Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1850-09-10

"ueeo ula circumstances permit rcpublsh The whole
i TINS address in our columns There is subject Of more
practical Importance 10 the people OF Virginia. than the
subject of POPULAR Education. We have always been ts
earnest freads and ardent advocates and shall contn,
at MI propg times TO commend the public considera
ton by every means in power. We believe that The
prosperity safety and honor Of the Stale require the adop
ton OF son efficient system for the development and In
strction Of the great of uneducacd mind in the rising
generation O. people The views presented this
subject by Nh Wise characterized by his usual bold
ness and pow. He commences by laying down. certain
posuiaa number of well known truths and then deduces
from them con,usons. equally striking and rresiibe
The ends of our Republic are Liberty, Equality and
Fraternity; AMI its foundations are Tirue and knprlede.
Liberty, Equally and Fraternity can hs attained only by 4
social organization based upon Virtue knowledge; and
Virtue and knowledge be attnncd only by proper
al physical md intellectual training # The people, Aud
proper moral physical and intellectual training the people
is the true definition Of Popular Education All then--the
Republic its blessings, its gories its liberty equality its
fraternity, its virtue, its knowledge, its health, lis vitality,
and its existence depend upon Popular Education" :
In support Of this conclusion which all must admit he
adduces the dearest We have but for
tract
"'Io bind ncn nations together, then. in community
OF Liberty, Equality and fraternity, the people urersay
must be trained alike in Schools OF education
10 Virtue and knowledge. Ii will not do lhus III educate
only few They will become an Ogarchy for good ii
you please but Ogarchy hated opposed and
come by the many with whom they never BE- equal nor
raiena The education must be 10 all then the
most will be friends of enlightened liberty will be equal with
each other will lie in the same fraternity oi virtue and
knowledge, and will be the greater number and stronger
than The few wh" 10 be incapable ot being ednca
ted al all or Of being trained augh bnt vice knowledge
and Virtue thus and thus only become majority in
Republic. Universal popular educaon then is ndspensa-
Bile 10 Republic The ignorant and vicious would from
these premises draw the dangerous and deadly deduction la
educate in order IN make all equal This is thar
false and fatal Democracy which would oqualixe all By
cvcing all down o a common standard OF the low
EST Irh l.Is AirfEp l., fhr
grade oi Vice. labor down To the lazness ol the drone
knowledge down To the meanness ofnoranct which would
drive away all wealth. all intelligence all mcni and moral
distinctions and which would make llnknd iii on!y or the
cruel desp"sm of Brute Force Popular education, uni-
veTsa popular education, the Other hand wotd produce
pure aud HncIri Denocracy-an n1adu.lcfi'cG Govern
nen Of the People by themselves wuull raise Il
platform Of mental and moral distinction high Kings
heads, higher than Kings crowns long enough and
broad enough io hold ali equal iu,lng--ani
would like charity and love- reach down hcpnr hand
every below who would make tl,rt IT, rise Pure
Democracy levels upwards, False Democracy Gowuwais
Pure Democracy secures The power oi the people aud de-
tends il by training to Virtue ana Know ledge. False De-
m0c.acy and cnsves the people and their
chains perp,tGaiy by lis lessons OF Ignorance and Vice
Having prored that unrersqf edaci'ioa indispensable 70
The endSeF Rsp4I!ic Mr. Wise tie important ques
tion "Hoe is to Be Obtained ?! The answer cicr Our
present miserable 81 stem has failed ana canao but fail
furnish adequate instruction the lite, number
those whom il offers H. There is no feasible plan By
which this great object the universal education ci The peo
pie be- accomplished, but the plan %. Fre< Scaoois:
by Free Schools created and nurtnrcd the STATE ana
common 10 all TIC People, mdc and female adK and infant
rich and They must be- of expense in order ha
the poor may ENJOY their benefits But they be free il
every Neither the rich the poor be allowed
pay price tuition because the one can and the 9th
or cannot pay H. and IL allow either Ia do would make
distinction destroy equality in the scholar lis indepen
dencc Of charity Instruction is charity. il is riett-a
moral and social right Of every child born in every
nifty Which a seH4 5a ca t 9y & Pf e. wSt 'fh@ a @
member of which child that State is parent aud between
which State and which child there certain supreme obi
cations, of which this right Of instruction the par
and This duty Of instruction The other part is among liz
highest and h0icst.
