Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1881-01-19

Of Virginia provides that "tha General Assem-
oy shall provide by law st its first session undor
thls CONSTITUTION uuiform system of pubic
Tree schools, and for lis gradual, equal and full
introduction isto all tho counties of the State
oy the Eenr 1916, or as much earlier as pracli-
cable" p'"'''
ibis constitution vas framed 10 tho winter
OF ., 1868. so that when the convention ordered
tne school system to be put 10 full operation By
1910. they practically allowed eight years for
inc work. Knowing its difficulties under all the
surroundings.
The first Legislature did not meet till the 5.h
Day tt Ootobor. 1869, AID addressed itself at
once 10 'he undertaking, aud put tho system
INTO operation long before tho timo allowed by
tho constitution.
AS far as can recall DOW, not opo man who
Is DOW prominent as rea6juster was member
either of the convention or tho first Legislature.
lhst is not all. The State of Virgins having
received from Congress audscrip for tho cstab.
:l'hnc1t Of colleges, had to decide how to Us,
the fund. There was 20! ono dissenting voice
% to the distribution of ono third Of the
amount. The colorcd people had college at
Hampton, to which whites were not admitted,
and ono third of tho money was given to that
college by universal consent. As 10 tho boast
made so loudly, that under tho control of the
readjusttrs, put 10 offios year ago. the aif.irs
OF the State have boon better administered than
formerly, it must DO borno 10 mind that under
the McCulloch bill tho amount Of IS .O49 40. 70
was landed IN now bonds at 3 per cent, which,
before that tlmo bore 6 per cont, thus re-
ducing tho interest oIo half. and affecting an
al ho II
$40. OF which two thirds would BIO 10 tex
receivable coupons. OF tho sum fuadcd.
sos l31.90 OF bonds wero purchased fur tho
sinking fund, and have siro, been cauc,l
led; So that, whereas before tho PAS
sage Of the MoCnlloch bill the State had to
pay per cent 90 $S.C49 4l9. 10, it now pays 3
per can't on 81. GA, SD. so; and it is the saving
thus ctfected, and tho saving by the retreuch-
ment cots of the so called bourbon" IIegisla.
luro of lS77-7S that has msdo money moro
abundant 10 tho treasury, and not any skiful
or visa management of the officers Tho ap.
PREDECESSORS that General Mahono expresses
that after the end Of tho first ten years, when
the McCullpoh bill would commence drawing
per cent. interest," that tho people could not pay
it, seem wholly groundlcss. Would tho popu-
lallon. business aud property OF Virginia remain
stationary Tor tho whole ten years? Tho in
crease of tho Interest would be only ono per
cent. whereas tho population would probably
grow 20 per o,nt., and tho property, business
end general woath great deal more, and tho
sinking fund would each year diminish tho
principal OF tho debt. General Mahono and
tho Gonilemaa gcloDgiug TO his party we're 10
tull athIlatlon with those he calls "Bourbons"
till tho yer 1877. One of Tho largest and most
representative conventions that ever met 10
Virginia assembled in Richmo.d 10 the summer
OF 1877. 10 nominate candidate for governor,
lieutenant governor and attorney general, and
TO lay down p6rty platform. General Malone
was c1uddato before this convention for tho
nomination for governor, ADD wheu he failed 10
got 1t hls friends went over to Holiday, and
thus gave him tho nomination and election.
IL was not until 1919 that the readjusters, who
up 10 this time had acted insii 10 the democratic
met IN February, 1872 at Mcz,rt Hall, and
which for The iirst time established Themselves
as separate organiZ ltion. They appointed
thair own committee, laid down their party plat
form and organized in every county in the state.
10 show the purposes ofthe party, we need
ventlon was held on the 9th day of February,
1879, and tie McCulloch bill was not passed Til
the 18th day Of March after. Tho Mo" ut Hall
convention pronounced against the bill in ad-
vance thus disclosing their general opposition
to any sentiment that would DO likely to become
operative Gen; Mahono says: "rhe kiddeber-
ger bill rests the whole obligation upon the
good faith OF the peopls-!he highest pledge q
sovereign State can fIr and ought TO Give"
This declaration must be construed in the light
OF the fact tina! the MCH!rt Hall convention took
ground agaiust tho McCullo2h bill before it
became d law, and also, ia light of this
announcement, given o prominent place in the
Ina hat ha
OF the STATIC cannot be pledged nor delegated,
except lIr public service, and whom 70 piodged
OF delegated Is At any time revokablo by tho leg.
isls!ure:" That is TO say. tho State can mako no
contrtc. that any future legislo!ure cannot re-
pudla ate a: pleasure; that tho property or money
OF clllZsn may BIO obtained on tho promise OF
future payment. but when the day OF payment
docs come, though tho faith of The State has
oeen pledged, the plodgo can be revoked and
tho moley IN the treasury Which should BIO con-
secraled 10 tao redemption Of tho pledge and
the iu Ii mont Of The contrsc! cr tho state, and
TO tho pnyment 10 tho citzsu for his property,
may be applied by the legislature TO some cthor
anu different purpose, on the protence that the
pubic service required il! How much is tho
good faith worth tUat rests upon such an avowsl
al this!
lfthi5 portion Of their platform NODDED inter.
probation, it is easily found. Tho Richmond
wing 10 the known and acknowledged organ of
the party in Virgins, and in its issue of August
18th. 1879, it makes this editorial avowal: 'TNe
truth is that if Virginia should at once rcpudiatc
her anhoIe dcdt it'coud be tho most Effective means
possible to entice icthie her borders both CAPITAL
and immigrants"
=, And ono Frank 8, Blair, q leading orator of
inc party, who was temporary chairman of the
Mozart M Hall convention, and who contested with
fulkerson ct the lsto election for the congress
slonal nomination, mas kindly furnished the
pubic with an insight into tho designs of his
patty. He says, in a letter to friend, under
date OF March 23d, 1889, which said friond pub.
lisbed, this significant thing, viz:
O. Having achieved a great triumph in the
State on our view of the debt iseue, ',o,o faro,.
a .utgor0us application Of the rea,yustment pr!n.
cip.es to the national Debt"
After the public record. both of acts and do.
clarations that have been made-,fter thoy have
passed bill sealing down SO largely the obliga-
ticns OF The State given for property which is
still inside OF Virginia, and which will remain
SO. and which contributes every minute of the
day and night to the comfort. pleasure and BUSH
ness Transactions of the people, after one of their
Leaders had announced the purpose TO reach even
inc extent of rosdjusting the national debt; after