Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1881-02-22

lean peOple,-and more especially on the
Republican party, which made the ne
groes citizens and vOters-tO afford them
such means of education as will qualify
them for the intelligent discharge Of
their duties as such.
The Trustees of the Peabody Board,
at their annual meeting in February,
1880. brought this subject by memorial
prominently before Congress. The sub
Ject was referred to committees of both
houses, and bills were prepared, which.
l am sorry to say, are entirely made
quate to the end proposed. The bill
passed that body, but in form so emas-
culated as to render it mockery of the
claims of the two millions of colored
children who are now growing up with
out the means of instruction. The late
Dr. Barnas Sears, in one of his recent
reports to the Peabody Board, speaking
on this subject, says: 1.-THE mere neglect
of great opportunity may entail disas-
ter on them and their pOsterity, by suf-
fering horde of young barbarians to
grow up to prey ON the peace of society.
The peril, if once overlooked in this
critical moment, cannot afterward be
remedied by legal enactments and penal
measures. If men fail to take the neces.
sary precautions, by training the young
to be useful citizens, they must expect
to reap a corresponding harvest, and see
around them a community distinguished
for 'dwarfiish virtues and gigantic
yices.'n
If we were to judge from the frequent
and loud professions which have been
made on the floors of Congress, and at
the hustings, of friendship to the negro
race, we would naturally infer that
Congress would gladly avail itself of
any opportunity to render them q sub
stantial service. But such has not
proved to be the fact. The bills which
have been reported to the two houses
utterly ignore all peculiar claims on the
part of the cOiored population to have
tion, so, as it were, ito bring up lee
way" and to place them on a level with
their more fortunate white fellow.citi-
zens. Instead of appropriating (as re-
commended by the Peabody Board) the
whole proceeds OF the public lands, to
be applied for the first fourteen years to
the education of the two millions of in
digent colored children now appealing
for aid, and thereafter to the education
of the ignorant of all races and colors,
in all parts of the country, these bills
propose to set apart only the interest on
the annual proceeds, and to distribute
that, for series of years, on the basis
of illiteracy, among all the States. In
this shape, it is obvious that the bill will
be of no practical value, as it is doubtful
if it yield ten cents per annum for the
education of each illiterate child Mem
bers of Congress have low estimate of
the intelligence of the negro voters, If
they suppose that measure like this
will be accepted as a satisfactory pro-
vision for the colored children.
Let President Garfield have the cOur-
age to frown on this paltry attempt to
delude the poor negro by a ''sham,"
which, while it recognizes an obligation
to aid in the education of his children,
fails to fulfil it. All concede that the
President is man of great
ability and learning. He fully compre-
hends the necessity of the general diff
fusion of knowledge among the voters,
who are the source of all political power,
and the ultimate judges of all political
issues. If he will bring all the infiu-
ence of his great office to bear on the
public opinion of the country, he can
soon tight this great wrong. By con-
tributing to the enlightenment of the
mass of ignorant voters who now exist
in the Southern States, and of the larger
masses which are growing up without
the means of education, he can do JUS
tice to an unfortunate race, relieve the
Southern States from a burden and q
danger which oppresses them like
and give new dignity to
American citizenship.
Let him pursue this policy, which I
have indicated, with steadiness and en-
ergy, and he will win golden opinions
from all good men. He will do much
to restore an 'era of good feeling
among his countrymen, of all races and
colors, and, unless I am greatly mis-
taken, before his administration closes,
the "Solid South" will be a thing which
has ceased to exist.
Very respectfully, yours, &c.,s
ALEX. II. III. STUART.