The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-01-04
National Aid to Public Schools.

ca,,.a the earnest attention OF Congress and
Of their fcllow-citzens 10 the need OF ma
fiona, a,d IN the States In the work OF fur-
nishing free education TO all The people
Prior 20 the emancipation Of the slaves the
states were able. with ihe help the new
states derived from grants OF land, to estab-
lisb and maintain school systems d more or
less efficiency. What was done by the
States did not, however, prevent large
amount OF illiteracy; and sagacious
n,triots and statesmen often urged
the adoption Of more energetic measures
70 relieve the country Of the danger re-
shifting from so much Ignorance. when
the negroes were liberated and "citi-
zenizcd.- fearful increase was made TO
the mass of illiteracy. When those sud-
electromagnetic negroes, unframed IN
civil duties. had the ballot thrust into their
unprepared hands, all who stopped 10 tnink
and were not blinded by ianaticism OF mad
partisanship fel.that here was strain upon
our free institutions heavier than any 10
which they had previously been subjected
An ignorant voter is not per Sc to be desired.
Patriotism, party organization, personal
honesty. common sense sharpened by con-
tact withmon, may, in some instances, check
o. prevent the evil effects OF ignorant sur
frage, but by itself, unrestraned, unreme-
died. il is n serious danger. The derivation
OF all political power from the people is one
of our fundamental maXims. II this peo-
pie, in any large measure, are ignorant,
then the sources Of power are impure, ana
what comes from those sources must be
looked upon with distrust and fear. lg-
norance qualities for nothing good, GER
tainly not for discharging the most impor-
tant duties of citizenship. The census OF
1880 shows, in Virginia, $780, persons
ten years Of age and over who cannot read.
This is 1888 per cent. OF our population,
and Is suggestive enough without CON-
ment.
II is narrow view OF this subject to
limit it to its bearings upon suffrage. IL has
wider and more important sphere OF in
fIuence. Men are citizens and voters, but
they are more. Women are not voters, but
they arc citizens and more. In all domestic
and social relations, in the family, in the
marts Of business. in the production and
exchange of wealth, intelligence is as much
needed as at the ballot-boX, and ignorance
in the places and pursuits mentioned is the
prolific parent Of innumerable evils.
AS a matter OF self-preservation, the
General Government may well come to the
aid of the States in the removal and pre-
vention OF illiteracy. No better scheme
for depicting a plethoric treasury can be
suggested than one which increases the
capacity Of the people for self-goyernmcnt
and their producing capacity at the same
time.
As the result OF abolition, the southern
States were saddlcl with an undue proper
ton of illiterate voters and citizens, most
OF whom were non-taX-payers. Negroes
were suddenly transformed from dependent
slaves into independent freemen. No sane
man looks upon the negroes as other than
citizens, with ell the rights and privileges
OF other citizens. In the establishment OF
public schools and in efforts to educate the
newly-eniranchiSed, the South sincethe war
has done grandly. Millions OF dollars TO this
end have been paid by the white people.
Under the circumstances the establishment
Of free schools was a heroic undertaking.
Our material prosperity is far below what
it was in ante-bellum days. The mayor OF
Charleston, s. c., in his message last April,
said the assessed values in that city in 1860
amounted to S45,000,000, and in 1880 to
$4,000, 000-a reduction by more than one
half of the taxable values of Charleston.
Accurate statistics would show large, if
not an equal, shrinkage of values in all the
southern States. DEXTER HAWKINS, Esq,
Of New York, SAYS the assessed valuation
for taxation Of property, both real and per-
sonal, in nine southern States in 1860 was
1924, $50. 4OS, and in 1870 had been re-
duced to 81, $50, s63,1SC. Governor Brown,
OF Georgia, goes further, and estimates the
value of the slaves liberated by act OF the
Federal Government at two billion dollars.
just at the time of these diminished re-
sources comes the need TO educate 80 per
cent. more children.
i. is impossible for the South unaided to
educate all within her borders. While she
asks no exemption from all just obligations,
this duty Of free education does not rest on
her exclusively. DR.. SEARS in 1879 said
there were two millions OF children i'll the
southern States without the means Of in
struction. Increasing efficiency OF school
systems is daily gadditionalmeans,
but the latest reports Of State superintend-
cnts show wide difference between the
number Of educahle children and those in
actual attendance at schools.
Northern epresentatives--wc have here
toiore made honorable mention of Mr..
BLAIR, Of New Hampshire-are eyincing a
liberal spirit on this question Of national
aid TO education, and they should have the
enthusiastic and unceasing cooperation Of
every southern congressman. We append,
rs confrmatory OF our views, an extract
from President GARFIELD's inaugural:
"The census has already sounded the
alarm in the appalling figures which mark
how dangerously high the tide Of ill;te-
racy has risen among our voters and their
children.
"To the South this question is Of SUI
preme importance; but the responsibility
for the existence Of slavery did not rest
upon the South alone. The nation itself is
responsible for the extension of the suf-
frage. and is under special obligations 10
aid in removing the illiteracy which il has
added 10 the voting population. For the