Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1871-09-28
THE SHAM CHALLENGE.

The sham proposition by the Dem
ocratie Central Committee, of this
county, published in last weeks HER
AID with the correspondence on that
sulject) sent to Hon. NJ j Willisms,
challenging him to joint canvas and
discussion with Col Baber, who was
imported from Columbus by the Dem
ocratic Committee to instruct the
voters of this county how TO vote, was
the strangest we ever heard. 1t con-
fined the proposed discussion to
single idea, and that whether the
school law voted for by Mr.. Williams
and the other members of the House
last winter, does force colored Chi.
dren into the common schools. That
is a question that cannot be deter
mined by discussion. 1t is a question
of law, and Mr. Williams being
good lawyer, says it does ro such
thing; that it would give Boards of
E Education power to establish colored
schools, where the present law gives
no such authority; and such is the
opinion of the School Commissioners,
and that is the unanimous opinion of
the Committee who reported the sub
stitute, which was the only bill voted
upon. and its passage recommended
by the whole Committee, tlnee Re
publicans and three Democrats.
Now the object of this proposed
challenge is too apparent, it seems to
us, to be misunderstood by any intelli-
gelt person. If they had really wanted
fair joint discussion between Mr..
Williams andtheir imported champion
they would have challenged Mr.. Viii
liams to joint discussion of the ques-
tions at Issue between the political
parties, including the school bill il
they chose; but that is what they
wished to avoid. They had not the
manly courage to come up and discuss
real issues. so they proposed to con-
fine it to. a single point, and for What
Aye. there is the secret. They wished
to tie Mr. Williams hands in this
campaign to single idea that had nc
pOnt in fact, in it; they wanted tC
place him in a position where his time
would be consumed and prevent hin
from discussing the great questions
at Issue between the two political par
ties. They do not want their politica
record held up before the voters 0
their county, like a mirror in whicl
their true character as a party. cal
: be made visible, in all its corruptnes
and deformity
II They dare not challenge Mr.. Will
s liams to fair, open joint discussion
Of the various questions that divid
political parties. If they had don
this, including .the school question
their challenge would have bee
promptly accepted, and Mr. Baber ca
still have chance to discuss with NJ
g Williams, if the Democratic Centr;
Committee desire to put their chose
Z champion orator egainst Mr.. Williams
at But Mr.. w. does not propose to G
= iuto battle hamstrung and hands tiet
and the Democratic Central Cemmi
e. tee misunderstood Mr.. WIS sh-ewC
ness and proverbial caution when the
supposed lie was verdant enough to |
caught in a trap that an ordinary II
would have had instinct enough I
avoid. Having failed in this feeb
ee attempted strategy, they exhibited
le childish petulence lily becoming Il
rh leaders of the great and unterrifed D
lg mocracy. Of Fayette county.
7s, In relation to the letter the Cor
he mittee addressed through their Chat
at man in reply to Col Maynard, we vi
" say nothing at this time, except tn
it betrays in spirit and characte
CT. mortal disappointment in perfecting
plot, which they in their simplici
m imagined was master stroke of sAo
practice.