Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1883-10-16
The Free Schools.

Inc 1lepuOllCdu press luu Speakers Cltlu
great credit for the school system, which in
most respects is credit to the State, and
which offers to all the children an opportu-
nifty to secure the foundation of substantial
English education. Their papers and
speakers have made this claim SO often and
SO confidently that they have made some
good Democrats believe that it is true.
We assert without the slightest fear of
successful contradiction that the Republi-
can-Readjuster- Coalition Malone party has
schools of Virginia; if for no other reason, be-
cause the Conservative-Dem party
had covered the ground before this party of
many aliases came into power. When the
Legislature assembled in 1862 it was con-
fronted by this constitutional provision Ar
ticle VII. s 3: "The General Assembly
shall provide by law at its first session IN
der this Constitution uniform system of
public free schools, and for its gradual,
equal and full introduction into all the
counties of the State by the year 1876. or as
much earlier as practicable" This Legis-
lature, composed of an overwhelming ma
.jority of Conservatives, in view of the wide
spread illiteracy existing in the State pa
triotically determined to put the system in
full operation at once, and the general law
approved by the Governor on the 18th of
July, 1870, provided in the language of the
Constitution for its full and complete intro
duction into all the counties of the State,
and stands to-day ON the statute books a
monument to the patriotism and liberality
of a Conservative Legislature. 1t was
chiefly the work of DIR. Ruffner, State Sup't
of Education, Col. Edmund Pendleton,
Chairman of the Senate Committee, and
Mai. Fl. II. Bell, Chairman of the House
Committee on Schools. These gentlemen
were Conservatives then, they are Demo-
Gratis now.
On the LIST of December, 1871, a new
Legislature assembled, which the Conserva-
tives controlled by a large majority. Dur
ing its term the law was amended and
changed as the experience of the first year
suggested. About this time it was devel-
oped that the coupon feature of the Fund
ing Bill would absorb funds properly be-
longing to the schools. The Funding Bill
was appealed, and every effort was made to
secure the payment in money of all taxes
levied for schools. The Courts declared The
Funding Bill of 1871 to be an irrepealable
contract and thenceforth urtil 1879 funds
dedicated to the schools were absorbed by
the coupon holder. On the 18th of March,
1873, bill was passed requiring the Audi
tor to turn over fifteen Thousand dollars in
money quarterly until the arrearages due the
schools were eXtinguished. On the 3rd day
of March, 1879, the Henkel bill became a
law; under its operation rs cents in the dol
lar of all the money assessed for school
purposes was kept in the hands Of the re-
spective county treasurers and paid over
directly to the schools, and by this wise
Democratic legislation the schools were
saved. Mr.. Henkel the author of this bill,
was democrat and is now the Democratic
candidate for the Senate in his district.
In November, 1879, the Coalitionists cap
tured the Legislature. Now, let US see
what they have really done for the schools.
With the Acts of the session of 1880 be-
fore US we assert that they did absolutely
nothing that term. During the session of
'S1-'82 they amended the Acts of March IA,
1873 and March 8, 10, so as to require the
Auditor to pay over quarterly $25 900 in
stead of SID, O00son account of the arrear-
ages due the schools, and to retain in tho
bands Of the county treasurers 80 cents ia
the dollar instead of IS cts. This Legisla-
ture sold the States debt of $4,000, 900 a.
gainst the A. NJ. 81 o. Railroad to the n. &;
W. road for $500, 900, and gave to the schools
fOur-fifths of that sum and gave the other
fifth to establish negro normal college,
This half million of dollars represented Sc
600, 600 which the State borrowed to aid in
constructing the line of road from Norfolk
to Bristol, and by every consideration of
honesty belonged to the States creditors
The Coalitionist Legislature preferred being
generous to being just.
This statement from the record shows
what the two parties have done the schools
We, the Democrats of Virginia, put the
system in operation five years before the
Constitution required us to do it. We, the
Democrats of Virginia, pay nine-tenths of
all the school taxes. We, the Democrats
of Virginia, fostered and improved the sys-
TEN until we were bound hand and foot by
the decision of the court of last resort. Then
by every conceivable device we endeavored
to escape the merciless coupon. At last a.
Democrat in a Democratic Legislature orig
mated the Henkel bill, which saved the,
schools. When these boosted saviorS of
the schools came into power they only add
ed small amount to our remedial mea-
sures, and gave away the trihing sum real
lied for $4,00O,000 debt, and we repeat
that common honesty demanded that they
should have paid the product of the At
lantic, Mississippi & Ohio transaction to the
men of whom we borrowed the money to
construct that road.
Democrats of Virginia, the free school
system is your work, and your work only
No other party or faction is entitled to the
credit. 1t is yours, and is proud monu-
inert to your liberality and philanthrophy.
You have nurtured and cherished it in the
past, you will do SO in the future. When
the blatant braggadocios of this unholy
Coalition claim that they are the peculiar
friends of the schools bring them to the re-
cord, and prove the assertion to be false
Sc0aScitle Courier
General Mahone's Washington organ
says tie General observes the assaults of