Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1883-09-07
heir successors by the Governor.

but as shown by w. g. Elan, Sec. of
| Com in House Doc. No. II. there were
in 1881, 400 notaries in the State, and even
for the mere pittance of the meagre ON
cial fees, it was thought by the Prophet
that their faalty could be purchased.
| 8. University of Virginia. The prlde
and glory of the State had few officers
and employees within her limits engageo
in the care and preservation of the prop
erty, and in the discharge of the current
business of the institution. Throughout
the period of the war, and the scarcely
less troubled days of reconstruction peace
and quiet reigned within her closters.
| But now a greater exigency had come;
Men were wanted, and places were needed
to buy them.
| The University possessed treasure IN
one who combined with rare excellence
the qualifications of Proctor, Bursur ana
Superintendent of Grounds. This man.
who brought to his work an enthusiasm
and energy guided by talent, learning ana
| experience, was, with the other Otlcers
and employees of the University, cast out
to make way for hungry crew, whose
demands required tina. the places they
sought should be increased and multi
piled. No sooner had the fetid breath OF
the politician touched the place than the
Professors began to abandon it-one to
New York and another to Texas.
| 4. Debauchment of the Public Schools
There was one institution OF our state
government whose operations were not
confined to offices, departments or port,
| fOliOs-Was not bound round with red
! tape or stifed with stiff and fprblddlng
forms-it was the Public Free School Sys-
tenn. Its benign influence was felt in the
homes of the people. "The common peo-
pie heard it gladly" 1t had become diff
| fused over the State, and the machinery
of its powerful operation appeared in
every village and hamlet. 1.-The school
master was abroad in the land.' The hurt
full eye of the Prophet fell upon this. He
saw the vast human machinery of the
system. and he noted the deep and earn
est hold it was taking upon the esteem and
confidence Of the people.
He despised the ennobling and eleva-
ting objects of its foundation he saw IN
it only the Instrument fitted to his hand,
for, planting in every city, town, village,
and country neighborhood in the State
a political agent and tool, who, under the
guse of school trustee or teacher, would
draw his ''blood money" or salary, from
the school fund of the people. Accord
ingly,
House Joint Resolution No. 273 was in
PRODUCED, which declared that the offices
counties of the State of Virginia shall be
vacated on July 81, 1882. and their sue
cessors shall be appointed IN the manner
herein provided 1t shall be the duty of
! the Board Of Education, as soon as prac-
ticable after the passage of this act, to APP
point thsees trustees for each school dis
trict. If d vacancy occurs in the office of
district school trustee, the Board of Edu-
cation shall fill the same.
:. Observe! The Board of Education is
composed of the Governor. Superinten-
dent of Public Instruction, and the At
torney- General. The Consultation pro-
vides, Art. VIII, sec. 8, SIN each school
district there shall be elected or appointed
annually one school trustee, - etc.
Sec. 7, Chap IS. Code 1878. makes it the
duty of the Board of Education to appoint
and remove district school trustees until
otherwise provided. By Chap. II, Acts.
1867. vacancies existing or occurring in
district boards of School Trustees. shall be
filled by the joint action Of the County
superintendent of Schools, the County
Judge, and the Attorney for the Common
wealth in each county, who are hereby
created board for that purpose The
joint resolution proposed to take away
from the home boards the power Of filling
vacancies. and lodge it in the board at
Richmond, and then to create vacancies
in the offices of all district school trustees
in the State, in order that the Richmond
board might fill them. The joint resolu-
ton failed. but in anticipation that it
would become law, an instrument had
been chosen to execute its provisions in
the spirit that has quickened their con-
ceptiOn. He is DOW masQuerading in the
domino of superintendent of Public In
struction, but had disclosed his real self
in his official report Of 1882. where, on p
70, he comments on the motives and con-
duct of one of the eminent judges of the
state. as follows 1.-THE Normal Collegiate
Institute was intended to meet this want
but the Judge, with his injunction, has
killed it for the present, and doubtless he
would be glad if it were never revived. >
That such coarse and indecent vulgarlty
should defi]e any public record in Virginia
} is shame that must glow even through
the stupid ignorance of this low creature
s. Commissioner in Chancery BiU.-The
laws of this State have always had jeal
GUS regard to the fidelity with which ont
who is intrusted, by law, with the proper
ty of others should render au account of
} Gerry are appointed by the Courts, in every
county and city, to settle and state &C.
counts. Generally they are accurate AND
skilful accountants-men of trained pa
thence, of quiet tastes and peaceful habits
} For their peculiar work, which few of us
are qualified to perform, they receive from
rs cents to 81 90 an hour, of actual work
That was opportunity enough for the
Prophet. If the per diem depended only
upon The oath of the Commissioner, why
an active Commissioner could make $1(
or SIS per day all the year round. So they
proposed all that incumbents should be al
once removed, and the faithful placed in
their stead.
6. Lunctic Asylum BiU.-The cruel and
J heartless atrocity of this wicked schemel
eliminated in this. The instincts of an
enlightened humanity had founded these
noble charities TO be the homes of those
whom God in his providence, had depriv
ed of their reason. And here, without
stint, was provided all that was needful
for their comfort or their cure. Here had
been chosen learned, skilled and devoted
physicians. some of whom had passed thir-
ty years within these walls, whose fame
had passed beyond the limits of the State,
and to whom "divers came from far" ia
be healed
Here two, we're matrons, nurses and at
PENDANTS whose places could not be filled
for gold, whose long and patient training
enabled them to minister to the mind
diseased" and whose genJleness, patience
and genuine concern for their patients
had won the confidence and affection of
the sufft rers
In war and in peace civilized men have
had respect for retreats like these, as the
soldier respects the spot Swallowed by the
yellow flag. The mailed hand of civil war
had devasted the region round about it,
but it was not laid upon this. The law
less hordes of the Reconstruction have had
followed upon the war, as the locust fol-
lowed after the palmer worm. and as the
canker worm followed the locust. They
had sapped dry the sources of Virginia s
wealth. They had fastened upon her by
organic law institutions of government
unadapted to the genius and character of