Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1853-08-12

.I''aIy academy. has honore'l me with lyi"Nna lei,
, % system Of education taught Al our Military Ia
'''''' II contains much that rraccaulr ana vain.
, a., rai"" IN Justice 10 that institute withhold iron
~, a. ii' and hope y"u may r"nvrnientlv earl,
5 ~" place iJT II III %"ur c'iin'ns I'll that Tia
!' u "mr CmincnlIy qualified speak hr is hu,s
''' riH'liiGn and from experience v thirty years ~
"~Nh' an Professor Yves; Point, b. vaiard am
@!P'''"E'. 'ciy respectfully :"nl OH ,crs'l,
! join Il. MEEM.
NY Dea: SIR Oar cnnvefs:rr 90 The Virginia MIl.ar,
's"u'' respecting wic'i rou expressed VS.. 10 hav,
's "P'"h sucy.t tII iuy mae iDni nv recent vi
s ~ ~ wtS short that afraid II Sati-lctnr,
H'.e' y YOU nor nyscli. Having leisure mcncnl
"''t thought you might hc pleased 10 have what irl
, 'a,H ni'wn Into a t'iorr connected inH.
~" iicih>c y stating, '!nt my opportunities ior ma
N'i W an opinion such suhlrcr however hay,
P"iNd BY ihcu have Han ordinarily uurdbr
III acquainted from personal uhscIvatiuu ho;h WIKI the
w"fHhgs ot our National Military School ana SOME Of
' ',s IN Enru?". visited ' Virginia Military lnsrlrGrr
WIN 10 pf"pr,ss-om either tor against rnh
'" '"ict hIea!:ci iT"u dsEn. ulyri"n Irspr t!n IL
n"l' some VIII" were well posted upon It's concerns
'sl sec aud judge Tor myself. In hiS rpnri1n oi qnsi
'"si1Hrc can STATE that, after curruI
"oSt!tainn, was most highly grarcd with he aliIn.
ch's ot lis pupils, The al discipline lis military
cAic:rs, and the excellent organization ana arrangements
u: ~ ts departments oI instruction and administration
i 'rsuIi& atr The strongest testimony the wisdom and
singular fitness for hi position, Of Co T. H. Smith lis Su.
ptrnvnienl, and oi The ability aud fidelity with whc: the
Faculty ana other officers under him have discharged r i'm
p"aht duties Is but Justice 10 say it, and certainly dis
i4ngcrncni any other INSTITUTION t.ial The examination,
ihfoogh"t would have done credit 10 any scno IN HE crun
Nv. Problems invnvlng the Tios difficult scientific pnc
pcs were clearly and thoroughly discussed in way 10
,a'e no doub! On DC mind o any one competent to under
safd them u their being perfectly cOmprcnGcl b. The
pupils. Even where failures look place they showed that
Hcie mad been rCmisSness on The par! Ui the
aud io wed, what still better there was no trmt,
no desire 10 any ng 'o attentive observer.
