Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-09-16
wEDNEsDAY.....sEPTR IT, 1885.
The Blair Education Bill.

The Mahoncites have noodeu '"e
State with . pamphlet purporting 70
.bov " Democratic Hostility to Popular
Educstion." and that donation OF
t7s. 6s1 ,904 was " defeated by Demo-
cratic House Of Representatives" which
body thus withheld yirginia's share
amounting to "s5,3l0, 469.os." These
last figures remind us, by the way Of
tbs two cents which MALONE added TO
the debt Of thirty-odd millions, when
in 1879 he said Virginia owed and ne
was willing to pay.
What shall we say-what need we
s.y-in contradiction Of the prepos-
ferrous statements Of this MALONE
pamphlet
Who is amongst the ablest, as he
was amongst the first, of the advocates
Of the BLAIR bill? Hon. j. l.. NJ.
CURRY.
We need not point to our own course.
Our readers know that we have from
the beginning advocated the BLAIR
bill, as we have the public-school sys-
TEN. The Dispatch has always voiced
the popular will on this subject.
But it is not to Democrats in private
life that we are called upon to refer.
We could name hundreds Of leading
Democrats in Virginia. We are ex-
pected TO show that the leaders of the
Democratic party in Congress favor the
BLAIR bill.
The BLAIR bill has never been voted
upon in the House Of Representatives.
Whenever it comes up upon its pas
sage there will not be, we predict,
dozen men of either party in that body
who will dare to oppose it. The people
stand behind that bill, and they will
see that it shall become the law Of the
land.
But the BLAIR bill was passed long
ego by the United States Senate. 1t
was voted for in that body by Governor
Brown and Governor COLQUITT, Of
Georgia, CALL Of Florida, GARLAND
of Arkansas, GEORGE Of Mississippi,
General WADE HAMPTON of South
Carolina, JACKSON Of Tennessee,
JONAS Of Louisiana, JONES Of Florida,
KENNA of West Virginia, PUGH of
Alabama, RANSOM Of North Carolina,
and WILLIAMS Of Kentucky, all of
them Democrats, or, if you prefer the
word, "Bourbons. Are not these
men representative Democrats? Do
they not speak for the whole Democrats
party of the country? Does this fact
not show clearly that in those southern
States which are charged with desire
to suppress the negro vote the Demo-
Gratis are almost unanimously in favor
OF q bill which provides in effect for
elevating and educating the negro
voters?
1t must be remembered, however,
that whilst North Carolina, South Caro-
lima, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mis-
sissippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Ken
lucky, Tennessee, West Virginia,
Democratic States, all cast affirmative
votes on the question of the passage oil
the BLAIR bill by the United States
Senate, MILAN MAHONE's name is
not recorded amongst the names Of the
senator's engaged in that good work
Where was he when this important bill
was subjected to the test of the yea
and nays?
Who was the northern Republican
orator whom the Mshoneites invites
last year to Virginia, and announces
with q great flourish Of trumpets, woul'
speak in Southwest Virginia? 1t wa
Senator HAwLEy, Of Connecticut, VIII
voted against the BLAIR bill.
Who was the northern Republics
with whom General MALONE was re
Gently in consultation presumably upo
ell the questions that are likely thi
year 10 affect the Virginia Senator
political fortuness II was Senate
PLUMB, Of Kansas, another opponel
Of the BLAIR bill.
In the pamphlet We have alluded
the question is asked, DO the Peep
forget that Governor HOLIDAY sa
that education was a luxury to be Ct
joyed only by those who could pay f
\ it, Unfortunate reference. Who nom
mated HoLIrDAY for Governor oy,
TALIArERRo, DANIEL, FIrz LEI
TERRY, and the rest Of Il
aspirantsy General WILLIAM NJ
HOMES friends. In the Convex
ton Of 1877, after six ballots, NJ
tnow Governor) CAMERON, "addres
ing the Convention, said he was here
withdraw the name Of General WI
LIAM MALONE" lie added that
thought "ths Valley Of Virginia Dug
to have the selection Of the Govern,
Of Virgin Mr.. JOHN s. WISE all
spoke for HOLIDAY. Mr.. RIDDLl
BERGER moved 10 make the nomin,
ton Of HOLIDAY by reclamation
but was ruled out Of order. A lare
majority Of the delegates from Bee
ford, Pittsylsania, Campbell tunan
mousiy), Richmond, and other Demo
cratic strongholds voted for DANIEL
But HOLIDAY was nominated, an'
his nomination was claimed IS . vic
tory BY and for the Mahoneites.
But Il 70 said that the national Dem