Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-01-10
RICHMOND ENQUIRER.
THE INSTITUTE OF THE VIRGINIA GUARD, OR
ARMORY SCHOOL
THURSDAY MoRN1NG, JANUARY o, 1851.

THE INSTITUTE OF THE VIRGINIA GUARD, OR
ARMORY SCHOOL.
AT the risk of appearing We once more and
for the las, time this winter respectfully urge upon the Le
gsa,ure give this subject its serious attention We have
done This and ae convinced that it Is deeply in
yoynr the interests of the whole State and therefore, in
our humble opinion demanding careful and deliberate in
vesgaon l, has been In shape before that body for
Eve or six successive years. and yet have Its friends
and advocates had opportunity to develop Its principles
and Intentions 1t has always been smohered by being laid
upon the table indefinitely postponed SO that whlo the
general idea DID, It's merits are this hour unknown 10
perhaps members Of the Legislature This should not
be- as we'll In Justice the importance OF the scheme ss In
courtesy and respect for tho many distinguished ci1o
who desire the of tbs measure These are he main
eatures of the BILL which have often before inserted In
our columns Take from the s22 500 the annual appropri-
alton for the Public Guard s600O with which the SupeF'
;endcut Of the Pen,entiay 10 hire additional czen "a'c
men making 20 or Is In ALL This is tho way the State pr-
every other Safe guarded and we can SOC o
reason why cannot be done in Virginia II 30 done a
between the Cadets md the pententay Is Tor
over done away with and there remain tor the support
of ,be School With this three Professors and 70
Sale ,1es cal he supported the latter free from any ex
pense 10 their parents To this number Will be addeo ~o
know not how many pay Cadets but judge from wha' We
aarn Of the experience Lexington that loo may be relied
upon the tuition fees for which, as at Lexington VIII SO 10
swe the 500 by which stil State Cadets cun be
provided for that there will BE- at least 7o or zeo young
being educated the and other valuable property at
the Armory protected end every year after the third 70 or
30 superior school teachers town out all over our State
and teaching Tor each after the fourth there
will be 80 or SO engaged in that important occupation long
as the Armory School exists.
Think OF this then think Of tho 600G0 Of fellow
citizens that read write. What the obec
lions Here they are, as We understand
ls The Amory buildings cannot accommodate these stu
dents.
d. The parade ground small for military purposes
| 3d. The position Of the Armory Is unhealthy.
.h The vciou, and immoral tendencies Of Richmond
| too dangerous for youth.
sh This School will interfere with that Lexington.
6h Military education cndangers the free Democratic in
s,u,ions OF the country.
7h The Corps o. Cadets would be able protect the
property al the Armory.
These are the objections urged, and which VIC will now
examine.
ls, If the law ranizing this School should pass the full
number of students could be expected for year
There would therefore, be accrung appropriation exceed
ing necessary meet the expenses OF those enter
ed which would be sufficient raise third story upon tho
Armory buildings and prepare the for 20O Cadets Inc
walls of these buildings three feet Thick of brick capa
!
ted as are these buildings much lower than the city general
ly their architectural appearance will be improved.
ID The parade ground al the Armory amply spacious
for all guard moun,ings and paradss reviews &c Is not
so for battalion drills but there extensive commons
within half milo Of the Armory upon which an army might
20 through its evouions and the marching 10 and from
these commons would form essential part OF the nstruc
| tion.
3d. By reference to the bills Of mortality, it will be
infer thata a
| In all Eastern Virginia.
4,h II is fact known persons that all the well
patronzed and bes, Colleges In this country as in Europe
are in large cities and the students are
moys manageable than when In small villages be-
cause the former caso the young men know that any
combinations for outbreaks will be met by the civil
authorities and put down promptly This ia not the e1pe
ence In smaller places where the civil authorities are In
sufficient do little else than provoke conflict We do
not aieve the lots University (Which from tho nc
order and be there have ant
are happy believe indefinitely postponed would
have occurred had that institution been in place
where the civil authorize, could have overnwod the youths
9th. We happy say that Col Smith, the distinguish
ed head of Lexington School, does not think the Armory
School will interfere with his Why should it, when there
are hundreds of boys anxious such insuIionsl
As well might be said that there should be but College
or one Academy, one Insane Hospital in our State.
There Citizens moro peaceaoy lncilneo
are the graduates of West Point and Of the Virginia Military
Institute To those whom, in the Of their studies,
all the horrors of war made manifest, unnecessary
conflicts are pleasing Besides 1t must be borne in mind
that but small portion of the time these schools s given
% military s,udie JUS, enough to produce that discipline
which is the great secre, of their success
7h From 6 TO Is years Of age is the fighting age OF all
men, Who could have the splendid corps of Cadets
from Lexington in city the 22d February last and
saw that $50 like them would be equal to half their num-
| Der like tho Public Guardl
All the great generals of every age have depended upon
their youne guards when the crisis Of battle cue and they
were never disappointed in their dependence.
thought much upon THE subIec and can see not
one good oason why Legislature should not carry out
this scheme and thus homo and say, have not only
made railroads and turnpkes but have provided school
.or many Of poor boys, and this tho tdring you one
| additional cen:
We nre hupry republish the following corroboratlng
views In yesterdays Whg This development clearly indi-
that the senten, of Richmond in favor Of this wise
| reform
/ INSTITUTE OF THE VIRGINIA GrARD.--A bill
before the Legislature which proposes convert the
present Guard into institution for the education Of the
young of Virginia aud for tho performance Of the duty
al present discharged by the State Guu!4 Tho principal
provisions of the bill are as follows:
l. The Generals of Brigade are Incorporated the visi
tors of the Institute. They WILL with aid of two cti
4
and govern IL.
The School shall consist of State and pay Cadets the
former TO be equally divided amongst the Senatorial Dis
c. and be elected by the School Commissioners of the
he aohubotica succession In which tc shall
g. The duty OF guarding the Peni.entary shall not s
qured OF the Cadets portion Of tho appropriation being
SC, apart for employment of guard for the Penitena
This prevents any matera! allegation IN the Public
| Buildings now occupied by the Public Guard
s. Limits the appropriation TO the sum present applied
| TO tho pay and maintenance of the Public efuafd.
| othe lntenQcQ
principles Of organization announced in the foregoing ao
| stract. ,,. -, :. ,,...
applicable to education IN sna 10 ppomoe thy s
by eyery legitimate The State Guard amos
with the doctrine OF State Rh M IT mas hasu 0sen Sona
I'd us type of the uncxnguished sovereignty OF virginia
We revere the motives that prompted Its establishment we
Jud no more desire the Stae GuaIo OF ,nSin.
abolished than the proud emblem OF our inoiV'ouu h'
,ionaiiy stricken from her flag. e, ,,o.
Bu, we wish TO see State Guard more useiu, MOE MOI
worthy In design of the associations OF It's origin
wish guard chosen from the youthful cizens
OF her righB-lnSpiou