Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-01-03

RICHMOND ENQUIRER.
WEDNESDAY MORNING, JANUARY ',1s5i
THE ARMoRY SCHOOL

as matter of deep impor,anceas, In fact Inc nucleus "
wise and efficient system Of education We sha'' no' ,s
iterato the views which we have already fuiy presep
are convinced that If the minds OF the members o' p
of the uniounded pejudices floating through 'ne
If they will examine cuoly and calmly the plain merits Of
the ouestlon-,hey cannot hesitate TO give vtahy 10 ns
salutary conlnon-sense measure. Inc simple que 10
whether they will continue 10 devote ssZouo 10 no p
for the nrotec,on of the public property here; or viii
convert hnt sum to the advancement OF Eouca'on' me
training up of teachers the primary schoos-a the same
time securing the same efficient police which we now have
sufficient guard for public property can be obtained Tor
between 50 900 and 0 Why then waste as Is done al
the sum of $4,000 Why not devote 10 the no.
BILE purposes Of enghtenng the ignorance Oh the lana we
ask the Committee of Schools and the members Oh the It,
esature TO examine the subject tor themselves nave
not yet heard even plausible argument against ms
School Members may attempt 10 cvade the main question
by amusing the doctrines Of % anu 81
will that be sufficient to the inquiries of their con-
stuents why they advocaee the expenditure OF this large
sum for mere guard" which could have been procured al
less prce-and why they did not appropriate the public
money to the more useful purpose Of Education!
We are gud that the has been brought forward nj
40 early date and under such favorable auspices II the
friends of the land we are glad to believe that II
commands the of many of the wses heads oil the Le
psature) their Duty look upon its success as certain
Hhe this has been oyesaughed by other press
ing the heel of the session. Let now be fairy
discussed and promptly acted and VIC are sangune lis
adoption This measure which is destined 10 confer such
great benefits upon the State will be such radical re-
form, as the whole people of Virginia will sustan The
of this bill will place the present Legislature on high
ground II will be evidence that the Legislature are re-
solved 10 look at great interests OF the State and TO see
that the public money be devoted TO wise and valuable pu
posss Let the be fairly and fully discussed and we
arc confident Of happy result
Blu, word or two as to some objections which we have
heard raised against this An idea prevailing mat
If this school institute is established the ground upon
which the arnoy erected will avert 10 the heirs or
of the former proprietor This ground given for an Arno-
nv and no one dreams Of aboshng the Armory IL Is SIMPLY
the changing of the Guard which body OF enlisted men has
no connection with tho Amory their organic laws oeng
entirely different and In way related The Armory Is 10
remsn unouched-the arms and other public property TO
continue where they are and the armorers are still 10
90 on with their work. the expense Of which TO be met o
an annual appropriation entirely distinct ash ever has oeen
from that for the Public Guard
We also find IN impression exists in the minds OF some
gentlemen that will be improper 10 post sentnes al the
Peni,enay-hat parents may hesitate to place their sons
at the school, when such duties to be performed "edo
not fee The force OF this objection for taking the cadets De-
tween the ages II and 2 and putting the odes! on duty
in turn that institution they will be about twenty years
of age and old enough for any duty Of that
character.
But If ,his be considered objection by the Legislature
1, can be removed thus Take from the $4,000 the sum Of
and let this latter amount 60 TO the Superintendent Oh
the peni,entiary with which to hire czen-wach as Is
done In almost every State in the Union. This will relieve
the cadets that duty and nothing in the slightest de-
gree Objectionable, then DO complained o The annual
appropriation for the school will then be oOo with which
81 State Cadets be kept The institutions to which, II
we add the so pay Cadets the whole number will be
Does not this fac, present strong arguments In favor
of reforml
The Editor of the Petersburg Inteigence whom we hall
as an efficient coaduor this question OF State pocy IN
1875 presented the question in strong light His remarks
apply with much force than at the time they were
wr,ten-n view of the present sectional difficulties and The
importance OF our State encouraging its own citizens
and maintaining its independence. Referring to the
late Education Convention, no wrote
zone great object sorry TO hear was passed by VIZ:
the establishment of normal school in the stead OF thatu-
gus on tho Commonwealth, ycep the State Guard The
erea, want which exists is that of teachers and should be
the policy Of the State TO have teachers reared up m
knorisdge of and for the lams and institutions 81
Virginia rather than import abroad and con-
6de them The delicate and important duty OF forming the
minds of the youth OF Stale There another consoe-
ration without its weight The learned professions are
now filled cpetun and scores OF young men IN virginia
are annually commencing the hopeless task OF earning
maintenance from them. The lapse Of year or two hnds
them just where they In point OF fortune and Ia even
fortunate when this is the only mischief for In very many
cases the dleness engendered by want oil employment
produces vicious habits which last them through iie and
often bring fc 10 n premature close. How much better
would il be- If the Government would make the profession OF
teacher what it ought be- honorable and compensat-
ing employment.
have alluded would leave accomplished teachers and al
ter compromising the State for their education by teaching
In the primary schools or moro years. would DC enao1a
&c, hppnr
earn for them honorable maintenance The money now
expended on this humbug standing army OF so men, would
establish school, and in four we should begin 10 re-
aze the benefits of the change can conceive no reasona
bic objection this conversion of positive evil into pos
tive good As ia! the State Guard Is useful as ponce
force for the city of Rchmondas suggested TO me by
citizen yeserdayI have no idea that the State shall ap-
propae than 10000 dollars year to keep police for
Richmond Richmondhas no more claim upon tile treasury
for such an object than any other community IN the CON-
monwealth.
BY the bill now before the House. Is not contemplated
to make Che Cadets do the duty of Penieniay guard which
has been 80 much objected TO- gnobe and degrading so
say many la opnion but to take from Inc sZZooo
uhe annual appropration) sufficient sum Tor the Hu
perntenden of the Pen!tentay TO hire twelve additional
citizens at prices corresponding with the cost OF soldiers
and with those twelve and the others he has, form HE
own guard is done nj every other Penenuary IN he
Union This will relieve the Cadets from all connection
with the Penenary and thus remove any prejudice parents
might leel as 10 having tnelr
In advocating this radical change should not be regard
ed designing dispense with the services OF the presen
efficient officers of the State Guard We have no douo
that the scheme may he arranged TO incorporate then
among the teachers of tactics, &C. The details we have
not attempted discuss 1t Ia tho great principle OF con
version into military school, which pressing Set
lie tina, point and the details may be arranged afterwards
In our article of Monday pointing out the subjects of study
in the four collegiate years omitted to include tho Span
ish language At this day. argument can be necessary
10 enforce proprey Of making the Spanish tongue az
important element of instruction, in our public and private
schools and colleges The territories recently acqn
ed from Mexico the constant intercourse with speak
ing the Spanish language the intrcacy of land titles basee
upon Spanish documents the interesting attitude OF Cuba
and the importance Of people lngraatlng themselves
with their Spanish neghbors their increasing intercourse
all these and other consderatons show the indispensable
necessity of making the Spanish language prominent SUD
ect In the Armory School, should II be established.
THE FUGITIVE SLAVE CASE IN NEW YORK.
We continue the details of this vexaous and apparently
n,eminabe case We begin to apprehend that the ends OIL