Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1847-10-19
For the EngnircT.
For M En"hVcT.
The following is a copy Of Petition 10 be pre-
sen.cd to The next Legislature for the repeal Of
the chatter of the Northumberland Academy:

The following is a copy oil Petition 10 be pre-
sen,cd TO The next Legislature Tor The repeal oil
the charter of The Northumberland Academy:
To lie General Assembly of The Commonwealth 81
Virginia:
The petition Of The citizens of The county OF
Northumberland respectfully shows, that on The
l2lh Of January, in The year oil our Lord 1910,
the General Assembly O. Virginia, asleeably 10
The solicitations of a portion OF The lteehoiders oil
Northumberland, grained a charter incorporating
an Academy, Of Inc same name, within The pre-
cincts Of The same county, Tor the purpose, as was
then supposed, ol opening 10 line poor OF The COM
munily a door for lhe easy, more general, and, al
the same time, sra'uiions acquisition oil learning
that The funds applied 10 The building and lound-
ing Of The said institution OF learning, being The
proceeds OF The sales vi The Giebe lands, were,
and in justice ard eq:ily ought 10 have been, and
were doubtless SO considered by The Legislature, al
The time of The passage Of The acts in 1902, 1871
and 1917, respecting The disposition Of the same,
Of a public nature, and therefore should have been
appropriated 10 The general good Of all, either BY
a general and equitable disposition, or 10 The adj
v~ancemeniof those great objects, such as the sup
port and education Of The helpless poor, towards
which every civilized community, by ore gene
raj and universal consent, contributes, and BY
which our citizens ought TO have been effeclually
relieved oil a portion Of that oppressive burlhen,
imposed by way VI taxation Tor The support Of The
paupers Of our partially unenliohtened county;
that, notwithstanding The nature Of the funds by
which this institution was endowed and put into
operation-notwiIhslanding he unquesiionabl
right OF each and every individual, II poorest in
| cIuded. 10 his dislriburive share 0, SAID funds, and
which they were led 10 believe they shonld enjoy
in The sraluitous education Of these indIeen; and
helpless offspring; Inc said institution was in
accordance with The charter granting lis incor-
poration, which said charter your humble me-
morialistS think was created under circumsian-
ces not strictly in obedience 10 The acquisitions Of
the acts passed by The General Assembly on The
l2iiI Of January, 1902, requiring the signatures
ola majority Of The freeholders OF The county. Iii.
Iecled 10 The overseeIs olthe poor, in whose hands
the funds were, by a wise legislative enactment,
lodged, 10 authorize any other disposition OF The
same, and which your respectful petitioners think
was granted By The Legislature without a due re-
gard TO the obligation imposed on it by an
act of the l2h OF February, 1911, protesting
against any disposition OF The same, other
than that width was then and there made re-
specting the charity funds, and which il is be-
lievei was inended 10 be equally applicable
10 The Glebs funds, or within The equity OF
which, al least, the said Glebc funds were
embraced or cmprehended; put into operation
by its trustees, rho were. in the opinion OF your
petitioners, nothing more than The agents Of The
great body OF The people, under the rules and re-
g~ulaiions incompatible with common Justice and
The believed represented intention OF lis great first
movers, thereby entirely defeating The grand OBJ
ject Of its cr~eaticn-lha is TO say, il was govern
ed BY those law. which effcctually excluded the
deserving poor inm its advantaseS,-which vir-
iually wrested fIom their pockets their honest
means, 10 advanc, The education OF those in The
higher orders otsccieiy, and upon whom the hand
Of Poverty had no; borne so oppressively- sys-
tenn OF oppression Incompatible with any demo-
cratic principle, ind tending in itself 10 rear on
The ruins OF equal rights that arislocracy which
is subyersive OF ne liberties Of any Tree people /;
and your petitioners, believing, on the authority
Of Virginia's distinguished %jnrisi, our former
President OF the Court Of Appeals, the learned
commentator on he laws OF our Commonwealth,
whose opinions are supported by The well known
cause OF Tenel rs. Taylor, 4 CIanch, 50, and
Brackin rs. William e. Mary College, l Call,
l64, the former OF which very properly drew a
distinction, as TO legislative power, between pub.
lie and private COMPREHENSIVE sa me 10 be with.
in legislative control; and believing that This in.
leIposi;ion OF the Legislature towards The aboli-
ton of such a charter could not be considered as
a violation OF any contract or cbi.e":~-, -
which ~opinion we have tho ea"". LindinS auiho-
ri,y. aided by references 10 9 Cranch, 292, and 4
~-~.'V". o., GO, I5-theIciorc pray that an acl
may be passed repeating nr ahnlisLine The said
charter, and directing The said funds 10 b riaseI
10 The hands of those from whom il was taken,
for The purpose OF advancing those objects which
il was originally intended 10 forward.