ENCOURAGING EDUCATION. 341 should raise, by voluntary subscription, the residue. The schools established are to be open, gratuitously, alike to the rich and poor. But the permissive form of this law has made it virtually a dead letter; and it has been acted upon in only three or four counties. Of the sum of $45,000. annually appropriated to primary schools, thousands remain in the hands of the commissioners; and yet there are supposed to be hardly fewer than 30,000 adult white persons in Virginia who cannot read and write! North Carolina.-The funds set apart by the State for the support of common schools, consist of 1,000,000 acres of swamp lands of uncertain value; the tax imposed on retailers of spirituous liquors, and on auctioneers; monies paid into the treasury on entries of vacant lands (except Cherokee lands); all profits accruing to the State for subscription to works of internal improvement, and from loans made from the internal improvement fund; together with the following :— 10,207 shares of Bank stock, at $100. per share. $1,020,700 500 shares of Roanoke Navigation, $100. per share 600 shares of Cape Fear Navigation, ditto Cash in the Treasury 600 shares of Wilmington and Raleigh Railroad Company, $100. per share Total 50,000 32,500 27,285 $1,330,485 600,000 $1,930,485 South Carolina.-A free school fund exists in this State, but it has done little good, and Governor Hammond recommends that it should be applied to the support of academies in the several districts; he remarks, (1844)—" The free school system has failed. This fact has been announced by several of my predecessors, and there is scarcely an intelligent person in the State who doubts that its benefits are perfectly insignificant, in comparison with the expenditure. Its failing is owing to the fact, that it does not suit our people or our government, and it can never be remedied. The paupers, for whose children it is intended, but slightly appreciate the advantages of education; their pride revolts at the idea of sending their children to school as "poor scholars ;" and, besides, they need them at home to work. In other countries, where similar systems exist, force is liberally applied. It is contrary to the principles of our institutions to apply it here, and the free school system is a failure." Georgia.-There are several important academies in this State, and about five common schools in each county. The State possesses "academy and poor school funds" to a considerable amount. By an act of the legislature of 1792, each academy was allowed to purchase the value of £1,000. of confiscated property; one thousand acres of land in each county were granted for the support of schools, and also a fund of $250,000. to be vested in stocks for the same purpose. Alabama.-By an Act of Congress, March 1819, one section of land, containing 640 acres, was granted to the inhabitants of each township for the use of schools, and seventy-two sections, or two townships, for the support of a seminary of learning. The funds of the university consist of the proceeds of these lands. Mississippi.-Public education is neglected in this State, which has, nevertheless, a literary fund derived from the donation of the general Government, rent of lands, three per cent. on all sales of public lands, fines, forfeitures, &c. There were in the year 1844 in this State, 382 primary or common schools, with 8,236 scholars. Louisiana.-In 1827, the legislature of this State made a grant to each parish in the State of $2.62 to every voter, to be applied to the education of the indigent; the amount for one parish not to exceed $1,350. nor to fall short of $800. In consequence of this act, nearly $40,000. are annually appropriated to the education of the poor. Tennessee.-Very little can be said for public education in this State. Kentucky. Is much in the same position. ever, several colleges and an university in this There are, howState, (the Transylvania University, in Lexington,) which is the oldest and most celebrated institution in the Western States, and has medical and law schools connected with it. Ohio.-In March, 1838, an important act relating to common ENCOURAGING EDUCATION. 343 schools was passed by the legislature of this State, the third section of which is as follows:-"There shall be a State Common School Fund established, consisting of the interest on the surplus revenue, at five per cent., the interest on the proceeds of salt lands, the revenue from banks, insurance and bridge companies, and other funds to be annually provided for by the State, to the amount of $200,000. per annum; and that said sum of $200,000. shall be annually distributed among the several counties in this State, in the month of December, according to the number of white youth (unmarried) between the ages of four and twenty years, resident in each county." Indiana.-One thirty-sixth part of the public lands in this state, has been appropriated to the support of public schools. Illinois. The same attention has been directed to public education in this State, where land to the amount of 998,374 acres has been given for the support of public schools. Missouri, Arkansas, Michigan.-In like manner have these States, as yet only in their infancy, and lately added to the Union, made every effort in the advancement of education and the support of common schools throughout their respective limits. CHAPTER XI. Commerce of the United States--American embargo, 1807War with Great Britain in 1812, and subsequent peace of 1815 --Exports and Imports from the year 1791, to 1815-Aptitude of American citizens in contracting debts, without possessing any adequate means for their liquidation-Rapid increase and extent of internal improvements in the United States, promoted by foreign capital-Imports of Bullion from the year 1832 to 1838-American Stocks, Securities, &c. -Amount of American debt owing to British Capitalists—“Repudiation"-Entire prostration of American credit-Particulars of Stock issued by the several States from 1820, to 1838 -The repudiating States of Michigan, Mississippi, and others - Commercial intercourse between Great Britain and the United States-American trade with France-American Cotton, Tobacco, and other Exports-Steam Navigation and Tonnage of the United States-Canals of the United StatesStanding Steam Engines. AMONG the strange fallacies-the heterodox notions, to which nations will sometimes incline, as well as individuals, there are none more extravagant, or irreconcileable with the light and instruction of all past experience, than the theories to which the United States had given her assent, whilst acting on the principle, that to secure the happiness and prosperity of her population, it were necessary to restrict her intercourse, and put an end to the foreign commerce of the country. Such, nevertheless, has been the declared opinion of her COMMERCE OF THE UNITED STATES. 345 statesmen of former times, that called forth during the Presidency of Thos. Jefferson, in the year 1807, an embargo on all American trade with other nations, and that subsequently continued under various regulations, until the spring of 1809. This measure of doubtful, if not of very reprehensible policy, was also urged upon the country— submitted for its approval as a retaliatory measure of necessary consequence against the Berlin and Milan decrees of France, and the no less injurious influence of the memorable "orders in council" of Great Britain, and was sustained by the concurrent sanction of a large proportion of the inland and agricultural states, against the loud and earnest remonstrances of the mercantile, or eastern parts of the Republic, that could scarcely become reconciled to the proceeding, though assured of its necessity, as well as its positive advantage, as a great political and commercial expedient in preserving their property and ships from capture and confiscation. These "restricted energies," to use the metaphor of Mr. Jefferson, were of most disastrous influence upon the generative power and capabilities of the country; depriving the nation of a remunerative market for the sale of the indigenous products of her own soil, and the productive industry of her population. The injury and wide spread difficulty —the embarrassment to which this mistaken policy gave birth, in the end worked out its own correction, and convinced America of the impolicy, as well as |