The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-07-09
Communicated.

III, Stlli iIOul bii tttttCh VI ljal-
rllysis.
Communicated.
Tho Religious Fest for Onico---Again.
A communication OH the Public School
Board of this city appeared in the Dispatch
of last Friday which was so offensive in its
manner and matter that felt it due to the
gentlemen wantonly insulted by its publica-
tion, as well as to myself, to demand the
authors name. Immediately addressed n
note to the senior editor of that paper asking
this information, but his reply miscarried.
Hearing nothing from him | made, in writ
ing, q like request of Mr.. II. X. Ellyson on
Saturday afternoon, and received a prompt re-
sponse that the author was "Mr. John L..
Williams, of the firm of Lancaster II Co."
If this communication had been inspired
simply by the intolerance which was eXhibit-
ed in one or two previous articles on the
same theme and, presume, from the same
pen, or was the fruit alone of that itch for
writing which gratuitous printing excites in
some persons, | should have treated it with
the silence of the others. The abors Of the
School Board of Richmond are before the
eyes Of her generous people. They witness
them i'm their walks and at their tiresideS,
and to their criticism / commit them. But
this gentleman has undertaken, in the most
wanton manner, to drag the religious faiths
of respectable citizens into the public print,
mentioning their names and their creeds-
IN insult without precedent in the Rich
mond press even in times Of the most bitter
political controversy. If this extraordinary
conduct was inspired by a purpose, it was
an act of extreme bigotry, if not an act Of
extreme impertiuence. A brief examination
Of his article will show it to be very impair
TALLY tincturcd with both these qualities.
The gist of the article is the statement that
of the School Board three are Methodists,
three are Roman Catholics, t,cO are Jews, and
ono Presbyterian, and other creedS unre-
presented; and aIuding to this fact the
writer says:
"If the gentlemen who composed it were
saints they could not get, AND OUGHT NOT TO
HAVE, the confidence Of the community"
A more reckless piece of biotry | never
remember to have read, and, us untrue us
reckless. / do not happen to be advised as
to the marks of confidence with which this
community has honorcd Mr.. John l.. Will
lialns, of the firm of Lancaster 81 Co.." but
there is not member of that Board who
this community which Mr.. John l.. Will
liams, &C.. never has received and never will.
On behalf Of that community rcpcl and
| rcpudatc the slandcr that in the bcStowal OF
| their confidence on their public servants
honesty. capacity, and fidelity so for nauSht
and scctarian bigotry is the one thing COLI
suited or considered.
But the bigotry which inspired this COM
/ II hnr suI III, :
TO have three Catholics on the School Board
horrible to relate, they are &" IRISH y Catholics
Is the phrase simply the dictate of al lSno-
rance which does not know and VIII MOI
learn that al Irish Catholic is aS good as AL
| American Catholic? Was Mr.. John l.. VIII
liams's father Il worse man because he was
M IriShman? Isuspcct not. In truth, Mr.
Williams, &C., knows better. | rather re-
cognizc here simply the untorgottcn slang OF
"the culycrt," scOurgcd out OF decent society
seventeen years ago, but cherished, II woillt
seem. in certain quarters even now. a little
| further on in the same communications tlii
spirit appears more conSpicuOlSly. Mr.
John l.. Williams, &C., with indignant chi
plESiS DECLARES:
"The rights and wishes of twenty thousant
people are about to be Oyer-rlddcn ana lel
| to the mcrccs of three thousand, &c.
This twaddle has very ancient ana llsli
like smell. 1t is simply the old *. n, raw
head and bloody boncs-thc ashes OF tilt
rigmarolc of sam, which did its dirty dlit.
in the way of sacking converts and murder
ing priests in 1854, but which liberal mel
despiscd then and derlde now.
Nor does Mr.. Williams, DC, make thi
bomIrlst more respectable by affirming, Will
edifying trrvor, 1--WE are church members.
1t is not your presence in church, but th'
churclls presence in you that ayallS. ChrlS|
| found q certain class of people in the temp'
eighteen centuries ago, and the Good Bool
does not intimate that they were wanting II
sanctimoniousncss but does say that 3" III
overturned their tables" So much al p,'cSc}t
for the spirit of the article now for its inu
endo. The writer does not, because he dire
not. affirm that Colonel John &. Shields lEt
allowed his Prcsbytcrianism, OF Il. Nj. Mani,
or Il. Il. Richardson his McthOdism, OF th'
others their Judaism, or Catholicism, ol
Irishisln, to color in the slightest degree thci
public action; but, willing to wound aut
vet afraid to strike, he intlnatcs they have
| by showing how they may. And how ina,
tley? Mr.. John l.. Williams, &c, explains
/. In the selection of teachers.
| y. In the regulation of the educationa
course.
fake it that Mr.. Williams, &C., has never
rcad an anntlal report of our Schoo
Roard. or the ordinance of the city, or the law
| of the State on the subject, and has never
crossed the threshold OF the public schools
If Inc has moi, the public will understand the
value of bis criticism; if he has, he ought tc
know that the educational course i'll all the
schools of Virginia is prescribed or permitted
hv the State Board of Education, and ht
ourht TO know further that there Is neither y
Methodist. nor Jew, nor Catholic on thal
Board, And further, he ought to know tha'
thn only book introduced as textbook IL
the schools of Richmond by this School BOARD
of Jews and Catholics which is not pre-
scribed or permitted by the State Board L
the Holy Bible. ;. .,,,,,
But this jew and Catholic "oyer-ridden'
School Board may impose their hereSies OF
the delenceless people of Richmond by tht
selection of teachers, and Of course Il jew OF
Catholic is an unfit depository OF such
trust. Well, the pious apprehensions o
Dir. John l.. Williams, &c, may be allayed
II is true that the Board has the selection
teachers absolutely and without appeal, a.
every other city school board i'll the c0un
try has but if Mr.. W., &e., is capable 0
blushing, he will blush to learn that Of IN
eiqhly-seuen teachers elected for the session
of the current year 6y tisis Jeto and Cdthoh'
School Board BIGHTY-oNn are Protestant
and only SIX either Jews or Catholics. How
| ask of the fair-minded people of Rich
mond, how has this Board discharged it
trust in this particulars Let honest mel
| answer.
| am aware that it is much easier to pry
into the private affairs and smell out the rcli
~ious convictions of nine gentlemen who art
eouscicnliolIsly discharging Il public trlls