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Franklin College
Nov [November] 26th. 1842
My dear Governor
Your letter of the 17th Instant reached me last night and I thank you most sincerely for it. -- I regard it as a satisfactory pledge of the continuance of a friendship which it is my greatest desire to preserve. -- It shall be answered with the frankness of trust --
In regard to the Grammar School at this place it is not in my power to give you so favourable [favorable] a report as I ought to do. -- The individual who is now the principal of it is a young Gentleman of the most [illegible text] deportment and the greatest [illegible text] of manners -- so much so by far to exact [deleted text: [illegible text] ] application at an age when the emulous passions are not yet sufficiently developed to trust to them entirely for the necessary diligence. -- He was placed, I believe, in his present situation by Doctor Brown,and, in the confidence that he would retain it, an aged mother and two sisters sold a comfortable little plantation which they possessed between this village and Lexington, and moved into town. -- Their whole support rests entirely on the proceeds of this sale -- on the revenue of Ebenezer, and on the profits arising from the keeping a few Boarders. -- These considerations have operated with their full force on the mind of Doctor Brown -- and tho [though] concerned that far superior character might be procured for the responsible situation of the head of a Grammar School he has as yet retained him -- tho [though] he has informed


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me at various times that a change must indubitably be made. -- To effect this change I know that he visited Wellington the residence of Dr Waddle expressly about two months since -- and made the old Gentleman the proposition of taking Mr Newton as an usher and that in this case his nephew a Mr Dobbins should be placed at the head of the Grammar School [added text: here ] -- This proposal however was declined. -- Mr Dobbins has since that time quit the old Gentleman & has visited Dr Brown twice or three times -- and I hope & trust that some arrangement has been made. -- From what I can judge by an interview of a few hours, Dobbins is infinitely better qualified than the present incumbent. -- He has been expressly educated for educating others, and his own experience is founded on that of an old & cultivated veteran -- and I am confident that under his direction the Grammar school would become a nursery that would soon fill the empty rooms of our College with the most promising young plants. --
It appears to me, my Dear Governor, that the importance of the Grammar school has by no means been sufficiently estimated. -- Tis here only that studious habits are to be laid -- If not formed here, they will not in 99 cases in a hundred be formed afterwards. -- If so far from studious habits being formed, habits of indolence are acquired and a superficial way of memorizing a recitation be contracted, I venture to say that the young man may get thro' [through] college but he will never form the character of real eminence in any profession whatever. -- The merchants clerk whose education has been nothing but writing, English Grammar & arithmetic, starting equally with him after his collegiate course will form a far superior character to


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him -- for he has more mind and less tinsel -- the use of his senses has stored this mind with a stock of accurate ideas instead of words -- and he has learned to rest on his understanding whereas the other depends on his memory. -- In all our Grammar Schools and I fear in [added text: too ] many of our higher seminaries also, the charge is literally this, that they teach words without ideas -- whereas if (in translating a Latin Classic into English as Virgil for Instance) instead of a bare, dry, translation too often inappropriate & awkward a reference was continually made to sensible objects -- a comparison drawn between the customs as described by the author and those of the present day -- examples of Vegetables animals & minerals, shewn [shown] either by actual presentation or by picture in elucidation of the pact -- and Definitions required of the juvenile translation of every term he used in rhetoric morals or Government -- and the method of Analysis carefully preserved by his precepter [preceptor] -- his young mind would be as well filled with Ideas as his memory with words. -- The Imagination, understanding, & memory would be all improved and would mutually assist and give energy to each other. -- The rudiments of natural & moral Philosophy Politics -- [unclear text: Nat [National] ] History -- botany & Chemistry might in this way be all inculcated -- and the young student would be afterwards pleased & surprised at the progress he had made. --
Pardon me my Dear Sir for this long digression but on the subject of education I am an enthusiast and think it almost omnipotent -- I most rigidly believe that it is completely in our power to form Heroes in talent & virtue as in Courage and to inspire the human mind with every magnanimous every noble sentiment


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But my little experience at Athens has convinced me that the Ground work of this sublime structure must be laid under the paternal roof by the parental home -- and strengthened afterwards by the succeeding Instruction. -- We have not in the college a single real student -- one fully aware of the importance of application -- or whose bosom glows with the generous emulation of fitting himself for future usefulness -- All the aim is to get thro' [through] College -- Memory is the faculty depended on -- and so elastic is this faculty that it is astonishing to what degree its capacity may be extended [deleted text: but ] It is however a mere spasmodic effort for the moment & the impression is as soon lost as it was acquired. --
Aware now Sir of my ideas on this subject you will not be surprised when I tell you that I have at times had very serious ideas of offering myself for the Grammar School. -- I would have done [deleted text: that ] [added text: so ] before this had I been able to apply myself to the Dead Languages so as to recall my former proficiency in them. -- This however would be a task of perhaps eight or twelve months and I confess to you I shrink from it. -- My wish is to be useful, and I am confident that I could be far more so in the Grammar school than at the College -- for Governor between us -- some things in our College do not please me. -- Our examinations are too much like farces and I cannot usher a young fellow into the world as having done his duty when I know that he has not -- -- We have [deleted text: th ] just finished our examinations, the commencement of which was not such as a well wisher of the Institution would have expected -- Mr Upson was the only trustee present -- his sentiments are best known to himself -- but I doubt much if he was satisfied. -- This of course you will consider sub rosa


