Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-02-05

Imam ;rF The stiGt! tHi''' An G., ~ t.J
vn5n extends, tho ;eschc.s Under he Literary fuhi
ry.,.,, rarely ,iessrvs the nae. tafa sSa'ce;J
oycr known n porr child to 6e sen' To n respec'hos
school, Mos. generally, nov, thnlrscher u'uo' 1u'
nresept system, is Of the very refuse OF society On
nbs or unwilling to earn Ift''.o"u IN e.o, ,ba
mode. be catches up the scrap. that faii from 'hs
literary Fund, contents himself with his hundred
dollars a year, for his irregular and hall performed
work and is most generally unit, morally ana nHn,
tally TO perform the important office OF instructor OF
youth. A., rr,.r
II the system be good one, how Is IT, tfnt unItr
i,s operation there is no sensible dmnution OF ,"7
number OF those who can neither read nor "rne
These structures are ven.ured E"t from any want OF
.nprecjaiion of the humane purposes OF the Literary
Fund, but as preliminary to the position l an now
about to ,ake-tbet If particular amount TAKEN nut
OF the Fund can be more advGntag'ously apP!.su
out of it than in it, is proper to make sueh appea
tion and it may be done without infringing augnt ~
the sanoti,y of the fund. And this is precisely wna
propose to show in regard to the appropriation aln
askipp-,hst the $4,000 loaned from the Literary
Fund TO the Chesapeake Female College, WIN dispense
far more educational benefit than It can 10 Inc tteasu
ry of the fund.- or in any other investment ~natso-
ever
Give us the loan and with il we will certainly per
feet the institution We carry it out III all s grand ue
signs, and make it the frat female institution IN inc
country. Finished of and In complete oPeratloh,H
will turn out annually, between two and three nun.
dred highly educated young lsdies-native' born oil
our State-m0st Of whom will take the piacs OF tne
Northern women who now almost monopoiise the
business of female education IN virginia. very many
of these young ladies will be located in private fam-
lies as teachers and for each one thus located there
will be school Of respectable grade, not for the edu
cation only of the inmates OF these families out OF
many children in the respective neighborhoods, VINO
will be thus brought within reach OF good schools, on
oheap and bearable terms; and who, but for this &C
cessabilty good schools, Would Do limited 10 low
or grade of education. In this way single seminary
like the Chesapeake Female College, would dspense
At,tI olr0 nfn than
sand, the blsst bene6ciaries Of it's operations.
Can the twenty thousand dollars, in the Treasury
of the Literary Fund, perform 30 important afunc
ton, or dispense so large an amount oil servcei-
Recollect you e1pend not the princpaai;o gu. Inc
or the 32O 000 expended the poor children OF the
Commonwealth, how insignificant, comparatively,
would be the result7 Some City or sixty or perhaps
hundred children ore taught for lew weeks or
perhaps days, most generally by an leacner
and there ends the benefit.
hold then, that the twenty thousand dollars
loaned to the Chesapeake Female college, would Dc
far more benefcally applied, for purposes OF educa
tion then it could be in any other form Whatsoever
In the one case, there 10 great focus from which
rsdiate a thousand lights, in thousand different
directions in the other. there is scarcely focus OF
| all and scarcely ray is emitted. .
The argument proceeds, thus far on the suppoeition
that the appropriation asked is to be an actual dona
ton from the capital of the fund.
But sir, we ask no donation, nor would We have
dollar taken on account from the capital of the
Literary Fund, or from its yearly income. we ask
loan only and willing TO secure. beyond all rick
by lien on the buildings and by the most adequate
personal security the punctusl payment OF The inter
est, and prompt return OF the principal whenever II
| shall be demanded. The bill ! have prepared, pro-
yides that "before the loan shall be made tho Trustees
shal execute to the President and Directors OF the
| Literary Fund lien upon all the College buildings
and other real estate with such other ana adequate
personal security shall be sufficient III the opinion
| tn M W.
msnt of the interest semannuay, and the return Of!
the principal, when required
! Now, sir, if the trustees Of the College, many Of
whom are men of large wealth, shall punc.ually pay
up the interest, how, pray to know, dollar or
| cent taken from the Literary Fund The Col
lege gets the principal, and by expanding 1t on its
buildings and equipments, nsures the full compile.
ton and success Of great institution and the twelve
hundred dollars Of interea are returned ml.annual
Iv to the Literary Fund for the education Of the poor
| Nobody loses anything, and the College, and the
state and the cause OF Female Educa;lon gain large.
| " by the operation.
