The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-02-09
FREE DISCUSSION.
The Land Scrip Bill.

To the Editor Of the State Journal.
You alluded to the fact few days ago
that the Conservative party would hold q
caucus in reference to the Land Scrip, and
expressed some fear that the colored peo-
pie would not be dealt fairly with on the
subject. The holding of caucus in this
matter, has been forced upon the Conserva-
tive party by the Republican party, which
had had caucus on the subject.
But our object here is to show why the
colored people should share in the bcne-
fits of that fund according to population.
The free school system of the State vir-
tually distributes its benefits to our people
equally as to color.
The eighth section of eighth article of
the constitution provides that the free
school funds shall be :" for the equal bene-
fit of all the people of the State, the num-
Der of children (all colors) between the
ages OF five and twenty-one years in each
public free school district being the basis of
such DIVISION"
In accordance with this provision our
last Legislature provided for separate free
schools for the races, the benefits of the
school fund to be thus equally enjoyed by
the white and colored children of the State.
and mixed schools expressly and wisely
prohibited. The idea advanced recently
in the House of delegates, that the tax
paying capacity of the races should be the
basis of distribution of this fund, was met
by Messrs. Deneale, Smith and Brooke
Conservatives and its absurdty exposed,
each of them taking the ground that the
only Just, fair and expedient manner of di-
finn fha
according to the relative strength of the
two races.
1t was shown by one of them (Smith)
that if the principle of the tax-paying capa-
city was just ground of division of the
fund between the races, and if the same
principle was applied to the white race. it
would practically abolish the free-schoo
system, or give its benefits mainly to the
large Taxpayers of the State. The object
of all public schools is to educate the
whole people especially those most need
ing education. 1t was stated in the debate
in the House of Delegates on this subject,
that the colored people were satisfied with
one-third of this fund till it was proposed
by the Conservative side to give them five
twelfths of it, statement without founda-
ton, and even if it were correct it would
not be proper or expedient to do inius-
tice to the colord people. simply because
they were willing to receive it,
Another argument that the one-third
would be given to them permanently is
equally absurd; for whatever proportion
may be donated to them will be subject to
the control of future legislatures, and the
donation can be curtailed or increased at
the option of each succeeding General As
sembly. Hence the misappropriateness of the
amendment offered by Mr.. Robertson, of
Allegheny, that the fund shall be reappor-
toned every ten years, according to the re-
lative strength of the races.
This Legislature should begin by divid-
ing this fund between the races in the
spirit of exact justice; so that in future no
pretext could be urged for retaliation in
any contingency of political character
that might arise; especially when the diff
ference between one-third and five-twelfths
is only one-twellth, amounting to about
$40, 900 of the fund.
The Republicans have offered to draw
the lines as to color, excluding the whites
from Hampton Normal school, and exclud-
ing the colored from the white school. The
Conservatives and Republicans, with few
exceptions, voted for this proposition and
then the Conservative party still refuse to
divide with the colored people according to
population, which we think was illiberal,
unwise and quite nexpedient, in view of
the fact that the fund was donated by Con-
gress, which now proposes to create large
fund for educational purposes in all the
States by donating to them all the proceeds
of all the public lands hereafter to be dis
tributed to them according to population.
1t is eminently desirable that there
should be no complaints against us by
Congress, or by the colored people in this
matter and that in future the races
should equally enjoy by all donations
in separate colleges; and if full justice is
done now in the distribution of this fund,
there will be harmony in future, attended
with the best results to all ; and there
will then be no necessity for drawing
lines as to color. CONSERVATIVE.
February 8, 1872.
ra.s IL.