Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1885-01-16

which the press of Virginia, almost without
exception, has advocated the passage OF the
Blair educational bill. In my judgment this
bill presents the most important issue that is
now before Congress- The question of reve-
nue. reform is, undoubtedly, one of vast mo-
ment, but it yields in Importance to this great
measure for the education of the 'illiterates"
of our country. and especially of the South
A revision of the tariff affects large pecuniary
reaches further-it involves the vital princi-
pies of our government. The virtue and in
telligence of the people are the foundations on
which free institutions rest. To make the
people virtuous and intelligent they must be
educated. To leave them in ignorance is to
power, or, in other words, is to neglect the
highest duty of citizenship.
The liberation of some seven millions of il
iterate negroes and their investment with the
elective franchise, has opened up source of
danger to the Southern States, which can
hardly be overestimated. Recent events in
Virginia have abundantly proven this fact
How is this danger to be met? All thought
full men must admit that the only efficient
remedy is, by making war on the ignorance
which is its true cause.
For the Southern States in their impover-
ished condition, to attempt to uproot this
! great evil, by their unaided efforts would in
volve a taxation bordering on confscation.
This fact is recognized on all hands, and Con-
| gress now offers to appropriate about seventy
millions of dollars in a series of annual in
stalments in aid of the great work of enlighten-
| ment of those who have become snch impor-
tant factors in our politics. The bill has
passed the Senate and now awaits the concur
rent action of the House of Representatives
| And yet, strange to say, rumor affirms that
some of the representatives, or more properly,
misrepresentation of the South, are opposed to
| this benefcent measure 1t is to be hoped there
is some mistake on this point In view of this
rumor it is proper that the press and the peo-
pie shall give prompt and emphatic express
sion to their sentiments, and demand that
those who profess to be their representatives
| shall yield obedience to their wishes Repre-
sentatives are servants not masters of the peo-
pie. They are sent to Congress to reflect the
wishes and advance the interests of the peo-
pie. They must be made to understand the
full force of this great truth. Their crotchets
and ante deluvian notions must not be allowed
| to stand in the way of the welfare Of the peo-
pie. The people of Virginia are tired of hair
| splitting distractions. They have awakened
| to a lively sense of the fact that the admins
tration of government is a practical affair, to
| be regulated by common sense and business
| principles.
| The people of Richmond have before their
| eyes practical illustration of the a6surdity
of political metaphysics and sky-scraping alb
stractions every time they cast their eyes down
the channel of the noble river which gives
them such imperfect access to the sea. For
near half a century, the so-called Representa-
tives of their district in Congress, persistently
voted against every appropriation by the Fed
eral government for the improvement of the
navigation of the James. But for this short
sighted folly (and everybody now admits it
was folly) Richmond would have had now a
clear and unobstructed channel to deep water
| adequate to all the purposes of commerce.
Shall we now repeat this folly in another
form? Shall we allow the canker ignorance,
| to destroy the foundations of our free institu-
tions? Shall we by rejecting the profered aid
of Congress strengthen the power by which
Adventures like Malone threaten the welfare
of Virginia? The answer of the people is, No!
| thousand times No!
Very respectfully yours. &C.,
ALEX. II. HI. STUART.