The value OF tins school 10 Virginia Is fully ap;r-
cdd hroughGu; The State that hardly n.lHsc
loaivsrt il here Bul contemplating present abnn-
Giate retrospect u former wants i sometimes
profitable employment III time. Il gives the
present aud hope Tor the future. NhO hist rccUeCts the
slate OF scientific instruction but icw years backwliln
period familiar {" The memory cl every u midii" age
IN the Stac-evcn the highest literary Institutions lie
Stilc-cannUt bear testimony 10 lis lJw condition ii
,hs = called nIo question: let any one produce the text
hcJs explain the modes o instruction.: thtn use, a.d
lAlc The amount of requirement maize hY the pupils in abb
Si:ac Sc.cnc, and say how they compare with what OD
iainS The Virginia Military InSutc am: .vcn in the
Lrs "l The common school, d The STATE. What the
condition oi those rroGsSpns in wh.Cn like the various
partmnt3 III engineering, abstract science finds It's
mmrd'tr applications "b"d the same period Was there u
>agc native c!II2eG oi Virginia, educated within The STATE
twenty years ago wiu ruut fairly lay claim I" be- called
scent ;r, civI military engineer that
Ge's'"od What ihc: The condition oi nearly
tc I .; school teachers ticn III the Stale hoih foreign
aud native X Is lrGc there lack "t pr"teIsur
the highest school. Eat Il IL fact, and Ia
nenabe enough hat IN TOO either Tie teacher
IcIudci himself deceived the prb!lc As TO the military
nGuwlcdgr ilusca throughout The militia there viii proba
BY hc question Any tIn!t Tor lie slightest mo!lcn:n a: il
,nnn.; ARMY If ti"ar'als, Colonies ard otlr. military
:uaTS pt The STATE with rare, very exceptions, wUn!i
Imply h prcnoscruus In tact, "u!: rotnty could no
probably have mustered wca,y Eve native citizens, 'iuca
ted ~ Rome al tie COMMENCEMENT I" Tie wa ui ISL "ip
could have performed iir s!mr!r.t incs I" military cng
i.a IN The ia \w What the condition ~ The Stat,
rt-pcr,~l The Virginia Military Institute sends
annually and has done Tor years back,
5rr y,Gn. men, thoroughly instructed in scIcnr ~ sac
best rl'I",!-, ana competent /" iIiaI :" others ala, !n"}
have acquired. The" prepare! - MAJ" good
school teachers g""h cvil cngn"Gts rT@n good mtit5
gurrfs; and arr Cit, hy''cT !n.ii'! - "'c' ifG
hc Ike rias- c"n""cci w'lsi ihc 'lt"en H't"" ~
l4:.r,tal.G. uut - ir-~ Tact, aad ger:
j., c..a tact too III nunrnt0u- concern ~ to .fre,
g!i! ind. should c'~- I:rsr III Wish Err riiiiei'
l1.Irry acr require! hr places ~ activity. Sci ace,
t serne" j. now hina 'a!' nt' every DIVISION ''.ty
hamlet, every ;fc~i. al t'r STATE III" posi- "' >cna"'
hp ..,i,r, *,ai measure ihf"!Ga tEc ~
-'gG".rn,It q" !l' Aaiy iH>tnlc IN" ;!7 ~ An1r IN
,riuit The .r.s'lI;ru, n$,i;Gr does not descend
H. lccr 81 ,,nn !.nHhr~, isr statesman, tt
lawyer, ri" ry~ci"n aai n" iofiIy landed pr""i" "'
lives III .,asr ui uirn !"mISiu. IT,. cl":a!rs thc
&GU IL; platform Tie does moe, mach more; r
gHGs somnd, nur"n. iHs'inetio" AID 'nn.rs r'h pnp
oi his own mrs t"cssc rnAr!'in".-tie mind
These iaCi. hove. lad ine reflection iii 'hiS' are pa
tent bu. nal whlc! l. hES and IN hin on witch i'
nrs- OF III, Institute ua.n ia@is, sits system o Us
clnc. The merits al wht less tasIy appreciated per
iapS by the ubIc any "ihcr pai 81 ~ machine y,
although .e results ol The entire machine are aS much de-
.-njen npun II, material mechanism /" :'h hr
balance wheel ior the uniformity and excellence o lis pro
duets.
The sole ohlc, Of Ii, stem Of discipline peculiar to c
Military Institute and in part adopted if'!n ne experience
ut like system al eur national Military ;caae'"y' 'e *
crlcnc. al which has been approved oy years, ~ 10
rain men IL stli government. by snbmn: to ne aaihof
iucs them and requiring Ike submission rom ''osc
over lcy placed accordin9 !" fcsci"ch fu'cs
that admit .! arbitrary action tic"e' rom proper
,jpt Of view there is nOlhng a ia: lends To letter
spirit in any thing III Sht: icy r'h or ia"uiN
thai lends I" tyranncai cNi''h, -"
The authority ,l imposes it-t GgeI within hounds ~
a auSory rigid that controls II 10 turn. ma, "nia"
lie, su,rrior H.. also submits e" We're u "'hrf"l@
the system wuuli stand n1ni"nts scrutiny nor E"u
il stand moment aS fact Properly carrie" "a ana "'
II i 40 Al the schools IN Question er - u" "hCc
for uubIinn induces habits ri order ah runrtuhiy ~
all things Il gives youth ihal only lInr ihhcr'r".' 80"
{,ruJeuc hr unlY capIl misfortune can niai';
winch the posSr-snr can always lhl oh "i'o" h' " ~
lain basis oi honor fame, Or wcllih :,
Objections are brought against hIS SYSTEM y = u". ~
j. UTped thai the future usefulness "i !""'', r'" .
