Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1881-02-01
Virginia Public Schools.

Correspondence, of the Alexandra Gtz ,t!c.
HEWLlTls. Jan. 3l.-Ia tho North Amer.
lean Review" Of January 1851, il an article by
soro obtcure writer, signing tinstlf "Albion
w. Toursec," i, which Cocu.s The followioe de.
elaratiors. VIZ: "Ihe immigration 10 our shores
Except tho pauDers and penal immigration
to scme Of The southern plantations) has ohieA7
becn cou6ncd 10 religious nalcoutcnts. "a
Tho power 10 educate its Own votsrs then, is,
and must DO. inherent in any republic, because
it is only an incident CT tho right of natoral
deferc,." The assumption by tho general
government ct the duty of educating it's own
ctizanS, without referer c, to the state crsanza
tons" ut enables Congress TO know Jus!
what strS OF instruction the citiz,ns of the "a.
ton gro lecli7irg through its bounty" 1T is q
very significant tact. that in yearly every one OF
tho Southern States tho text books prescribed
by the authorities, openly nDd ably deferd the
rights OF secessiou; txtcl tho confsderacy aud lis
leadcft; a'sli tho national government. and It's
defenders. No mau can read tho Southern
School histories without being assured th at their
rurpCs, aud intent il to ipsil tho EXTREMIST
doctrine Of State sovcreiany ard sec ,ssiou, both
By dircc. argument. AID by subtle depreci slion
OF the feec:sl government, and is ao.s and
agerces. vt bic1mes necessary, therefore,
to know The Y cnt AID ttfeot CT suoh teaching.
1t is believed that general Intelligence 10 this
Ego CT Tree thought. f,d siih The utterancos of
q Tree press. is 10 itself sure curo for SC Oh
dogma, aud the writer confidently expects that
such q system of national tducllon will soon
modify AID do away With tuoh instruc ion, &c."
The charge Hh Oh this writer brings against
tho Histories used 10 tho ublic schools of The
South, end against tho pubic school authorities,
So lar as Flreiaia is coIosrned land ho does not
| tIo7pt hcrl Is a grsui.ous fabrication, No
h,ck ct aE7 kind, USED 10 tho public schools CT
Virginia. tst chss any such Goo' rue az he rep
resects, AID If popular edrcMion 10 VIRGINIA,
uoder The 70 ,is OF the FEDERAL government, is to
produce lao, Of educated maguers iradu-
c;rs ard Vil.ifi:rs of their BRETHREN it ere bet.
ter that We sAculd ever 1--we deprived Of its fcs-
ttrng care.
For man who writes upon The importance
OF public education, Rs means OF fostering vir
Tue and morality. to bf6rn, that the South has
been made solid by it's hatred of tho ret 5lican
party, and its opposition to reconstruction. "
manitcs;s himself, as nu,h of ignorance, as OF
mcndSc'y. Aud, voc, to my county, if ho,
and suoh 60 be. are to lie the authors Of tho
books Whloh lrs to bo used 10 cur public schools
when the Republican party assumes oontrcl OF
our educational system.
The whole theoryard argumout of this writer
IS rotten and wrong from boQinnirg to end.
toT II 1T 90 necessary to tho lfs of tbe cation,
Tor the federal government 10 assume control OF
pcpulaT educa'ioD.' then sIl the preachers,
sunday School teachers AID eGi'orJ. as well,
must ne cop'rollcd snd directed by tho Same
roscr Ard then-Hell then, tho end will b,
HANOVER