Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-10-02


son, Hoar, Logan. and Morrill,. On the
Democratic side we find Senator'S Gar
land, Lamar, Brown, Call, George,
Hampton, Jones Of Florida, Push,
Ransom, Vance, Williams, Gibson, and
Voorhces--all of whom made able and
eloquent arguments urging the immedi-
ate passage Of the bill. The debate
one Of the most memorable in the his
tory Of the Senate continued for three
weeks. On the last day-the day the
bill passed--SeDator Ingalls, (Republi-
CAM, of Kansas, undertook to give the
discussion a political turn, but was
promptly met by his Republican COL
league, the junior Senator from Vir-
ginia, Mr.. Riddleberger, who exclaimed
with characteristic ardor:
"Why should we stand here and
discuss politics on an educational bill /?
Is it not time for us to vote? Do you
ask the illiterate child that comes
around for half-dime for q missionary
society whether the politics Gifts father
are Democratic or Republican?
II say, therefore, land it is the only
speech | have to make that We should
eliminate politics from this matter and
determine the question here and now
whether this Government is able TO-
assist in this matter Of general educa-
tion."
The senior Senator from the same
State General Mahone) was not heard
from either by voice or vote upon the
passage Of the bill, and We are left in
doubt as to his position, but | assume
that you have found his colleague
during your present canvass promptly
and vigorously rebuking the unwise
and unpatriotic attempt to "discuss
politics in an educational BILL"
VIRGINIA IN THE VAN OF EDUcA-
TIoNAL MOVEMENTS.
If so, it is consistent with his re-
cord in the Senate and with the uni
form policy Of his native State. Vir-
ginia can point with honorable pride to
her action in the past upon this i'm
portant question. The first provision
made for free school in America was
made in Virginia. One year after the
Mayfower had touched Plymouth Rock
q great free school was established at
Henrico, Va. This was twenty-five
years before New England began her
educational system. Coeval with our
independence your State legislation
gave especial consideration to the
subject Of popular education. Your
immortal citizens George Wash
ington and Thomas Jefferson, the
first and third Presidents Of the
United States, both by word and deed,
urged universal education as essential
to free government. The munificent
gift by which Virginia coded to the
Federal Government the whole North
western Territory, aggregating in value
hundreds of millions of dollars, stands
to-day at once monument of the past
liberality and a plea for the present
necessity of your grand old Common
wealth. For it is well known that a
large part of this immense domain went
to build up successful school systems
in other States, while not one dollar
has it ever returned to the generous
donor.
Virginia, therefore, in this question
of education, has a double claim upon
the Federal Government, and in view of
her unseliish, patriotic, and splendid
record upon this subject, has she not
right to demand of all her citizens that
they should not allow temporary
partisan advantage to obscure the per-
manent glory and the benefit which will
follow the passage of this benefcent
bill for the education Of her children ?
Can we not have one public question UNI
touched by the poison of party spirit?
One eighth of our entire population
are illiterate. Virginia has over 40 per
cent. of illiterates, white and colored.
Its illiterate colored vote amounts to
one third of the voting population.
Slavery" said Hon. r. c. Winthrop
in his speech at Yorktown, is but
half abolished, emancipation is but half
completed while millions Of freemen,
with votes in their hands, are left with
out education" In the thirty-eight
States there are l,S7l,2l7 illiterate
voters, which is twelve times the ma
jority Mr.. Tilden had and over sixty
times the majority of Mr.. Garfield.
We are in the presence of great
peril. Ignorance and corruption hold
the balance of power and threaten the
life of the republic. Good men all
over the land stand ready to sink all
considerations in the one purpose to
overthrow this mass of ignorance. The
Bicknells, Waites, and Winthrops
the scholars. philosophers, statesmen,
and humanitarians Of the whole
Union, are laboring earnestly to help
us. Let us. then, help ourselves.
Putting aside all minor objects, let US
consecrate our undivided energies to
the passage of an educational bill in the
coming Congress. As one step in that
direction, let the true friends of the
cause in Virginia rebuke at the polls
the men who have, for selfish purposes,
thrust into your State canvass this
false, unnatural, and fatal issue.
| have the honor to be. very truly
yours, albert ). WILLIS.
Hon. John S. BdrboVr, Aierdadria,
Ia.