Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-02-27
FEBRUARY Doth, 1876.
For The Enquirer.

FOT ne enquirer.
nvirgnian" says, "Ou,is" like your cores
pondent tx. Y. T." thinks it strange that, in re-
erring to The statistics OF the Union, should not
have noticed The fact, that portions OF them were
more densely populated than other paris OF Inc
same Stale, and that others were very recently
| settled.
II is strange, indeed, that "Virginian" should
mol have noticed fact that utterly destroys his
argument. He labors 10 show that The sparse
population OF Virginia is mol Incompatible with
common schools, by comparing her statistics as
| 10 population, SC, with those OF other Siates.--
He brings the statistics OF Maine and Michigan
10 his aid he relies chiefly on these 10 support
his position. II is replied that these statistics
prove nothing, because they do not represent the
real state of The case The instances are not pa
rael The whole of Virginia is settled-,he
population is pretty equally difiused. The larger
part oiMchsan, and nearly hall OF Maine are
unsettled. "Virginian" certainly assumes, that
these States are entirely settled, else his argu-
ment is croundless This is loo obvious 10 re-
ouire discussion. How strange then it is that
"Virgnian" didnot notice 50 suicidal an assump-
lion
"Virsinan" proceeds: "These facts were not
noticed-lst, because they were we'll known 10
every well-iniormed man." This proposition is
not nvulnerable- let il go. '2d, because
there was no reliable means Of asceriaining
what portion Of those States were more, and
what less densely populated" The census will
show very accurately what portions are more,
and what are less densely populated, for every
Stale in the Union, except in some OF The coun-
ties Of Maine and Of Florida, with, perhaps, a
lew very unimportant exceptions in the West
"And, lastly, because, if there was This great in
equality in the density Of the population OF diff
erenl parts Of the same State, and if there were,
Notwithstanding, public schools in every part,
that fact would only strengthen my argument,
thai they we're practicable, even in such thinly
settled countries" Must "Virginian" resort 10 so
improbable hypothesis Does he mol k,lOp,
that in large tracts Of Maine and Michigan there
is mol the veslige Of school-Eousel Where will
he find "pubic schools in crerv part OF such thin
" settled countres}" We do no, limit The ques-
ton 10 Maine and Michigan. But "Virenian"
clinss 10 Louisiana. Now, il happens that five
nnlhs of The white children in Louisiana are 10
be found within one-sevenlh OF lis area; SO that
this portion is as densely populated as Virginia
and there arc bat sixteen thousand children, be-
tween ard Is years OF age, in The other six
scven,hs OF the Stale. 1t will always be found,
that an unequal diffusion of population is more
favorable 10 intelligence, than uniform and, al
The same time, sparse population.
En- passani-Will "Virginian" excuse us for
noticing an inadveuence OF his? When he says,
that in a school district six miles square, contain
ING eighty scholars the average distance 10 school
is one and halt mles-the average distance is
more than TWO miles aud quarter,
When the article "To all candid men (review-
ed)"was written, The writer did not know that
"On,is" was in the field, and this would not now
appear were j, not that, TO him, The lists are
closed. "Virginian" seems 10 US in the right, but
his argument, in regard 10 sparsenesso Of popula-
linn in The wrong. Y. Y. z.