Daily national Republican., 1863-05-23
LOCAL AFFAIRS.

An IMPORTANT LETTER. - The following
frank and able letter IRON Mr.. Richards, IN reply
to an interrogatory, will bc read with interest;
NAVY YARD, WAsHNoToN, May 10, 1909
DEAR SIR: At the request OF several gentlemen,
take the liberty Of asking reply TO the following
question!
purpOrt OF which was to appropriate portion Of
the school iund TO the education OF the cOlOTcd
children in the District
am, respectfully, your o6edlent servant,
A. {. RICHARDS, Esq.
WAMINoToa CITY, d. c, May %, 1863.
Daniel |. McCAFty, Esq.-SIR: | have the honor
to acknowledge the receipt of your letter OF the
18th instant lnquirlnB whether at any time voted
for or ltyored blil lot ihe apptopTauon oi n0l-
cOlored children in this District.
/. In reply, permit me to state, that since have
heen connected with the Board OF Aldermen no
suoh "bill il referred to In your nteFrogAtOTy
has been before It, and therefore 1t Is manifest that
| have neither voted for nor favored 1t. Not hav-
ing been member OF the Common Council, IhAve
had no participation In Its distinctive proceedings
or actions.
Of my doings and recognizing the right of the in
IA lbtsnts of "the District" to ascertain and know
my views on any public subject, deem It proper
to say, that when motion vas made In "tho Board
of Aldermen" looking TO an appropriation of the
tax levied on the property OF colored persons and
paid by them, for the education of their own chill
dTen, Voted for it. This / considered an act Of
simple Justice to them, and one which would meet
with the approval of every high-mindcd white
H. u
their children OUT Of the taxes Of the colOred pop
! ulatiOn.
| 3. But while sustained this motion, / have not
| in any mode inteFfeTed in the words of the law,
| with the school tax levied and collected upon
every white male citizen of the age of twenty one
years and upwards"
This fund is needed for the maintenance and i'm
| pTOvement of our schools And | will rejoice
when, instead of being confined to damp cellars
| and unhealthy buildings, cOmmOdiouB, dry, and
well-ventilAted rooms shall he erected or selected
| for the education Of our children.
| In this connection 1t may not be inappropriate
to state that during the present session OF the Ciy
| Councils a select committee, Of which have the
honor to be chairman, have mAtuTed plans and are
now engaged in the erection of n magnificent
| gchOOl.buildIng on PennBylvaniA avenue, near
! Eighth street east, and designed to accommodate
the children of the citizens OF the Fifth and Sixth
wards. This building will be u pride and OrnR
ment to the city, and II is my earnest wish that
the present yeRI may see similar buildings erected
In each school district of this city.
The children Of the poor white man should he
educated with proper regard to their health IN
morals, and none of thtiF rights should he rithel
infTinged or violated.
The Itch are also entitled to their rights In THU
respect hut their means often enable them to So
ect schools for their children Independent Of pub
lie taxation.
Give me the power and exact Justice shall hI
done all classes, and the poorest white mans sol
In the District shall be so educ Ated that he may
aspire TO the high position now SO ably hlled By
the once poor boy OF the West and In the futuT'