Doctor R. N. Cheyne.
In the same manner the members present proceeded to vote for a Committee consisting of twenty individuals, one half of whom are Clergymen. The Society wished to place among its principal office-bearers the virtuous and worthy Governor of the Archbishoprick; but this gentleman, with his accustomed moderation, declined this honour, and very properly noticed, that the third article of the Rules reserved to the Ordinary of each diocese, the right of examining the edition of the Holy Scriptures that should be published by the Society, in conformity with the decrees of the councils; and that the exercise of this power would prevent him, as Governor of this diocese, from accepting of the honour that this respectable Society wished to confer upon him.
It was then resolved on to print, as soon as possible, in the form of a pamphlet, the speeches made at the last meeting, the Rules and Regulations of the Institution, a list of subscribers, and the transactions of the Society. It was also agreed upon that the advertisements of the Society should be made through “the Constitutional,” in consequence of its Editors having cheerfully employed their pages in promoting this Society. Finally, it was agreed on that the Subscription List should lie with the Rector of the University, at whose apartments all who wish to subscribe, may have an opportunity of doing so, on any day from eight to nine o’clock in the morning.
To the Committee of the British and Foreign School Society.[7]
London, 25th May, 1826.
Gentlemen,
Agreeable to your wishes I sit down to give you a sketch of the progress, and of the actual state of education in South America. I shall begin at Buenos Aires, and shall take the different states in the order in which I travelled through them. When I left Buenos Aires, in May 1821, there were eight schools for boys in that city, supported by the magistrates, and all of them conducted, more or less, on your system. There were, I think, about as many more schools in the small villages around the city. These were also under the care of the magistrates, but had not been put upon your system at the time mentioned. I had visited some of them for the purpose of organizing them upon this plan, but the never-ending revolutions of that unhappy period, prevented the proper measures from being carried into effect for their improvement.
Upon my leaving Buenos Aires, the schools were put under the direction of a very respectable clergyman, who, I thought, would conduct them with much advantage, but, from his not being well acquainted with the system, or from his being peculiar in the application of it, the schools did not improve, but rather grew worse. This state of things lasted for several months, until the Society, which had been formed some time before my leaving that place, becoming re-organized, and arousing from its lethargy, began to take a particular interest in forwarding education according to this system. Much was done through this means; and, I am happy to say, that I have lately heard that the Society continues its useful exertions, and is likely to become more efficient from year to year. As you wish me to mention some individual or individuals in the different countries in South America with whom you could advantageously correspond in furtherance of your Christian object, universal education, I give you here the name of the Secretary to the above-mentioned Society, Don Bartolomé Muñoz. This individual is a clergyman of great respectability, he possesses a spirit of active benevolence, and is a warm friend to education. With this gentleman you may correspond with great advantage to the furtherance of your object; and I am sure it will afford much satisfaction to the individual mentioned, and to the rest of the Society, to hear from you, and to labour with you in this good cause.
I am not sure whether I mentioned to you in my letters from Buenos Aires, the circumstances of the meetings at the first formation of this Society, being held in the chief Franciscan convent of that city. This is worth mentioning, as it shows the liberality of priests and friars on the subject of education. The Provincial of the order, Don Hipólito Soler, lived in this convent, and was very friendly indeed to our object. The uniform kindness and courtesy which I experienced in my many calls upon him in his cell, I shall never forget. The Prior of the convent was also very friendly. To the list of our excellent friends among the priests, I must not omit the highly respected Dean of Buenos Aires, Don Diego de Zavaleta. The nephew of this gentleman, Don Ramon Anchorez, was also a very particular friend, and often encouraged me to go forward when obstacles lay in the way.
I have mentioned the labours of the Society in promoting Schools in that city. I must also mention, and very particularly, that the interest taken by the government, under the direction of Don Bernardino Rivadavia, greatly contributed to carry forward this noble object. The labours of the gentleman now mentioned, in instructing his countrymen in true political wisdom, by precept and by example, and his exertions in forwarding the cause of knowledge and general education, have mainly contributed to give to Buenos Aires, (what it indisputably enjoys) the first rank among the new American states. His name will ever be associated with the happiest part of the revolution of that country; and he will long be looked upon as its best benefactor. Accounts have just reached London, that this gentleman has been recently elected President of the United Provinces of the Rio de la Plata, an honour justly due to him as the regenerator of their independence of Spain, and of their dependance upon each other. We may, I think, fairly augur, that much good will be done in the advancement of education by this individual throughout the various provinces of the Union, at the head of which he is now placed. I think a letter of congratulation from the Society is justly due to him, and, from what I know of his sentiments, I have no doubt of his readily acceding to any plans the Society might suggest for the establishing of schools throughout the provinces.