Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-01-04
.....yANuARY ., 1855.


slto tRroHfctc emphasizes the words
Ne Consultation as IL is,' In referring
to the objection raised by its opponents
that tho BLAIR bill is unconstitutional.
We mentioned yesterday the fact that
southern congressman were in the days
Of old e. before the war y so strict in
their construction Of the Federal Con-
stitution that they allowed the North to
grow rich upon their conscientious scru-
pulousness. The men who represented
northern constituencies voted as a
rule, though there were some ex-
ceEtious amongst the northern Demo-
ocrats, for appropriations Of money for
the improvement Of almost sill sorts Of
rivers anS harbors. The men who rep
resented southern constituencies voted
as rule, though there were some ex-
ceptions amongst the southern Wings,
against all bills for the Improvement Of
rivers and harbors except such Of these
as were clearly so important as to rem
der the work upon them national III its
character.
Mr.. CALHOUN styled the Mississippi
river an 'sinland sea- and expressed
himself in favor Of its improvement
because il was an "inland sea-"
lie wns, ct the time an aspirant TO the
Office If President Of the United States.
and candidate for the nomination Of
the Democratic National Convention for
that Office, and was charged by his oppo-
ncnts with having . stopped to con-
quer.- General CAss, under the same
circumstances. had some difficulty in
pleasing both his northern and his south
crn friends. As the representative in
the United States Senate of a State al
most surrounded by navigable waters
= State having Lake Michigan and Lake
Huron on three Of its four sides
Geaeral CAss was almost compelled
% be an advocate Of the appro-
pristion Of money out of the Fede-
raj Treasury to improve rivers and
harbors. And yet it was made an OBJ
lection to him in the South that he was
an advocate Of such appropriations.
: Nevertheless, the conscientious oppo-
<Iftp of southern congressman to such
~ had no other effect than TO enrich
(kern communities and impoyerish
t1(Aern communities. Conscientious
tesuples availed to prevent the improve
men, Of southern rivers and harbors
because nobody was anxious to force
appropriations upon communities UNI
willing 10 receive them. But conscien-
tious scruples never availcd to prevent
the improvement of northern rivers and
harbors,
But for the state Of things hereinbe-
fore described. Richmond city might
have had twenty-edd feet of water up
to her docks thirty years ago; and II
she had hld it, she would by this time
have grown to be city Of more than
hundred thousand souls--possibly two
hundred thousand.
Let us not repeat this folly. The
northwestern and western States have
grown rich on the school funds which,
Congress has given to those States in
the form Of public lands. Millions upon
millions ofdollars have thus been thrown
into their Golfers. Their admirable
public schools, supported by funds
obtained from the National Treasury,
have attracted hundreds Of thousands
Of settlers, and have thus been one Of
the instruments which have caused those
States to excel the southern States in
population and wealth.
We regret that Virginia cannot now
hope TO obtain aid so princely from the
General Government. But she need
not for this reason refuse TO receive the
few millions which are within her reach.
II she could get enough to make her
public schools in every county in the
State equal TO those in the northern
States, these schools would at once
draw to Virginia large number of
settlers
We now copy from the Chronicle:
The BLAIR EDUCATIONAL Bill
II is 70 be hoped that the southern rep
sesensstives In Congress viii not allow
any strained ideas Of strict construction
to deter them from giving hearty sup
port to this bill, which proposes 20 di-
vide large sum annually for educa-
tional purposes among the States in pro-
portion 70 illitcracy. Such an aid to our
crippled school-system would be God
send, indeed. We are not in the habit
Of sneering At constitutional scruples,
and II We believed this bill was VIOLA
tire Of tho Constitution as Il is, we
would not approve Of IL; bat II is sup
ported BY too many prccedents, by
which al sections but the South have
profited 70 the extent Of hundreds Of
rniisSans. for us 70 hesitate to accept the
ed Il offers. The Sonth has been pre-
cipiisted into . slough Of despond BY
xreet crime Of the National Govern
sn<nt, ard II Il Is ever 70 emerge from
Il. Il must b. by the aid Of the strong
arm Of that Government.
The BLAIR bill proposes 70 give
Virginia an average Of not much less
thsa ! million Of dollars year for
ssvsn yeArs--squal % : tax Of more
klan thirty cents on the hundred dol
In n III re real estate in the con-
neaweAllh.