1818.008: Bill for Establishing a System of Public Education.
Published: 1818
Full Title: A Bill for establishing a system of public education presented by Mr. Taylor of Chesterfield.
Author: Taylor, Samuel (1781-1853), delegate.
Place Issued: Richmond
Issuing Press: Uncertain
Description: 12 pgs.; 31 cm. (fol.).
Notes
Introduced by Taylor at the start of the 1817-18 Assembly session, this bill became the basis for "An act appropriating part of the revenue of the Literary Fund, and for other purposes" (Chap. XI of Acts of December 1817 Assembly), which established the University of Virginia; that law incorporated both amendments and alternatives (1818.012, 1818.017, 1818.018); this bill is referred to in the House journal as one "providing for the endowment of primary schools, academies, colleges and an university," and not the caption title reported here. Only known copy, held in the special collections of the University of Virginia, lacks imprint; as there is not an order to print this bill in the House journal, nor record of payment made for its production in the state's accounts, Taylor apparently had this bill printed privately; yet the multiplicity of Richmond press offices makes an attribution to any one press impracticable. Taylor was a nephew of Chancellor Creed Taylor (1754-1836) of Needham, as well as a cousin of future President Zachary Taylor (1784-1850); trained in the law by his uncle, he conducted a prominent practice in Richmond and Manchester from 1804 onward, serving eight terms in the Assembly (House – 1816-19 & 1825-26; Senate – 1826-30; Convention of 1829/30).