Another view OF the matter. The capital Of the
furd mns be loaned out there ia no revenue. Well,
II II mus be loaned out why not loan portion of it
to the Trustees of the Chesapeake Female College, 1t
thew can give undoubted aecurity-as know they can
aud will-for the payment OF the Interest !
| This loan, then, may oe mace 10 mo Ihesapeake
College without abs,rac;ng dime from the Literary
FUND. And thus falls 10 the ground the chief oojec'
come now to reply to the arguments Of those who
oppose tia measure. As supposed, they ara an
based the uptouchaoe esEcGty VI may 30 spsaAI
of the Literary Fund.
| NV worthy friend from Smytb, the able Chairman
| of the Committee Of Schools and Colleges, Mr. PRS
TON, informs the House that in every instance In
which loan haS been made from the Literary Fund,
II has besn invariably released or converted into &C.
tual donation and BIZ apprehends that if this loan or
auy others be made, they will share the same fate
and n this way the capital OF the Literary Fund will
be frittered away, until the whois is annihated -
And my friend from Northampton who voted ior ths
REIMBURSEMENT of q loan to the Richmond Medical
College, but who, know, is now honestly aoting IN
this matter on principle and principle only, declares
that if there shall be release there vii! be eommu
ation in some form or other taSt Will 90 equivalent
| 20 unconditional release.
Now, see show plain tale will put my friends
down." l acknowledge the entire accuracy OF all
nv friends say OF these releases 1t ID oil true we
made release TO Emory and Henry College We
wiped out the debts that due us from the Rch.
mond Medical College, and the Winchester Medical
College. But, air. the mischief of this policy OF re-
mission was long ago discovered and accordingly at
tho ,ete constitutional revision, the remedy was ap
plisd Tee new Constitution expressly forblds the
release of any Gsbt due the State from nm ncorpora-
ted company. Here q The constitutional provision:
"The liability to the Sts:o Of any incorporated
company or institution, to redeem tie principal and
pay the interest of any loan heretoinfe made, or
! which may hereafter be made by the State to ecch
company or institution shall moi BE- released"
Now, unless future Legislatures of the State shall
be found, capsule of papably violating an express
provision OF the Coa5ijtution. and the painest In
unctions of moral principle there is nothing 10 the
argument and apprehension sboat releases. Indeed,
] ths arguments and fears of my friends ifom North
| afupton and Smyth, founded on the suggestion
OF the utter depravy Of future General Assembled
| of the STAKE.
And, as to the computation of the debt Of which my
FRIEND from Northampton seems 10 stand 30 much in
dread, / have the same reply to make-tbat any
Communication of the debt that shall keep the interest
Of it, or ultimately the principal out OF the Literary
Fund is but the ''Bhipping OF the Devil around inc
stump" aud as much an infringement Of the provi-
sions of the Constitution and Of moral proprety az
il there we're downright absolute release, and hence,
my friend from Northampton may d!5miss hIs ieafS
| about communication.
And, besides, any proposition to commuss debt
due the State, requires majority of both housed OF
the Assembly TO be carried. Such amslority, with the
we'll known iealouay OF the Legislature, aoout the
diversion Of the Literary Fund can never be had. >,
NY friend from Smyth, fears the precedent. he
says that if thii application is granted, like ones Will
bs pouring in upon the Legislature from all quarters
and in such numbers as. if granted, to annhlste the
Literary Fund.
WE'LL cir, have two answers 10 make to thls sug
gest;on. Fret there are few Literary institutions III
the State or in the country that present the same
claims with the Chesapeake Female College very
few, if any, can clainc rank with it. Not many can
give the like unquestunsbc assurance as TO aohity
| to meet its obligations And seacndly 1t other IN.
quons shall apply equally meri'orioes eS this that
ahall give the seme guarantees OF usefulness
aud yalue-that shall, like thi. one, appss'
| to the pstrio,ism, and pride, and moral ssn,i
| ment of the people of tho S'ate-that shall,
like tha, light the torch of education at snousana
points in Virgins and umine the path OF thousands
OF the daughters of Virgins to substantial mental
Improvement and elegant accnnpishmsnt-tha
shall give 10 her Female Institute that shell elevate
her fame and that shall help to prope! throughout
her limits the sacred cause of female educetionIi
saw, If institutions alike neritorious shall make de
mand upon the bounty of the Legislature. the demand
ought be met, it the condition OF the fund Viii al.
| low it.
And the distinguished Chairman OF the Committee
of Schools puts in another otjecion-thst there is
general plan maturing by his committee for the aid
Of academies and college,, which will be nterferea
With by my proposition, if it be successful.