The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1878-01-24
LETTER FROM RICHMOND.
PROGRESS OF LEGIsI.ATIoN-rHE FREE
SCHOOL, &C
RICHMOND. Jan. % 1878.


RICHMOND, Jan. %, 1878.
The readers of the FIRGINTAN have seen.
many of them with great satisfaction, that
the flinders in the Legislature have been s,ls-
tanning a succession of reverses from the be
ginning OF the session until now. The Re-
adjusters are gathering strength with every
trial. This may be said of both branches of
the General Assembly. The advantages al
ready gained in both houses are solid aud
substantial and will be followed up by the
leaders OF the readiustmcnt forces as occa-
slons arise. The principal fight in the Sen :
ate has been over the school bill, providing
that the free school funds shall be paid in
money and not in coupons. This was re-
garded as a test question of the strength Of
the respective parties in the Senate. Upon
the bill the vote was taken on the 18th inst.
the vote standing - for to IL against it. OF
the Valley Senators. those who voted for it
were Paul, of Rockingham, Splitter, of Page,
Ward of Frederick, Sherrard, of Bath. and
Marshall OF Craig, the only vote against it
from the Valley being Senator koiner, OF
Augusta. After it was'evdent that the bill
would pass, Maj. J. w. Daniel. of Lynch
burg, moved to amend the bill by providing
that the tax for free school purposes NAV be
collected in coupons, thus attempting to
thWart the provisions of the constitution
which secures to the children of the Com
moawealth the benefits of an education. by
providing that the fnnd dedicated to this
purpose may be paid in waste paper
Strange as it may seem, this startling prop
osition received fourteen votes in its favor.
the Augusta Senator being one OF the num-
Der, all the other Valley Senators, above
named. voting against it. At present SEN
ators koiner and Brooke have each bill be-
fore the Senate, by which they propose to
settle the public debt. 1t is clear that neither
can ever become q law, because both contain
that odious provision Of coupons receivable
for taxes, which it is known to everybody
has been the great cause OF dissatisfaction
with the people, and, is the bonds from
which Virginia is to-day struggling to re-
lease her fettered limbs. These bills will
find no favor, except with their patrons and
the friends Of the bond holders, the legsla-
tive enemies OF thcpeople.
The school question has also been the oc-
casion OF a sharp contest in the House of
Delegates. Mr.. Graves. of Bedford, offered
a bill, authorizing the Auditor of Public Ac-
counts to pay over to the school fund the
$780, 200 due that fund. This deficit, as the
VTRGTNIAN's readers know, resulted from
the reception of school money in coupons.
The bill proposed that the Auditor should
pay over the money when the condition of
the Treasury would justify. Mr. Taliaferro
moved to amend by striking out Treas
ury," and inserting Commonwealth" The
funders rallied in force to the support of
this proposition. Its effect would have been
to impose on the Auditor the duty of declar.
ing when the condition Of the Common
wealth would Justify Che payment OF the
amount now so much needed by the free
schools. The bill was really, in either shape,
OF very little account, and evaded the ques-
ton. DR.. Mof1ett offered the following res
olutiou, which meets the question fairly and
squarely:
Resolred, That the bill be committed to
the finance committee, with instructions to
report bill providing for the payment to
the free school fund of any amount due
said fund.
This required the committee Of finance at
once to report a bill providing for refunding
the amount due the schools. The funders
tried in every way TO fiIlibuster and defeat
action, but all in vain. The friends OF the
schools rallied to the support of tine Mofett
resolution and carried it by an overwhelm-
ing majority
The finance committee will take prompt
and efficient steps to carry into effect the
House resolution.