Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1875-03-03
o;ce SAY Away with the public school

me voice say Away with the public school
system ocp.,,I;o 1,.u..;o
he suti.ct of mixed schools, makes the
C pi snG sensible aud truthful remarks:
,,,oo.pDUCATIoE OF THE RACES IMPROPER AS
thA VEL AS IMPOSSIBLE.
-, ,oforance to the written reports Of the
na sup rintendei Is (page 42) it will be seen
s,Ss ~ nv o. those officers voluntarily mention
nv" ..riyi rights biz as the instrument OF lnev-
!t.nb,o des, ruction TO Oar school system, If 1t
should pass. :; .h;. III, ,;ao
1nhng and on their settlement hangs the life
FeSnnt bern civilization, if not the preservation
% o. smerican liberty. If the school systems of
u ~ South be overtt rown, the last germ OF recu
nars,iy. energy will hsve been destroyed; and
the nrinciplc be once esta blshed that the edu-
cstional common wealths OF America are TO be
.,'iad nv a central authority, education becomes
49, tooj of power, and the enslayement of the
neppe must logically follow.
pTbe ouestion of constitutional law involved in
the civil rights bill docs not fall within my
,-svince; but if it be in accordance with our
= iers,ive system Tor the details of State school
Isssifrstion and government to be regulated by
Gnnpress the friends of true educst on may well
,'snse be- ore they commit themselves further in
tLa direction Of public schools. An educated
srstem which is not free in its methods, and
Shch does not develop tie people into that
mnnt.l free d om which is the aim of all true edu
cation, is fIauo. 49,,
the blows will not descend upon US while we in
the South are now staggering under other bur
dens which, of themselves, may crush US. Alter
ali the marshaling of facts which has been going
on for twelve IN months past, it must be geserslsy
Known that the admixture of whites and blacks
in southern schools is simply impt ssibe. The
most obvious reason for this is The social dispar-
ity, indeed the intense social repugnance, exist
inc between the races-a repugnance tar greater
than that existing in ordinary society, even
where the social scale is longest, and its degrees
most deeply craven This repugnance between
the free born and freo-made classes has oeen
shown BY reference t. history from the earliest
times to be an invariable lew of society, the OPP
erston Of which could not b overcome by ar.
eum.nt, By statute or by force. And 1t has been
asserted though not rs fully developed as tho
subject deservos, that this social repugnance,
like social laws generally, has psychological
basis which amply vindcates the law; and con-
seuueatly that IL assert, its power as clearly
Though not rs strongly in the case OF a commu
nifty Of race between the freedmen and their tor
mer masters as where there is diversity; and In
the case of equality, rs we'll rs inequality OF cul
ture, as has been particularly shown by refcr.
ence to society in the Jewish COMMONWEALTH,
and in the Greek and Roman Repuolics-to
which might be added the entire social history
of Europe. But to this general law In our States
there have been added intsnsitying influences OF
ence of race and te. rlble war. So that, alto,
gether, we have one of the most aggravated
cases known to history Of social repugnance be-
tween two peoples inhabitingthe same territory.
For sll practical purposes we need 60 not be-
yond the fac this IN arranging IN
races in separate schools or we must abandon
public education Here then is the sharp and
decisive point: we will educate the blacks In
separate schools, or we will not educate them
at al.
Not only will the public free schools be
broken up, but our colleges and our noble
university, the pride of our State will langulsh
and maybe die under the balctul Influences OF
this law.
Mr.. Speaker, these are some of the evil ef-
fects of this law, feebly aud impertectly set
forth.
What are the good effects? The coored
people do not need 1t, and as people they DO
not want it, [ am unable to state any good
that will how from its passage. La 1t the In
ten!ion of the majority Of this House 10 usur-
patton of constitutional authority, 10 defiance
of the protests of nearly all Of both parties who
will feel its operation, to force upon the South
this most obnoxious law? Can it be the de-
sign of the republican party to press the South
ern people to the wall, to provoke COLLISION
between the races by forcing distasteful tquall.
ty between these two races2 Can it be that
this party desires blooished to enkndle afresh
the feelings OF the North against the South,
AID thus to obtain renewal of their lease OF
power? The organ of the party and OF the
Administration 10 this city, the Washington
Republican in its issue ou Mond4y, 22d of Feb
ruary, said 10 substance that the change OF the
rule of this House did not mean the passage of
the civil-rights bill alone, but the enactment OF
series of laws designed 10 secure TO the re-
publican party the one hundred and thirty
eight electoral votes of the Southern States
Can it be possible that this paper spok Ike the
sentiments Of the ADMINISTRATION or OF the re-
publican party2 Are the Southern people, all
disposed to peace and patient endurance as they
are, to be goaded and kicked into collision
Are they to be forced, in defense of their very
manhood and of their wives aud children, to
repeal assaults and to save their own lives be
compelled to spill the blood of these who would
STAY them Are these things to be seized
upon by the dominant party to stra1gle the
lives of our State governments and hll our
blighled land once more With blood Tod
forbid. trust our people will bear all this for
tie sake of their country, with the positive
assurance that if they are thus patient and for
bearing az outraged people will aveuge their
wrongs by hurting this party from power. l
am persuaded that the means to retain or re-
gain their power now being resored to by the
republican party will most certainly insure their
complete downfaIl and will add another illus
trston of the truth of the sentiment Whom
the gods intend to destroy they first make
mad"