American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1858-01-08
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FRIDAY. JANUARY 8, 1858.
For the American Union.
TO MESSRS. BARBOUR s. DAVIS.

Gentlemen Il sec that the Mes.
cage of our Democratic Governor, II.
A. Wise, to the Legislature, recon-
mends an appropriation out of the Lit
crary fund, as follows:
$25, 900 to the University:
$500 to the Medical School at Rich.
mond;
4,5O0 to the Military Institute;
$4,000 to twelve Colleges making
$4,000, to be taken out of the money
that was designed to school poor chill.
dren. He also recommends an appro-
priation Of $4,000 dollars to what he
calls high primary schools. Now,
gentlemen, my instructions to you, as
one of your constituents, is to vote
against the whole of these recommend
atoms, & use your best efforts to have
MI the money which belongs to the Lit
erary fund divided among the counties
of the State in proportion to their white
population, according to the original
design of the law creating the Literary
fund, which was to school the orphan
and poor children Of the State. Now,
gentlemen, although am but one in
dividual giving you this instruction,
yet believe it accords with the senti-
ments Of the great mass of your con-
stituents. Therefore / hope you will
consider well before you vote for any
measure which will take away the
means Of schooling the poor children
OF your county. l wish you to under
stand, however, that | have not any
thing against the University or Col
leges of our State. l wish them all
well, and think they are all endowed
with ample means, without robbing the
poor children's fund.
To Mr.. Barbour I would say, now
is your chance to distinguish yourself
by following the example of your il
lustrious uncle, who, some 80 or 40
years ago first introduced our present
Literary fund scheme into the Lcgis-
lature of Virginia, and by his great
ability got it passed into law. Who
can tell how much good it has done
how many thousands Of poor children
have got all the education they have
from this fund? Monongalia county
has been getting for her share some
ten or fifteen hundred dollars year
for the last ten or fifteen years, to
school her poor children, and this too
is only the interest of this county's
share Of this fund. Now | see in the
Governors Message that there is up
wards Of two hundred thousand dollars
Of captation tax to be added to this
fund, which will be divided among the
counties of the State this year, if it is
not squandered among the Colleges &
other institutions rs recommended by
our Governor. have made no calcu-
lation how much more this sum will
give Monongalia, but suppose it will be
double what we have been getting
Now, my dear friend Barbour, l hope
you will initiate the example Of your
good old uncle, & try to do something
for the benefit Of the people that will
make your name and fame as dear to
your country as his. Can't you devise
some scheme that will increase the in.
come of this fund more rapidly, with
out any oppression on the people 2
Some scheme that will so increase this
Fund that the interest, with a small
capitation tax, will pay all the expens-
es Of the primary schools of the State?
If you devise and procure the adoption
Of any scheme that will accomplish so
desirable an object, you will deserve
the everlasting gratitude Of the people
Of Virginia.
have no doubt but if you make an
offvrt to accomplish what / have sug.
gested, you will be aided by your col
league, (Mr. Davis) | should have
named you jointly, but it seemed to me
more appropriate, that, as your uncle
commenced the good work, you should
have the honor Of finishing it.
And now, gentlemen, in conclusion
let me say to you've want some sys-
tenn Of free schools provided by law
some system that will extend over the
whole State---some system that will
give every ncighborhood in the State
school, if it only be kept for three
months in the year SO begin with
Universities, Colleges and Academies
are all very good, but the masses Of the
people in the country are not benefit.
ted BY them. MONONGALIA.
January 2, 1858.
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