prnscts IN life are made depend upon an VI
runutia rhici, almost too inS'.hi''an ~ l''ii W
lice ii might BE- asked who compose me ras- oi OJcc'
bu This might seem ggcs!io sd eHdn"Hn aha !, mn! ~
mn, s,..,r,,v ~ ,yailn sfr!uiil Mat Is daily t,
in all its phases and upon do lis comforts AMI success
Depend but attention 10 p'il} i"''cS '' ""' ~
s hGwercr 50 insignificant, on "niurd a.s I'm wv.
..,nn m some almost invisible link IN nicely adjusted
MACHINE Ia disturb the even working "l lt "h""! "''
one tnf gcS Or nrHrctS 10 do, 0nnoyS "r lItiaS
Harsh wul, are uttered black looks SHOWN :d ''r'
r ,tIs al evil cugrndcred that shall brig t"th an hh
ircd fold. One Sight fault or failing ~ ~" src"' ' ~
parcniy. But unfortunately dus, hhn vices ''' ,,
solitary They are found III groups y sh'r r-s'''"- 80 ~
i n.r as snrrv denote the generally carc'csS person. "
ia. In ~
!, !. n ,lru uf nc mere siDvrn IN dress Niia' ''c' -
t,n,l Pass lncse failures "i no acr"h1 ~ 'c
,,nr u ch,rct? Send ont the careful observer VI a't
nrr-rb.d ruIs with The claim 10 te c"hlichcc ~
his t.inw citizens as the whJ, by c"hteiln"s s"'
I,va,r,: has oivcn 90 guarantee ID ftIaeIiy ''""'
his h. ,ust And il not Just what ar, you 10 oic VI
IVA hinus Is certain where require ncnts are within ~ ~ "
H. ., r,,.un ,uted ON experience 81 whal can o. SaI,y
,uo-. ,t,n ycnth-iic individual submitted !" ''"
cannni ar VIII nt fulfil them Now ilHe cls morn VI w.
,l.uua what s tn hc done! The question docs h a'.
l ,r,o,oi The rule ST. Jimcs. III ~ ne WI n'lehu III
on yen ,,c smallest, utlenis III all Is as 'Fuc III e minor
nnI.I, as in hc greater The t"in l. therc; lac G" u
,vrn that wI rav,n the Whole lamp II hn' mo. a'S'uu
nsIv watched and councraottd. ASK any th"@Au parent
,vh,t he most desires in enid, what nc h'SI Sa''tS
he wiIl .ay !abilnnl ooediGncc. ms ne hh""s III.
,u,.s every thing the way III 4 shi'- shi'" ''' 49,
,hor will merit srrrc-s in HE. AK any man :" ~
as. wI,i class ,i agents hr prrntS, ana u" WIZ "'"
,,nuy sav M cr.rry and nnrtu1I; i" hi'"H""ft"t ''
,nal MN lI,.t ,t 81 virtues, win hut rare rNc'p"'
inr N. t,s tlapp, wmui it b.: i"r hc nEis' '" NV
sam, Iiscrliur he "d IN HE dJm"s'iS r''' IVA,
,;ar In,i,ntc b,- : tempted Hos" many sons 81 ei
,nise has y,,oinii not had n dcpio'e who's hh'lm's
Ibc SIN oi ,er Hl1nh0C "elcd i"'Frr before r'a'h
H., il. meridian ia hlleiui mist p"ihL u 'nt "
ui lhs early iis'p!tn'
fl i. ais, rtGarny ur"ej. il'i ihr mot 'i''''', '
hir,iy gifted M in CllaS, r 's i."'S'h "' us
c,liu. and arr Iurmtiy t.hi :'"f M ''i - =
,winn t. this Snppo,c IL hc itnr, what H'" - az
State 10 hold premium to 1'lrn's a''i-r" = enc
,durntr men .r;li c;tiz"na "f - bsi ni','in
.t,.r less,