Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1873-02-07

DEAR JOURNAL: Various matters


transmission to the Senate for It's ac-
ton. The bill proposes to make I'M
portant changes IN the present law.
Under the new bill no provision is
made for two months schools, the Con-
st1tut;on being followed III It's require
ment to make provision for four months
schools only. Of these schools there
are to be one ormore in each townships
and if the tax levied by the State small
prove insufficient for the purpose, the
County Commissioners are authoflzeo
to levy an additional tax with the con-
sent of majority Of quailhed 'o'eiS'
The schools for the two races are 10 De
be kept separate and distinct. ihe
fund raised by State taxation LOT
school purposes is to be apportloneo
to the several counties ACCORDING 10
number of pupils between the ages Oh
six and twenty-one years OF age. Inc
fnnd Tins allotted to each county, as
well as any additional fund raised
therein by special taxation, IS to DE
apportionedto each township according
to the number of pupils, with precise
specification Of the amount 10 De
allotted to white schools and the
| amount to be allotted to colored schools;
which allotment is to be made accord
mo to number of pupils Of each race.
| Tt is further provided that the money
| allotted to the schools for one race
shall not be used forthose OF the other.
! IT, is further provided that, i'll case the
| funds for any year shonld not be ex-
| nende1 thev shall be added TO the
! fund for the ensuing year, still preserv-
! ing the color line.
| Under the old law it WAS permIss:s-
| BILE to expend the school fund III the
| erection of school houses, purchase OF
| sites. &c: under the new bill the whole
fund must be expended IN paying the
salaries of teachers. The tax levied
last wear was SIX and one-third cents
on the one hundred dollars worth OF
property; the new bill raises It toelghf
and one-third cents.
| There seems to have been al honest
effort made by the House to perfect
the bill as far as possible and without
regard to partisan politics. There
were only some ten or q dozen votes
recorded against the bill on it's fina
passage, a fact almost unprecedented
in the action CT the House upon so I'M
portant 2 bill and one that has been sc
much discussed Every one admits
the imperative necessity thatrestsupo
the State to educate its children. The
great difficulty is how to accomplish
the desired end with the limited means
at the command OF the State. 1t i
sincerely to be hoped that the presen
bill is the harbingerof better, brighter
and happier days for the children o
North Carolina. One cannot contem
plate, without shudder Of horror, theiI
future, if something be not sseeslil.
done for their relief. We sineerel,
wish that the question of education
will ever be kept ont OF partisan pol!
ties in our State # the bill nov
pending shall be considered IN thu
Senate as it was IN tho House, and i
shall become law, it will at least g.
before the people with hopeful aug1lry
The all absorbing question, how
ever, has been that OF amnesty ant
pardon for various criminal acts com
nitted since the war, and growing on
of the disordered state of the country
Col. Allen, the able Senator from
Duplin, introduced tbe bill and tool
charge Of it generally Oh its passag
through the Senate, and right vel
did he acquit himself The debat,
was opened by AIr. NIorehead, 0
Guilford, and lasted tea several days
and was marked by more courtesy ant
greater ability than it has been OH
fortune To witness for long time
The speeches of AIessrs. Morehead, o
Guilford, and Scott, of Onslow, and o
Colonel Allen, We're efforts that would
have done credit to the Senate in TIL,
good old times, when good 1aeil die
not need amnesty. The remarks made
Mr.. Norwood, will not soon be for
gotten. They furnish an authenti,
history OF the troai;lous times sJlbse
quent to the Ns!, and accipplete vindi
cation of his co,sstituenta ana OF tht
people in the adjoining counties, from
| the foul charges that have been sc
often made against them. But per
haps tlse most brilliant Oratorica
effort was that Of Major Durham, the
young Senator from Wilson county
| 1t was his first formal speech OF any
length in the Senate, and We express
the universal sentiment Of those who
heard him when We say that his effort
has added much to his reputation both
for eloquence and for ability.
On the Radical side it was, ofco1lrse.
an uphill business for men who
aEowed themselves in favor OF the prin
ciple of amnesty to justify their action il
refusingtososefo for thebill. TWAS amat
ter of remark, too, that the white Radica
Senators did not make their point whit
better than their sable brethren, anC
many say, not as well. The determine
ton to make party question of the mat
ter came from that side. Our friends
though possessing the power to pass
the bill by a party vote, greatly prefer
red to have khe Radicals unite witt
them III a 1neastt.e that promises tc
bring so much peace ana G1uetness tc
SO many people in North Carel;na, and
their determination to give the Rsai
Gals no possible excuse foE refusing tc
vote for the bill was carried Ont to the
very last, and another browning proof
given of the utter Indifference of the
| Radical ,orfu 20 tho bac4 ;,,torastc of