Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-12-05
GOVERNORS ERES@AGE.
;;Sntinued from first paga }

When the convention meet 70 fraus the
Constitution uuder which We COW liV5 they saw
that the Public free school system prevailed 10
one form or another 10 almost every I7llz.d
country ia the woli, aud they, / doubt not,
thought, f0rIi,r, it ought to be established
10 Virsisia. Where SO many enlightened men
had been forbid to vote, aod 40 many lguorant
men, lately setfs had been clothed with the
responsible trusts CT fseemcr. they regarded
and rroperly, Intelligence aud honesty as the
sine una non of the SUCCESS OF republican, i0rnls
of government rs they have ever been ragald'
ed ard urgently i1tu'c!tsd BY these VINO nave
reflected prof,urdiy. OF observed or expsrlenced
their working. Ihty therefore made tEo
publis free soGool system part OF the organic
law. MISUNDERSTANDING the Impoverished c1adltlon
oil the people, tbiukirg, have 10 doubt. that
it would be eesir for them TO tise clad Win It's
armor than to iigat unarned the many foca
that beses the paths OF lsocrlace aud dsS1cne55'
IT, Ard whilst they provided thus, accord
ing TO their best judgment, Tor the tdtur: latel'
i;geroa fthe citz;u, they over aud over again
nroyGe6 fer the payment Of the lawtul ladtbt'
edntss of the State, believing that With these
nroyi.ioas tending to secure knowledge and IL :
tegrty to the citizen, hs c0ud overcome tho
waste Of the var ard restore aud preserve the
ancient power ADD glory CT the Commonwealth.
It is rot my business to discuss the merits Ct
dement's CT the general public free school SyS-
tenn, These who framed the Cou5tiiu lon aud
the paocla by whom it Was adored, det2rn!n'
ed that it should prevail IN F!lgiGla; shose
who hold cfice ore hGuoG to supporiit, 50 taey
are bouad 10 support every o:aar pr0v!,!on CT
that Constitution. Not that the Corsillu
ton Of the State CT Virginia is snlr2oae, and
By lis fiat disposal Of al rights. l. is not SUI
preme 10 morals, over justice, TO msn Whe
recognizes his obligations to Goo; it is not ST
preme in Law, so long az we arc undtr the
Constitution Of me United States; AID IL the
assumption of Office. while va take 90 formal
oath to support the former, We DO thc !stteE.-
But Office is not obligatory on auy onc. am
not believer 10 "h,ghsrlHw to Il U,aa Clothed
With the responsibilities Of cfi3e. ~: haTs |
any faish in oa!bs taken with lncora! reserVa
ton. And were & opiai2a tt.st coa:d DOL
ccnscieatou-ly carry Gu. the l7o7is!9is OF the
;osirumcns WAS sworn 10 aarpatt, | ~vu!1
re- sign ICY cifiee, SO that it rigar he tiled hy
one who cou'd-
Eotectaiuiua these cawS. there hss 5e:G 40
time since ! assumed the dates Of The EZecu-
tive that base fa:eccG or hrSljate;i 10 Cd
whatever isy in my poser 20 nike The pubic
tree school syasrm ishat tbs Constitution sad
the laws intcnSt;i Ii - b.. as * Cllcio The
pr s:dent Of the Board OF EsGc .,ira, have
given NY b.&5 t1f)riJ &c crown II WITH suc3"ss.
aud 70 nsasc the system rGaGar 70 tho pr,Seur
ADD failure Of the Conference.-The cvsrgt;lln.
that lis most enthusiastic ad;olrers and sup
porters claim for it or coud desire \. e?'s il,
tba, cooneciai speak louder thau wor1a.
MOI whist 2ndtog ih,e, whict csp IL the "a
tura ct thugs BE- uny or btsr k0orn 70 the
~. a. ,.,n nd t;, ~
Inv cffi:i,! C,;traAaas haVc h-cr ienogauty or
vi, ia y tortured into assaults upor the public
free school $. s,aul--ea i! could b. guilty 81
the folly ct aGtacs!os :vrosi!y ao'! publicly what
| had ius5 ;4&cu n oah 10 surpa7E, IN ibe
ssu,g iol n i aaG public manner
The iuTihcr accusation LGs ia"u 3aD1at ;i,ai
have arfpSed ~: cccGit":s 2a2 lie iiaG school
system aga!ust caCit ether. ,:us 1,!Et:t +: x
ao,sgUniSM OF 5lcryat a@ t!tG; ct 'eelIa:..
