Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1885-08-14
THE RECORD.

SllOttlu Dc circulated. III We ulu,
we should think we had a very un.
fit candidate. That Captain Wise
was an earnest and able advocate
of the Blair educational bill we
no doubt. Among other reasons
why we cannot support bourbon
ism is that it stands opposed by
its every act to the education of the
children Of our state. For this Oul
platform and our candidates all
speak in unmistakable terms, and
the people understand the difference
between the acts of the one party
and the words of the other. But We
find going therounds, in newspapers
and campaign circulars, that Capt
Wise "was also the active friend
OF the Blair Educational Bill and
the only Virginia congressman who
made a record on that subject"
The first declaration is true. The
second is not. Every democrat
there made a negative record
against the bill, but there were
other congressman from Virginia
who made records for it. To allow
this wholesale detraction to go un-
challenged could do the republican
cause in our state no good. On
the contrary it would work no
little harm. Every intelligent reader
understands that congress is COM
posed of a Senate and House of
Representatives and that Senator'S
and Representatives are alike "cOn-
gresmau.' The two bodies con-
stitute congress. 1t is to correct
the above, so far as one man is
concerned, that we present the
following from the records:
Congressional Record, page 2212,
March 81. 1884.
Following Senator Ingalls, in re-
ply to proposition Of Senator
Vance of North Carolina.
Mr.. Riddleberger. Mr.. President,
| wish we could get back TO the
real purpose of this bill. | under
stood when 1t was introduced here
that its object was to make an ap.
preparation which should be APP
pOrtiOned among the States for the
education of the children without
resi- ect to color. 1t is of very little
consequence to those children what
the illiteracy of the several States
amounts to in percentage. 1t is Of
very little consequence whether
North Carolina asks for this or
whether Kansas asks for it. We
have come here, | understand, to
pass this bill, if at all, in order to
appropriate money to educate the
children of the States. | do not
come as a beggar, as the
Senator from Moth Carolina says !;
neither do | come here to say that
| am unwilling to receive it on any
term. care not what terms you
may impose there can not be any
dishonorable terms accompanying
a proposition Of this sort.
Why, sir, | have grown up in a
community where the women meet
together and quilt and knit and
sew, and the children 60 around
and beg garments Gf you choose
to call it begging, in the language
of the Senator from North CarOlina),
gather together their pennies and
half-dimes and dimes to send off for
the purpose of educating the little
negroes in Africa. That is not called
begging, even though my child or
yours may 60 around asking for
contributions. That which the
Senator from North Carolina calls
begging for aims is deemed praise
worthy where the purpose of the
collection is to educate the heather
so that they may understand the
great doctrine of Christ's divinity
and the salvation Of souls. Every
body says that is all right. If it
be all right to do these things, why
should we stand here and discuss
politics on an educational bill? Is
1t not time for us to vote ! Do You
ask the illiterate child that comes
around for a half.dime for a mis-
siOnary society whether the poll
tics of its father are Democratic or
Republican?
Sir, the question is, whether this
Government is able to make this
appropriation; whether it is con-
stitutional to make it ; and whether
it is promotive of the general wei
fare to do it. Sir, if we had had
no education we should have had
no Constitution, we should have
had no republic, and no republican
institutions.
say therefore land it is the only
speech l have to make), that we
should eliminate politics from this
matter and determine the question
here and now whether this Govern.
ment is able to assistin this matter
of general education. # it is able,
then say whether it has the consti.
tutiOnal power, and | believe that
is generally conceded. Then | ask
Senators to eliminate politics from
this discussion, and to vote for or
against this appropriation as ac-
cording to their Judgment IS right
and proper.
congressional Record page 2214.
In reply to Senator Vest of
Missouri.
Mr.. Rlddleberger. Mr.. Presi-
dent, very early in this session |
was admOnished by the Senator
from Missouri that he did not |
want any counsel or advice from
me and | am not going to give him
any.
That craftsmanship by which
you fix the price of soldiers
wages at $13 month and legislats
so as put "a barrel of flour at $50 by
way of keeping up the currency
will meyer be advised by me. Just
90 c.o1 ohouf fbof I fool ahouf