Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1850-09-17
{ the Editors Of The Enquirer:
EUTCATION.


Win some extracts irou speech ot Mr. H. \. Wise upon
the subject of cducation wiih couenfaory remarks
nv Yourself II il my design 10 enter into ir 1iscs
sion of subject oi such importance but merely II STATE
e very striking objections Ia > scheme wlth yie@ ~ IN
vtirg you the reconsideration o subject upon which
such radical 10 be found IN his plan. ih> eAer-
clse leinciuus influence
The first objection that presents itself 10 my mind is that
il snacks strongly of a scheme now somewhat IN
vogue, for oGuaizng properly And 10 establish tins,
would cite he offers sustain his plan, s!a
that all under obligation 10 provide Tor
the physca wants of those who unable Ia provide fer
themselves To smsian the analogy, ne suppose liz shoi
make appear t! sc communities bound 10 feed and
ciohe the poor, sumpmousy rs the rich or lnit@ndeni
are fed and clothed. II is papablc, that the inevira
lie result of such system, would be 10 increase
the evils Of paurerism and 10 multiply, thousand
fold the objects Of public charity Hence 'hi' bounty
is in all wise governments coled with degree OF asi-
m"ny necessary 10 prevent liz abuse and ~ conne tS ~
plcaton In such only whom this relief is absolutely
ssy. Otherwise the main spring To accumulation 50
ind spensabe tie progress of society, would be e;ecuay
DESTROYED. For what would toll and deny himself 10
accumulate property when instead of It's being appropriated
the benefit of his family, which was the impeing mo-
tive his efforts he is told that the whole community 10
fed and clothed well himself and children and 10 be
well educated o his hard-carned acc,muAiions -
This would in ciec, be parayze all his cxctons, and to
Kill the goose laying the golden egg without which neither
education other Improvement IN society would be
accomplished. Bat il can be easily shown that The scheme
of lcveling upwards" is mpraccalc and unwise
the various plans for eqnazna popcriy or the plan pro-
posed French Socialists 10 make the duty OF The govern
find employ for all the labor oi France All these
schemes disguise they be- only many de-
vices inviting interfere in the private pursuits
and Individuals with which they have right 10
dd and innovations upon the ii ht OF property under
which no government can prosper But 10 return TO the
plan of cveng upwards and placing all upon the
platform as regards educaon-the idea not only absurd
but impracilcable
Education long before children OF age
be sent 10 school. 1t follows therefore, that the children
of of leisure, would at the commencement start very
far ahead of the children Of the ahorng man; and unless
very great superiority OF intellect be claimed for the chill
pf nlafp
would leave school, and enter upon the duties OF the world
AT least as far ahead Of the other they commenced In
addition this il must be borne in mind that education
only school. 1t is here, that the
only is lad leaving il To men of leisure 10 raise the
superstrnciure.
Unless then We car relieve men from The Obligation to IL
boras proposed 10 relieve them rom the responsibility and
the expense OF educating their children, the of leisure
only forever maintain the advantages with which
lie the theatre OF active employment the aboring
man. but will every year increase the distance between them
This is law Of which device o! man eude
BY any other mode than that OF reducing society is org-
nal clements removing all protection property and
stead of 'cveng upwards placing all upon the level
of ignorance, with the exception Of such only can by
their strong arm the inequalities in the
conditions Of which must prevail all sections whe-
ther savage or civilized.
am that there is panacea proposed avoid these
fatal and destructive consequences; which is this is
be decided by the OF each county When
il is considered that the OF property bear very small
proportion TO those without property with but very @
and that the weight OF this burhun must fall cheiv
upon those who possess it, il requires no seer TO predict
how this question will be decided. We did not thus IN
relations with The edeol government. Our ancestors
whose wisdom it is fashionable ride had the saga
city presume that if we threw temptation in the way OF
this government TO invade peculiar property, without
feeling the buhen themselves them power when
they would be very apt to abuse-hence the provision IN
regard to slave representation. And must acknowledge
my self 10 be wholly incapable of comprehendng how wc
can with safety commit one dissertation of property TO the
unresaned disposition of those whose interest Is to eS-
pend il with lavish hand more Than another.
FRIEND TO PRACTICAL EDUCATION
We do not design commenting AT length upon these strc-
lures upon the of Mr. Wise That gentleman is full
ly able to defend himself and WILL doubt when proper
occasion presented maintain his opinions upon this sub
ect with his usual power and Lest however, our
own views may be Inexperienced and the almportant
cause OF popular education suffer detment from the pau-
sble and weluged though think faacious objections
of our friend shall notice of the chief points in his
letter.
We can conceive of only way in which the principle
involved in the peoples voluntarily taxing themselves 70