The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1875-12-16
The President and the Public School System.

enoksCAY DECEMBER Ii, 1875
-
The President and the Public School System.
5 Il is easy for the designing -deHagegue to
rervess from das legitimate meaning almost any /
expression, lcr it come in as direct a form as it
is possible to clcthe it. 1t could not be eypec-
ted, therefore, that an advanced opinion eN-
pressed by the President Of the United States /
should escape false construction by his pollt-
ic,l enemies. and be construed SO as to offend, |
If possible, class OF persons, non-partlzan III
their ecclesiastical relations. Following the
plain Specification of the English language, |
there can be TO fair Interpretation OF the SEN /
fences of the Presidents Message in relation to
public education. by which they can be tortnr
ei into an assault upon any religious creed or
denomination. So far as language Cal. make
them, every word written is of the opposite
tendency. Laying down the broad and uni
vers;ally accepted proposition that 1--WE are a
Republic, whereof one man is as good as an
ether before the law he proceeds to declare
that "unelcr such form OF government 1t is OF
the greatest Importance ti,at all should be pos
sessed of education and intelligence enough to
east u vote with 4 right understanding OF its
meaning Ikis cardinal thought will be ac-
crpted ;ts Of the highest wisdom, and an cs-
sential requisite to useful and conservative cit
i3enship. 1t is simply reiterating in different
form what Thomas Jefferson declared a centu-
ry ago, as indispensable to the successful oper
alton Of the machinery of government OF the
people for the people, aud the full realization
of tile fundamental idea of our Republican in
stitutons.
Passing from this declaration OF the principle
that -sigusllizes our system of government, the
President passes to Il formulation of the idea
in the following language: s'As primary
step, therefore, to onr advancement in all that
has marked our progress in the past century, |
suggest for your earnest consideration, and
most earnestly recommend it. that consLitu
tiona amendment be submitted to the Legisla
t.lres OF the several States for ratification, ma
King it the duty of the several States to estah-
lis.l AMI forever maintain free pablic schools
Ade lllate to the education of all the children III
the parliamentary branches within their respec-
tive limits, irrespective of sex, color, birth
place or religion; forbdding tie teaching in
said schools of reli .ioHs, atLeiste CT pagan
tenets, and prea!bitin, the granting Of any
school funds, or school taxes or any part there
of, either by legislative, municipal or other au-
t.iority, for the benefit, or in aid, directly or
Indirectly, Of any religious sect or denomna-
.tion, Or ii or for the benefit Of any other
object Of a. nature d kind whatever"
Here t. suasc SO broad and comprehensive
in its meaning, that nothing bat the most illog
deal bigetry could eoestrue it to mean anything
else than plan for the education of the N lss-
-es, irrespective Ct religion or race. It, cncroael
e, upoptle privileges of no church, bat espe-
.eialy aiiis@to divorce Church AMI State, and to
anhbt any sectarian inii .ience in reaching af-
ter the general elevation AMI enlightenment
of the constituent body.
If there is anything IN can't that is not clearly
expressed, we can well conceive that the Pres
ident had in his mind the Southern States,
where growing disposition is manifested to
curtail the educational privileges secured by
the public free schools. The tendency Of the
constitutional tinkering that has already been
iallulgcd is to impair the school syste n, and
the logical inference is, that as the democratic
party feel fortified in their control of the sece-
,led States, they will effect ehangeiin the OF
ganc laws so as to deprive the negro Of educa-
tional advantages st the expense of the COM
mon treasures Of the States 1t is to place this
vital question beyond the reach of the prtndi-
ces that constitute the ruling element in the
social organism OF the South, and which, nllre-
strand, will develop into laws restrictive in
their operation. and destructive TO the advance
lnent Of the colored race in the essential reqli
sites OF good citizenship. We assume it to be
one of the highest and most pressing duties OF
American craftsmanship and American patr
otisnl. to place beyond question and danger
the public free schools Of the country, and fas
ten them upon the body polite as an irreyersi
Die fact nseparably interviewer with ths
progress Of enlightened government and the
development of Republican institutions. In
deed, it would be fatal mistake, amounting
to public crime, to leave the education of the
masses in the Southern States to the mercy
OF the sectional prejuyGees that are growing
deeper and more enbitterea every day, under
democratic teaching, and which may crystal
ize into laws and constitutional amendments
that will effectually destroy the vitality OF the
school system in many Of the States.
Let an amendment be enyrilfted upon the na
tional constitution, in accordance with the idea
the President has sug yested. and then it will
be above the reach of the petty spites and EN-
FILTERED hates of those who seem to be incap |.
BILE of comprehendins the true interest of the
country and the spirit and intent of our free
institutions or the full obgat ions they have
assumed in accepting the results of the war.
II President Grant had any reserved meaning
in the paragraphs of his message relating to
public schools, the more natural conclusion is
that it was with reference to the matter W.
have suggested, for he has not been an indif
ierent observer Of the intimatioas given in va
rons forms, to compromise the public school
system in Virginia, North Carolina, Alabama,
and Texas. II, has OILY demonstrated his in
terest in the " lure of all the people, and his
devotion to the + Al lapeptal principle of free
government By anticipating the reactionary
purposes of the obstruetionists of the South,
who would, if they hal the power, remand the
negro to Il eoniiton Of barbarism. reverse the
determinations OF the past ten years, and es
tablish an oligraehy as oppressive and destrnc