Win r2sclc: an,i ti1ier"pa, III, u 1>t what !!
have uGt Gorc The bill Ct tho Genera! IS
ae1ntiy, which ! ii; called apes. - 'hh ii3
cAarga Of 10y d. yapG uai2r ii ;;2! OBLIGATIONS,
| to decline to approve, draw GisiiCc'!0a ana
! maiH PC cray 81 U;.a Gg:.Ipa; ~" pshcr, i0i
which cjl!d Gai 90 w.r!aa Ia TIC Eoasti:u
| tiuu, tha. lu4!iumect declaring - ;!4 fulug U3t
| TO he mistakes tijat bob sha;!:, b. t2j:Aiu il
| and fu'iy pray:;.cd tor
| sac, a::,3 il ric:s nc pleasure 10 ranc2t,
tha; tha pubic r:e fchoo! system Ii Virginia Is
the r5esics I;.nriae.io Of which We ii4ve aDy
r;c,i; in !ilvrr. Though she CAME OUT OF lha
! va: ise.fs!ul AID tvtG - h&ya dcsc!n:d Ii~1,
she. ir her poverty, G3t nD'g provided Ter tAe
| surn&rt ri htg G&yCra.n n a1d fAa payment Of
her .i4tts, bu; sic provided: f.: TIC education
Of her poae Of both RACES rn;s wa5 dose ~
coumca c11scnt. u2t ny force Z arSas, 2s ;:.o
more sub ia tu' n01a iha less d!G":!G23 iaIc2
Ct the ballot, Il Hs5 d1nc D.: It's appr1:ai d
~vcly a!aes, cIucat@2 and iencar:, Tl3A taG
pcor, IS al Offering ID tic .E%32@t >G5 ii>}r2
yereraii1c, aEli yIcmlse q ton f2!u:2 g;c&5
ness Ut 5be Co;unon@tailh. Is ;7aimest ai,
v0cates aud most enthusiastic Hcrlirer5 wi:
Claim for il 20 mocC than t1ls. II .-,4ta!lj? Be
great hoGo, it its advan:aGe5 jrure ID The
benefit OF tire Sls:c. they will DOT d2ny that t2
secure them The system must not be founded II
| wrong. 1t would be 20 honor 10 q State, ard
consequently TO benefit, to be decorated Fy
spots wrested ir,m the weak ard innocent
especially it thoso weak and iuoccsnt
hai bctriended tha State in ne 'i1lo OF
Ter need. AID those evidenecs II friend
ship constituted tho very e!emcuts Of
Of public free schools everything they couli
Hlsu VI Ci3lLi III IL SutiOS tu2N jaw
ought to provide them and that they oughs to
be throwa open fteaiy without none? aud with.
out price; that they 4rc absolutely !otheo!yabovo
any aud every public or private objection; that
their blessings, peEmealiDg every class of LIE
and pursuit, will ia7igorste, elevate aud beau
tity the Commonwealth; even tbso it does not
follow that we ought to violate established Law
and p!ightcd fsitn to uphold them. Because
we know that without the rco?cnitiin Of these
latter, their fliands cannot 81 aay possibility
long preserve the benefits which they seem 50
abundantly to premise themselves.
When [ thick CT these ihioss, thora is moth
ug have ever said that lneed Wish to retraot.
| would not, because [ would not detracs any.
thing from he credit and honor Of my State.
whatever might be my views CT the cxpedieac7
CT her policy. So when Gud this great beue
fac'ion yog il the path OF Der history, | will
not s,ult.iy her ccpduc: AID diminish her iamc
By saying that Tie II cans tnr the hsnefaciiou
were to be prorijcd at another 8 exrcIse. She
did not iotcod. aoG she has So expressly dc