New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-07-09
THE SCHOOL FOUNDED BY JEFF ERso,

! ALL SOaOUA tUUNO6U BY JEFF GRSUN.
The close Of the session at the uni.
versity has been celebrated by reunion
of the alumni. Thomas Jefferson caused
to be inscribed on his monument the
founding Of the university as a measure
OF public usefulness worthy to be classed
with the authorship Of the declaration of
independence. It was undoubtedly the
fact, but the capital thus imposed upon
the column Of popular intelligence has
always wanted the pedestal Of primary
and academic education which that most
profound thinker proposed, but which
were not, and indeed could not, be car
ried out in his day. A perfect system of
education should prepare every mind in
the community for such measure of USE
fulness as il is capable of demon
strating. The skill OF the artifcer would
be in vain, were not the material
Of his workmanship provided. and the
system Of education which promises the
most erudite professors, would be very
defective unless it commanded choice Of
all the intelligence of the State fit tor
culture. Thomas jefferson was q Demo-
Graf in the exact sense with Abraham
Lincoln. He built q government of the
people. for the people. He was no aristo-
crat, who believed there was a race born.
as he and Fletcher of Saltoun both said,
with boots and spurs. ready to ride the
people," H ence. Thomas Jefferson re.
pealed the law Of primogeniture, the law
Of church establishment. Hence. he
enacted the law Of religious freedom. He
urged the emancipation Of all and the
education Of all. He opposed indirect
taxation of persons. and said that all
taxation should rest upon property.
Thomas JET srson never advocated. nor
tolerated. e.. grant Of monopolies, by |
which the poor mans subsistence was
made to pay tax to support the luxury !
Of the rich.
The University of Virginia has done |
much to realize these rational and radical |
ideas Of its founder. It has admitted in.
digent youth to the course Of its schools |
charge. 1t has Of late years also
founded departments Of applied science.
and now begins to send out engineers,
chemists, manufacturers, and farmers. It
would be great mistake if such an insti.
tuition, founded by such a patriot were
dedicated to contemplation or the ex.
elusive study Of metaphysical abstrac.
ions. Men may be virtuous aud honor.
able N embers Of society, and yet be every
lay engaged. in some employment useful
% society. Indeed, the man who goes
INTO the work Of life armed with knowl-
adge and devoted to the welfare Of his
species has always effected more good
han if he stood on the pillars of Styletes,
" sat on the cloister with St. Dunstan.
In English historian has said: 1.-THE
earning of the ecclesiastical college was
ike the learning of our modern UNIVERSE
les, an accomplishment never addressed
o the people at large and neither in
nor improving their condition.
We are gratifed to believe that this
institution is realizing the wish of its
ounder, not that it should be close cor
oration comforting its blessings to
rivileged few, but that its magazine of
rms, assorted for the strength of all,
hould be thrown open to all without dis
notion OF wealth who may wish to serve ,
ae State or be capable Of any intellectual q
industrial contribution to the welfare of I
great commonwealth. With the immense Z
1vantages which Virginia presents for