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Joseph & Harvey are both with me -- the former [illegible text] the ardent ambition of his father will without a shadow of doubt do harm to himself his family and the University. He is at present in the Freshman Class and will be a [added text: [illegible text] ] student -- His cousin Harvey is in the Grammar School where he has been since April and has scarcely done any thing. -- My advice my Dear Sir therefore is that unless some arrangement be made here on the subject of the Grammar school, your son fit himself for College at some school in Milledgeville -- Should there be none & as the most eligible alternative you should send him here I promise you that I will shew [show] him every attention in my power. --
The latter point of your letter is on a subject no less interesting to me than to yourself. -- Your letter convinces me that the Character of Mr Warren needs on the present occasion no [illegible text] from me -- my pen however almost involuntarily [unclear text: writes ] the declaration that I have never met with a man who constantly carried about with him a greater show of intellect, with [illegible text] integrity of heart. -- An accordance of sentiment which he perhaps thro [through] partiality fancied to exist between us led to an intimacy as early as
1801, which was renewed in my last visit to Philadelphia. -- Knowing his Character -- loving him as a friend -- admiring him as a Man I was anxious to get him established here with me -- To accomplish this I felt ready to resign one half of my nominal salary, which added to the salary of the Secretary whose duties he would have undertaken would he have been sufficient to support him & his little family. -- Support only was required by him and the Institution would have secured a zealous intelligent & enterprising professor. -- The subject was proposed to the trustees -- but they did not think proper to appoint


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him and make the arrangements necessary towards it. -- He stayed with me until June -- lamenting several times that he had not been at Milledgeville when you set off for the Southward -- In that care he would have offered his services & he flattered himself you would not have rejected them. -- He left me for Tennessee wrote me twice from that state and in his last letter dated in Septr [September] informed me that he was on the point of setting off for Washington in quest of an Appointment in the Surveyor Generals Office, (the advertisement for which you have probably seen in the
Nat. Intellig. [National Intelligencer]
) when to my surprise about two weeks since I received a letter from him dated Nickajac with some minerals forwarded me by a Mr Atkinson -- a merchant below this who left him about three days before. -- I know not how far a short letter written on horseback may be considered as a true representation of his intentions but he wrote me that he should leave that part of the country shortly should he not be more successful He has been I find often at Ross' in the Cherokee nation & I have heard him speak of the Daughter -- [added text: whom he had seen in a visit made to the mountains made in May last. -- ] -- From what I have heard of her -- Knowing the enthusiasm he feels on the subject of civilizing the Indians -- and understanding that the Cherokees who have formed an acquaintance with him, highly esteem him, I should not be surprised should some other object besides mere salt water detain him so long in the vicinity of the Look Out Mountain. -- Mr Warren prefers the Southward to the Northward and would I know have accepted with pleasure any engagement in this state that would have given him a decent support -- and I think it would be yet sufficient inducement for him to return. -- I shall soon ascertain whether he has


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returned [added text: or not ] and shall feel happy to be in my way instrumental in influencing him to settle with us. --
In case he has returned a letter directed to himself care of Mr Edward [unclear text: Ferris ], [illegible text] near Walnut Street -- Philadelphia will reach him. --
This will be handed you my Dear Sir by Mr Nathaniel Ashley -- a Graduate of this University and a fellow lodger of mine for the last twelve months. He was properly an [illegible text] of Mr Meigs but deferred taking his degree until the last Commencement. -- He is a young man of extraordinary energy of character when [document damaged: engaged ] in a pursuit -- so that every power he [unclear text: possesses ] is enlisted in the endeavour [endeavor] to attain his object. -- He has the Character of having been the most severe student Franklin College ever [illegible text] At present he is anxious to obtain a [unclear text: Commission ] in the Army & believes that a letter to you as to what I know of him would perhaps have some weight in influencing you to a recommendation to the Members of Congress from our state. -- His politics are correct his patriotism ardent & enlightened and I have no doubt that he would punctually [added text: & ] scrupulously discharge every suggestion of that honerable [honorable] sentiment. -- He is the nephew of [unclear text: Ludowick ] Ashley & the son of a Mr Ashley whom the papers represent as having been attacked by the Indians at his plantation some time since. -- I leave this to yourself. --

Excuse I beg of you this long letter and believe me to be Dear Governor with sincere regard & respect Yrs [Yours]
[Signed] Henry Jackson
I set off for [illegible text] next week or the week after





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Governor D. [David] B. Mitchell Milledgeville
politeness of Mr N. [Nathaniel] Ashley

Henry [document damaged] Jackson

26 Novem. [November] 1812