In accordance with thosc views, Mr.. Wise well says
every community is bound u supply tn: physical nt.
of its needy members We institute am>hoGSes FOR tl
paupes If the body "f mln woman or child oe starvin.
,h stale or county Is bound 10 provide sucn food How
much is il the duiy of the public sup; numtish
men {" a fam ishing mind than To Starring body The
lack of mental food mental dcathignOGance te
instruction, and The deGh af The mind in o lis
bors is much awiuly serious the State than th
death of the BODY Of of lis members. Tie mind il i
true 6rs the State with the body when the body dies; bn
dies like that mind the BODY al which >urviv"s-i
dies the bring deat 9 the mind, cf ignorance and rice
But granting the principle that it is the du;y Of the Stat
establish free schools how should these schools be
nzed7 p This, in trut is question Of rs great difficulty
as importance. Mr. Wise shall speak for HIMSELF wlcthc
or not our readers agree with him in his views none car
fail to foresee from the outline here presented the probable
course of Mr. W. upon this subject in the ensuing Stat
Convention "ow should these schools be organized?
"By the combined operation unquestionaby of consf,
tionoi and statute law and Of popular ection say OF
s,ituonal well Of law, because il is necessary
ny the constitution TO compel the Legislature To provide
law enable the people elect whether they will have
schools or not and horze and enable them lay
collect themselves for the support of those schools
never entered into my mind 10 compel the people 10 have
free schools whether they would not by making consti
tuonal provision Tor free schools. To Illustrate have
statute already may be tod but reply, thai statute
be repeated and other for centuries may be enacted 10
ply lis place. For than two centuries, from 1907 I,
about years ago, such statute thought of
none such passed Such may be the again. with
constitutional provision compel the passage of som
law. The constitution will pretend provide, Of
rha iulr shall be passed. but il stod provide that
law shall be passed, and that law shall Arrays
kept in operation, earng free scope 10 the Leg gature
change and amend The ldp from time TO time may b
erpcdien. would have for example, such provision
in the constitution as ths:-
"The Legislature shall always by law, enable the peopl
elect by heads of families in countless rar shes dis
cts may be expeden' institute free schools and la
and collect for themselves in such mode they maj
adopt under proper limitations, for the support of suc
schools
"Thus by such provision as this
"ls The Legislature would be compelled 10 provide Law
Of election.
cd Giving the power and regulation of taxation on tn
subject TO The heads of families in countless parishes dis
ucts as might be provided for by law.
"3d Leaving the adoption or rejection of the system
wholly optional elective with the peoples allowing hos
who choose and not compelling those who do not choose
have free schools And
9th Leaving large latitude legislation sufficient tt
allow ofa necessary and essential amendments variation
ofdeai as from time to time might be needed
"The provision might be made general thar
this, and yet reach all the ends 10 be accomplished Wha
puerie nonsense then, 10 be obecng that the constitution
should enter into the detail of the subject of Educaon
has already entered into the Details in the same genera
way of inherent rights of the useeshp Of magistrates,
of the rights of majority, of the right REFORM of 'eX
elusive emoumcnts and privileges of Separate depart
nents of elections, of suspcnding laws Of capital
criminal prosecutions of excessive bail and fines and
and unusual punsments of general warrants Of trial b,
Jury of freedom OF the press, of well regulated militia,
oi uniform government of Justice, moderation temper
unce, lrugaiy, virtue and fundamental principles and o
religion. Now what of these subjects which have eve
been provided for by constitutions is imporan
than that of Education? Does the right and the duty
education involve them all! How The people compe
hend any of their rights without educaon' Yet for h
want of constitutional provision, popular education
has been wholly neglected in the State of virgins
for two hundred and forty s!-The idea that becaas
there be constitutional provision therefore the system
free schools cannot be amended from time 10 time neces
sary, is equally absurd Verify with some people wisdom
will die; and, verify, people think that wisdom
did die with o the good old wise vrtuous ancestor
ofVrgnia Aristocracy did not die with them but has lived
though been impoverished God by living tha
system which heretofore has kept the mass Of Virginia
people in Egyptian darkness, for the of free schools