Ming in plendor ard power yet were they blind
10 Ike rcrsouaI presence OF God, i'll The pure i'm
400 of His Son. on fortunate, 81, sua iona nOrJnt
They did not know what was good Tor hem and
vet tley toasted Of their daylight, and thought
every other people dwell IN darkness, or under
tarlhCht-and in consequences OF their blind
ness ia the face OF day, destruction came upon
them. And vel these vain, boasing men were
blind 10 the true relations OF man 10 God and their
iellow.men. The daylight OF revealed religion
only increased their blindness. They killed the
prophets; they rejected and crucifed The Saviour;
tbev were selfish and haTd-heared; they ground
down The poor; they shut the book OF knowledge
TO men, and, intent on gain and worldly pride and
ambition, they could not see the hard of God
and they persisted under The broad daylight N
Gospel ruth. But, on The other hand, the ancient
Pa;riarchc, with Only The din tr1,ght ci pro-
ptecv 10 guide their footsteps, walked steadily in
The ways Of obedience, and pursued the paths OF
peace and safety. Trii,shf % them was bet
Ter than daylight 10 their poslcrity, ami thus il
was, as sacred history tells Us, that men saw
things better BY facaght than by d0Wigit-
Oar proof is the book OF Gcd; let the c3en OF the
present day beware how they boast II theirdou-
isft--.or, Il hey ".ransoresS against light, woe
unlo them" Nevertheless, what has been wi! be
asan-ior human affairs revove IN circle, and
on the winged cycles OF time the images of Ike
past are renewed in the present affairs Of men
md there is a bridge which spans with is eclip-
tic arch the dark gulf OF The middle ages, con-
rccling the ancient with The modern world; and
if eread in the inspiring pages OF Livy, the glo-
ries OF The Roman Commonwealth We also read
IL he eloquent pages ci Tacilus lis laled decline
Lord Bacon has said, 'hislory is philosophy,
teaching BY example," but there have been men,
in all ages Of the world, TO whom the lessons Of
history are given in vain-whose chosen path
was 10 be found in The dark policy OF party in
tf;-ue who ITO party were ever reaGy 10 give
what was intended for mankind" They have
eyes and they see not the moral light which il
tunes and guides The chosen agents Of Di-
vine Providence. And here, in King Will
liam, where is TO be icund the best male
riel for the forming hand OF Education, The
party politician has entered his protest against
the general diffusion OF light and knowledge
among me people. The assertion is made b. q
writer in the Enquirer Of the 9Th inst, over lne
signature OF daylight" that the Wings are the
asilators Of The subject OF education, and that Ma
jor Thomas Dabney was brought GU, by COM
ni,tce con- POSED o. a majority OF Wings, when
n truth, there was only one Wing on commit
lee OF five, and that one Wing voted in commit
tee asains, Major Dabney. Another truth is,
that the Wings Of the county are divided some
OF The oracles OF the party are on opposite sides;
in what relative proportions no one can now say.
II the anti educationiss think il 50 monslrous
lhias tina, Wings should unite with Democrats
why do thew not Tell their own Wings that they
are scabby sheen, and request them 10 get oul Of
V,
would, il seems 10 the writer, nave at once seen
how vain and i-chosen such an objection must
be, as far as the facts go 10 sustain it, And, can
mol sensible mind al once see, thai the reason
ing of all minds on The subject OF general popu-
lar education must be, pr,OrJ, in favor OF The
question, and never ca assume party origin or
nature7 And are The Wings in the condition Of
banished men? are their minds and moral ca
pabiilies so perverted as 10 render them incapa-
bic oil forming just conclusions on questions OF
moral and intellectual improvement Ii seems
TO our "DagiigM philosopher, that The Wings oil
the county are band OF political conspira,ors,
one-half working with the Democratic friends Of
education, and the other half engaged on The op-
posile side; but both these divided branches OF The
Wing parry are secretly engaged r. bringing
abou, o.c ooecl anu mat object, the overthrow Of
The Democ!clic party For the benef, OF distant
readers, il may be well to say, without reserve,
there is no proper foundation for such suspicion
But is il not WONDERFUL that grave suhject, such
as Education, should by lis opponents be brought
10 the test o. ridieule such as Daylight has treat
ed The public with would not Willingly annoy
the writer OF The article signed Daylight, because
| beiev" should &c aiming The spear OF Ihu.iel
al bright mind and generous heart | will
endeavor 10 use a heavenly tempered weapon
for lie errors cl youth arc often ingenious faults
The writer OF Daylight will li:e 10 iegre, his
resort 10 personal ridIcule against such a man as
Major Dabney, but it will recoil on him and his
/ party in the coming election. For Major Dabney
/ has friends who, however heretofore balanced
/ cannot longer remain indifferent, spectators oi a
! contest, in which his own personal honor i.
! brought into question and even his person, the
| form bestowed on him by Natures God is mus rid
culed in public newspaper. True The rdcue i.
n lame attempt, and is in very bad TASTE for there
arc lew men in our county who can boast a b., |,
ter proporloned person; nevertheless, the remark.
OF daylight" are wholly inconsistent with IN,
character and station Of Major Dahney, for he i
advanced in years. the father OF numerous ant
respectable family, and for mind and The polished
couriesies OF life. unsurpassed. Ii is source 0
deep regret 10 The writer, that mind like that 0
| daylight" the apparent destiny of which seems
10 challenge high aims, should, for moment
I Col. Dabney, and throwing contempt and ridi
cute on such man as Major Dabney-bu
enough
But as there are two opinions in the county a
10 the merits OF Col. Dabney's speech, al on
| February Court and as Daylight" has felt a
liberty TO award him the praise OF Strength o
argument and manly dignity" the writer Of lhi
paper may be allowed an equal right on The othe
side. the various plans of popular education
all propose 10 submit 10 the votes of the people Q
every county; and YET, Col. Dabney said in hi
speech. that there was constitutional objection
end he read the part of the Constitution
which forbids ;'privaie property being take,
for public uses without Just compensation
Does daylight" think there is any strength 0
argument in that argument The present write
does not think there was any dignity in Col. Dab
news attach on the University.
| With reference TO the University, there ma
nave been leo lavish an expenditure OF money
there may have been a misconceived vanity 10
there is often witnessed in our nohlest efforts al
isfirmiiy, which is almost unavoidable.
But that is a different question. The truth is
.hallh higher branches of learning are necessar
10 our country, and 10 republic mos, essenta
Of all others. II is the gold ofthe ilustrious an
immortal dead, which time bnt disperses an
does not destroy; and no matter what such poli
lician. as Col. Dabney may say, after all, IN
University represents virtuous patriotism Q
him whose principles, when living, swayed tn
minds Of his Democratic contemporaries, ant
have been. since his DEATH the polar sta
OF the Democratic party. The institution