The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-04-20
TIE rREE-SCHo0L SYSTEM.
,,,ly or nr. Dabney to DIR. Ruffner.


rH. H. Rufncr, Esq, Superintendent of
state Schools:
Dr.r Sir.-You. have undesigncdly done
= .gll,c Of truth service by so aSsallng
;. yirrinia doctrines. IS advanced by me
-. ,,.. <nihern PiGnter, rs To awaken the
...Ii... curiosity 10 their defence. That de-
;.., nrounSc Ia continue III brief reply
,,., hy {1ct> and arguments alone. j do
,.,,,,o,o ~ follow YOU into any person.
.! an perfectly aware that M per-
"a rhr people Of Virginia too unim-
.,r, ,nr them 10 feel interested III a
,.tIl, aver lis consistency or credit. |
..",,ra THAT their feeling for your private
i-.so aj.o IS not very different. For an
i.,.o-r,nt principle they may care. While
,lhrrh!.. ,,nrre rs 4 minister and teacher
..t r"n1rr tnr great public indifferent to
49,, ,,.'' ncr.onally. my employers and neigh
who know me. need no defence OF my
nn-.nnol credit from any disparagement
ir'r, what quarter Soevcr. They know that
~, ro.;tion is thoroughly consistent and
;ni,fcrdcu;: that in my own education I
n.,cr received from Church or State one
SoIl,r Of clc,mo>ynary and that have
n.i,h,r neglected nor abused any official
;ru.; committed 10 me.
al
proyrany .rcc school because, you say, am
srrot,.,or in a free school "a theologi-
cI seminary. This seminary is indeed truly
"a free school" Il thank the Jew for that
word" Founded and sustained by the
s7,on:anroVs, pntorc,d gifts OF good men,
i rive. free tuition in divinity to young
men # oil den0mirati0nS-cven the most
o;,po.r,l 20 the donors-seeking the minis
:, h,, " q
school "-siipported by free gifts, attended
Ly free voluntary pupils. No penny OF she
salary Of it, teachers is exacted by the tax
ca.hcrcr from unwilling hands to pay for a
project or IN incucation which they dis
srryoyc. Your free schools" like not a
few Of thr other pretensions OF radicallsm,
are in fact exactly opposite to the name
falsely assumed The great bulk OF those
who pay the money for them do it, not
freely" but by conpulsion. They are
virtually thrust down our throatS by the
bayonet. And the eXcmplars you most boast
and initiate not only make the payment
compulsory. but the attendance also-as
your consistency will doubtless cause you
10 10 ip Virginia. also, i'll q few years. The
only freedom Of your system Is yo,tr free
Ggm to compel other peoples money.
IN. in the strength OF your party. Their
tone seems to cry: 80, vain man; scest
thou moi that thou rcsistest the inevitable
With Us are all kaiSers. and all demagogucs,
snd all their miniOns, and ail taX-gatherers.
ard all tIX-consumcrs. Who art thou
against 50 MANY: :" Well, perhaps nobody.
But it i, precisely in this, that every pru-
dent, rejecting Virginian sees the conciu-
siyr argument against yourplan. Our true
statesmen always taught us that Govern
mrnt should not be allowed to go into any
project aside from its direct, legitimate ends,
especially II that project would subSldlZe
many persons and create for them motive
Of personal advantage to uphold it: Be-
cause whenever that project might be wrest-
ed 10 mischief. these interested motives
might prevent y wholesome and necessary
repeal. such i precisely the case with your
project. Ii has become mischievous and
tyrannica in that it forces on us the useless,
impractcablc, ,uischi%vous, and dishonest
attempt 10 teach Literary arts to all negroes,
when the State is unable to pay its debts
and provide for its welfare, and has just
been dc>poiIcd Of It's possessions by violence.
And in>l 50 soon as u feeble voice is raised
against this wrong, you tlaunt before us this
fact, that hc,vicouS system has corrupted
and subsidized so many. minds that the
friends Of right are powerless Why, this
Is the very demonstration that | am right.
Tlli> is the crowning condemnation OF your
Ay>lrm.
You seem also to think wrote with great
severity. did wsite with great severity in
on" sense. Iiow came you to overlook the
TACT, which every diSpasSionate reader saw,
oil
@in!a hut al her conqucrors and oppressors !?
Ms II because you found yourself in fuller
sympathy with those conquerors than with
iFeur oppressed dfeliow-citizcns! Take heed,
lest some, less your friends than /, should
canciude so.
Notwithstanding your glorying, then, I
Aiean once more To assert the questionable
Nnt- Truth is never out OF date 1t has
neInet;nes happened that a tentative eSpe-
taens@ has thrown so much light upan bad
>,aa&lem As to reopen the discussion with
httw.guidance than the previous. IT the
Aan"rloan people, af,er enjoying this be-
prasch system, are SO deficient in candor
AMI intelligence that they cannot review and
alb hndmr0ng action, this is sufficiently con-
NGiYc o. the worthiessness Of the plan.
Lea m";eSsa, at the outset, arrest all iI,vid-
ods cutlery by saying that am an advocate
vi lie most universal education possible,
l'o'aed ii be true education. l hcaEsily
icc2"ELze all the teachings OF the golden
RUE VI philanthropy, and OF equality ESQ
tT Is equality is righteous, which prompt
u 10 desire for all our felaw-creatures, sf'
iaF as POSSIBLE, all the advantages OF cultunsi
We value for ,Gurselves-anE that without
uIs'lns gushing against classes Let me say,
oncc LOT all, Lam len ddv0cateSo Tor the States
~ Pttyy'"'athJ, # necessary, all theeaid for poor
e"""rthS SCHOOLING achich Is reilly desirable
,,'4 "1A be really Utilized by Risan-that is,
,roN THE ON YJRsINIA PLAN. l wish to
shINiy the most ,OverNeening by sle express
I1H'ikslon that universal education would
'eaa good thing were it practicable. The
sitnent Is that undey that presidential
'alr which God has imposed upon society
eEectual literary education OF an is I'M
D. sFpH', and therefore the promise q it is
Cit 's!%s and mischievous. and that gien
le ts&@ Is an American democracy. aspe- |
aily, y is no safe or suitable agent f0r
oing he work.
We b ;esEa by reassertlng the familiar OBJ
'elion, U sften eontemptuously dismissed,
lal the D. 5beipie upon which the State in-
rldes into the parental obligation and iunc-
on OF educ atiDg all children is dangerous
I'd agrarian. 1t is the teaching of the
lble and OF SO ound political ethics that the
iucstion OF children belongs 10 the sphere
the family and IS tbe duty Of the parents.
ne theory that the children OF the CcSn-
'awea!th are the charge pf the Commons.