Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1883-09-18
A Plain Proposition.

mOnd State says, 1.-The ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
vative party in it's platform adopted at
Lynchburg declared that it would adhere to
the debt settlement now reached, and OPP
pose all action looking to its repeal; and it
also declared and pledged itself in good
faith to carry out the plan, that it would
pass laws providing for entirely separate
black and white schools by giving to each
teachers, superintendent and trustees of
their own color, and dividing fairly the
school money.
One would suppose that this last propo-
sition was plain enough to be understood
by everybody, and that it was also fair
enough to satisfy even the most exaeting
friend of the negro and negro education;
but, strange to say, while some Mahoneite
speakers affect to believe it contrary to the
Constitution, which it is not, but fully in
keeping with the letter and spirit of that
instrument others object to it, notably the
editor of the Valley Viryinian, the Oldest
Republican paper in the State, because they
say it will destroy the negro schools? That
is terrible confession for them to make.
The negroes cannot be entrusted with their
own schools and the means of carrying them
on! They are not Competent to teach, or
take charge of negro schools; but they are
competent to oversee and take charge of
white schools in the city of Richmond, where
they have been placed over our white sons
and daughters by Gov. Cameron! They
either prove loo much or too little in this,
and we leave it to themselves to work out
their own solution of the problem ; but sure
ly if negroes are fit persons to entrust with
the education of white children, they ought
to be altogether competent to take charge
Of their own schools.
There is another point in this matter to
which we have already referred, but which
seems to necessitate constant hammering if
we would drive it home to the comprehen-
sion of some people, and especially to those
Mahoneites who do not wish to understand
it, and that is: the constitutionality CT the
division of the schools. Now it is plain
State prohibiting this division on the line
of color, or any other line; but, on the con-
trary, the Constitution, so far from limit
ing the power of the Legislature over the
schools, extends it SO as to give that body
| complete control, as was the intention of
| the Radical convention which fabricated it.
That convention believed it would have a
| Radical Legislature to put It's Constitution
in force, and therefore did not limit it's
powers save in rare cases. In Article VII,
as we showed few days since, relating to
school officers, this clause is added:
''But nothing in this article shall be con-
strued as prohibiting the General Assembly
from providing by law for any additional
officers in any city OF county"
Plainly, then, the General Assembly may
provide by law for additional superinten-
dents and trustees of schools, and these
may be colored men, and be assigned to
the charge of the colored schools.
But, again, in Article VIII, relating
wholly to education, we find the following
provision:
"The General Assembly shall fix the
salaries and prescribe the duties of all
school officers, and shall make all needful
laws and regulations to carry into effect
the public free-achool system provided for
by this article"
Is further proof or demonstration neces-
sary to show that the General Assembly
has full control in the matter, and may, if
it seesproper place black men over the black
schools as teachers, superintendent and
trustees, and fix the salaries, just as it has
the right to declare there shall be white
teachers, superintendent and trus tees for
white schools and fix their salaries, paying
strict regard, however, to the constitution
al provision, which declares that the school
system shall be uniform-that is, that no
discrimination in favor of the one race as
against the other shall be lawful %