Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-02-28

EDUCATION casts upUu Iuc O'o'e "'o'E'J'
fathers did not rerd free sehuc!s 10 make them
what they were. Iiappy 'hiS g:arratau ccu'd
i rival them 10 hosc virtues that ~ to uakr
nm the pIory Of a commonwealth. They would
not have tolerated them on he sill ii firS'oll
had they To be established Is thc GcIi.' 81
their honest debts.
The friends Of free schools make woll
buuder it they thick by such mtaos a. TINS
bill proposes to build them up or spread Their
usefulness. They are striking them rs ven Us
the State i fair fame most fatal blow. Tun
lio free schools are not necessity. Inc woiId
for hundreds Of years grew in wealth, cuitu'r
and refinement without them. They a:" g
Injury. adding wheo skillfu!ly conducted, 1t
NAV be, to the beauty aud power OF State,
but to be paid for like any other luxury By
the people who wish their benefits. | cannot,
therefore, believe that the trainers OF the CT
ganic law meant anything else when they pro.
vided for their creation and support: Ihoy
mont of our debts; nor that with the
money drawn from such source we should e.
ucste the children OF the land Whatever their
views of the benefits of education. they did not
think that they ought to be bought at sucn -
price They believe as yGn ana No.. D of eve n of.
vidual, saved by loss OF honor is not WORTH
Education. blessing ss it il, won IN such
q way contains a germ which Will De sure
| to bloom into curse. And believing this, IGey
| in tho same instrument most fully acknowledge
the debit. and in seyu!sl clauses provided for II:
| payment:
scarcely, if at all, thought Ct as system IN The
State Justly and honestly dao for full consldora
tion. since the war and before tho Constitution
was adopted it WAS four times acknowledged aud
directly or indirectly, promises made To pay II
with interest, and the charge CT It's reputation
indignantly spurned by an almost II not quite
unanimous vote of the Legislature composed Of
mon of the old regime, among tho nblAst, best
and truest who ever grew upon Virginia soil.
and whatever may be said OF those who framed
the Constitution, it will not be denied that /! was
| adopted by the people OF the State Will not
| now cast stigma upon those men, by saying
that they were guilty deliberately oi plon Us
the organic law, the fruits OF which they pro-
posed thereafter to gather.
! Whatever value may ba put upon the school
system however much wo may hope from ITS
| future growth, tho Constitution does not pnt 1t
on any higher ground than the debt then owed.
It could not without qualification lis Trainers
and the people who adopted it saw no virtue in
an education for their postority, Of tho means Of
getting which they would ever be ashamed
| They looked upon the debtss oftoo high dignity
thus to be treated because it was an obligation
|
! legal and moral force And in that very IN
strument, which the bill calls the fundamental
| law and OF such binding power, they Ac'
| knowledge or provide for the payment of tho
then and now existing debt III Elk separate
clauses. That the whole Of an instrument must
| be taken together to arrive at tho intention Is y
| canon of construction we learned IN tha horn
| books.
To save The makers and cndorscrs. ! tbai
that they ought to have the benefit f that
| canon.
But tho friends of the bill say that tho amount
of tax is specified within certain limits which
shall be paid for the support of free Schools and
which is binding on tho Legislature. So much
the worse for their argument. For tho Consti-
tuition does not limit the amount which shall BIO
| laid for payment of the debt, and which Is At
least mono tho less obligatory. J. cannot, there
upon the ground Of necessity for tho .presorVa-
ton Of the States sovereignty and existonca or
| the obligation Of the organic law. 1t Is fiat
denial Of the latter in it's refusal To carry ont lis
provisions for the payment Of the debt.
Nor can l see how the fifth clause brings any
| relief In my view l am not aware OF any pow
or in the Legislature to take away or force the
creditors ito compromise their legal rights" and
| 1T had, would it be any aolace, after having
used it TO say it was not meant? Nor is it
any moro solaco alter having in this
very net taken away those rights, to tell
| tHem IL ID Ouly OUIlC Will ID pun po@o w sCCu' q
IN adjustment of their debt" Is there any bet
ter tmo than now TO carry out that purpose :
This bill docs not help to that end. am sorry
| TO say l SEQ no peace in it 1t is q proclamation
of war against those to whom We are in debt. 1t
| is an array Of the will Of tho Legislature
against tho rights Of the creditors. Under
tho Constitution of tho State we have
sworn to support. there is tribunal to decide
| that issue Beyond the Stale there Il another
| Constitution to obey which as the supreme law
our oaths equally bind us. Under its provisions
there is also tribunal to which there is appeal.
Those have both spoken. Why seek them sgan,
even though sure of etfecting reversa! when
We can try TO secure an adjustment" which Will
| bring peaco without loss of time or credit.
| Is it beneath the dignity Of the Stale to look
upon it as plain business matter? The crea-
ton of the debt was SO, why not its payment or
adjustment? 1t is not by indirect and doubtful
ways that things that are good and great are
done. am worry sure you do not mean such
ways though the world might think you did,,
and that by some subtle alchemy you intended
to dissolve that golden chain which, however
or wherever we may 20, must always bound
| and bind both States and men.
| F. w. Nj. HOLIDAY.
|