Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-02-05
REMARKS OF Mr.. SEGAR,
OF ELIZABETH CITY,


Onth. Pronosiion TO loan to The Chesapeake Female
College the sum of Tsccnty thousand Dollars out
of tie uninve,ted resources of the Literary Fund.
Mr.. SEGAR said {: At a very early period Of the
session had the honor to submit proposition Tor an
by loan from the Literary Fund TO the
Chesapeake Female College, but the proposition was
not sanctioned by the Committee of Schools aud Col
leges TO which it was referred, and the only aterna
five now left me lie to move to reverse the decision OF
the Committee, that bill may be brought IN pro'i
ding the appropriation desired
And this brings up at once the questlon-what
Is this Chesapeake Female College, that 1t should
make this appeal to the bounty OF the Legslature'
In j;s origin it was private undertaking. A gen
tleuan of the most enlarged and liberal views and
extensive learning, warm hearted enthusiast on the
subject OF female education, who had dlstingusned
himself es the founder Of a high female school IN
North Carolina, tits Rev. MIR. Fory'l conceived tns
idea of building up in ny little county-Elizaoeth
City-s female College. HOY he came to strike out
the Upright particular idea" know not. But
suppose it suggested by the peculiar the very
remark abe fitness OF the site; Tor It 49, MI. speaker
ons of the most beautiful localities on the lace o. The
ssr,h Nowhere, on the whole Atlantic coast, from.
Maine to Texas. is there loveer location. 1t God
ever constituted an Eysium on eart II 10 TINS very
SPOT from which the edi6ce Of the Chesapeake fs
male College lifts it's lofty dome to Heaven is To-
Gated at the mouth of Hampton Creek. in broad view
of the most beautiful roadstead on the seaboard-
Hampton Rosds-the Bay OF Naples OF North Anne
rica-within few hundred rods Of the noble Chesa.
psake, and in hearing OF cid Oceans roar. 10 tne
the incomer from the Bay and the Ocean, it is the
rst object that strikes the vision in the dstancei and
il is not only the most beautiful but ons OF the most
healthul locations in the state or out OF Indeed,
sir the diseases which once afflicted this REGION have
taken their departure-hsve gons as trust our rail
roads and canals will soon be going-in westward!y
direction
Well cir, in the hands of Mr. Fory, the enterprise
failed. His public spirit and enthusiasm outran hls
means.
But at the last session Of the Legislature, com.
pany was Incorporated under the style of the "Trus
tees of the Chesapeske Female College, and this
company, by means OF private subscriptions, bought
ont the interest Of Mr. Fory, in the less than half
finished buildings, and have brought the institution
10 lts present condition.
Bat. in the present disastrous state of pecunlaryre
1ulsion in the country, becompany IS unable IN real
iBe its subscriptions, without subjectng to nconve
nience those who have generously pledged their means
TO the enterprise. We ask therefore, in order that
our operations may proceed with vgor and despatch
and in order that the institution may be placed on
certain basis, aud made, what we designed 1t to be,
aa Institution worthy Of the Sate-that We may have
some aid from the State herself.
And the question is, ought We to have this sidf sir.
Think We ought.
First Of all, We may aiegs that tide.water Virginia
has never received dollar from the Literary Fund,
for any Academy or College. except some few hun
Academy In the county Of Accomsc. We have given
aid to the Emory and Henry College In the South.
west-so lIanpden Sidney, TO tbs Richmond Medical
College-to the Winchester Medical College-we
have given, and continue to give thousands upon
thousands to the University and to the Military In.
stitute; Piedmont, the West, and the Valley, We re-
member aud for but to that portion OF the State
which has borne ever the heaviest burden OF taxa
ton-the eastern or iids.water region-we vouchsate
not dollar.
Now, sir, though little disposed to sectional views,
do think that equity aud fair dealing require that
de-water Virginia. so long dsfranch,sed OF her just
rights, should at last come in for its share OF com
mon fund. Sir, are other sections OF the State to
have everything, and the east nothing? IL that por
ton OF the State that haS, from the Revolution up
wards borne the brunt of taxation to be entirely for
gotten7
nary proposition 10 reverse the committees decisoa,
to 20 deliberately into the reasons which ought to in
pei the House TO yeld their support to the apyfopra
ton ask. l shall not stop TO appeal to Firgiuin
pride TO up an institution in our midst that shall
be worthy of her name and renown, and that snail
ca,t upon her the honor Of having the first temsia
Seminary, as she boasts now the possession OF the
arst Male University in the land. shai not o"ei,
on the value of female education, for all know and
admit that II is the daughters Of the land that make
the mothers Of the land aud that it is the mothers OF
the land that form the men OF the land. shall put
in no plea for the educational Independence OF VIZ
ginia. All Of US now desire the Independence OF the
events of the hour, us up to this senmenta,ty
All Of us without party distinction OK sectional lean
ing. wish to see the Old Dominion independent in
every respect-independent in her commerce. inds
pendent in her manufactures, independent in her
ships, independent in her workshops; and. should
say, that above all things give Us independence in
matters of education, and particularly OF female edu
cation; for, il you educate the women rest assured
that they will be sure to see to the education Of the
msn that shall grow up after them.
Sir, throw aside the many reasons that 4 might
urge upon the House in behalf of the proposition
am sustaining. take it that proposal to aid great
Female institution Of learning like this, is reasons
be that all will assent to it, unless SOME special aud
conclusive reason can be assigned against it.
What, then, are the objections against III know
veil what they are. II will be said. that the Literary
Fund 10 sacred fund, that ought not to be touched
and that the proposition am defending 10. pro tdnto
diversion Of the fund from its legitimate destina-
t'on-the education Of the poor-in other words,
Mr.. Speaker, hold "a sacred as any man in this
hail. the grand object Of the Literary Fund-the edu
cation Of the poor eAildren of tie Gommo1uealLh.-
But must say that Il is the worst administered fund
on the earth. Its pauper feature robs Il of much of
its efficiency. Parents however humble in life have
an almost ipvincibs repugnance to sending their
children to schools at which they are rated ar Door
ch,idren. The children themselves shrink from the
pauper-marking designation to which the avs. |
lem consigns them. The class, too, especially de-
signed to be benefited by the fund, have constant
need for the help Of their and daughters in the
ordinary purauita of life and cannot offan en.,. |