The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-04-29
A WautOn Outrage.

The action OF the State Board Of Educa-
riOn in appointing two colored men upon
the Public-SchOOl Board Of Richmond has
naturally aroused great indignation among
The white people OF that city. They look on
il a n cruel and wanton outrage upon the
community, inspired by devilish partisan
malignitv; and II IL not strange that Il
should be 80 regarded, I'm view Of the fact
that these colored men-One OF whom il
spoken Of as ga rabid partisan are APP
pointed to take The places Of white tax
payers who baye 20 managed the schools Of
the city rs 10 make them as good a. the
best"
II Is idle 10 urge I'm defence OF this gross
outrage that the members OF the State
Board were constrained thereto by their
oaths OF office, for there is nothing in the
( State ConstitutiOn-notmng in any statute,
state or Foderal-nothing even in the pro-
I visions Of the Federal enforcement act
(%recently declared unconstitutional by the
United States Supreme Court which so
much as squints at such n requirement.
And If is q clear case. rs the Dispatch re-
marks. "that ii there were such Il cOnsti-
t%utional requirement il would open the
white public schools of this city to negro
pupils. II there must be negro trustees,
there must be negro pupils"
But there was no yacGncy in the Rich
mond City School Board. All the places
were tilled by white citizens % the highest
character and fitness, under whose foster,
in2 care the schools were fulfilling their
beneicent mission and had become the
PRIDE and ornament OF the city.
Tia paltry preteXt for the State Boards
action IN removing school trustees, grow
ing ont OF their failure TO take certain
oaths within a specified time, has been de-
cldcd untenable by Judge Bassett French,
himself keadi uster, i'm the case Of the
Manchester school trustees, i'm which all
The questions bearing upon the tenure OF
the richmond trustees were involved; 90
that lhc law actually had to be violated by
the state Board in order to carry out It's
partisan designs. In other words. white
men who were in every way acceptable 10
the community. and under whom the
schools were ilOurishing, were removed
without warrant OF law, i'm order that these
Objectionable colOred men might be ap-
pointed. Under such circumstances. is il
too much 10 say that this action Of the State
Board l. a wrong TO the Richmond COM
munity which calls for the severest rebuke
from the people OF the entire state Z
Ii the law bad provided for the appoint
ment OF negro trustees to visit and man
age negro schools there would have beennO
objection ID 1t, but A. the Dispatch points
out these two negroes will actually hayea
voice III electing the teachers and principals
OF all the white public schools i'm the city.
and viii often hold the balance of power
a. between " white applicants for the
position OF teacher
1t i, needless to say that no sincere
friend Of the public schools will approve
this action OF the state Board, for il estab-
fishes a precedent which ii followed up
throughout the state will utterly destroy
their efficiency for good.
The white people OF the State are willing
M The future, Is in 1.-THE past. to pay the taxes
which sustain the public schools. but they
will not submit TO the interference Of negro
trustees in white schools at tie bidding Of
gr0yelling paItiSans who really care no
thing for the schools except insofar as
they can be used TO secure votes and plum
der Tor their party Winchester Times.