Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-02-04
WEDNESDAY. FEBRUARY 4, 1885
Good Advice.


The Lynchburg Adeance contains the
following paragraph;
THE BLAIR BILL.-We have re-
ceiyed pointed and able letter from a
prominent citizen Of Botetourt, which
strikes the point for Virginia TO consider
on this subject. He declines to let us
publish it, and we must be content with
saying that il urges the enthusiastic adj
yocacy OF the bill by the Virginia con-
gressmen rs the trump card in the pack
next fall, and he gives his reasons.
That prominent citizen of Botetourt
is a level-headed Democrat. Every
congressman from Virginia except one
fayors the passage Of that bill. II is
certain, too, that in the political cam
paign in Virginia Of this year the Dem
ocratic candidates for the Offices OF
Governor, Lieutenant-Governor. and
Attorney General, and for the Legisla-
ture. will have to commit themselves
either for or against that measure.
There will be no possibility of eyadlng
the issue, unless indeed the bill should
previously become law, OF which
there seems at present to be no proba-
biiity.
II, therefore, the Democrats who are
Directing to the BLAIR bill expect to
become candidates for positions of pub
lie trust, whether this year or in the
future, they are sowing seeds OF trouble
for themselves for the demand of the
people for aid from the Federal Govern
ment in periecting their public-school
systems will not cease until their object
has been attained. Every candidate for
Congress will next year have to face
the voters on this issue. Ii cannot be
avoided or evaded.
IT, on the other hand, the Democrats
who are Directing to the BLAIR bill do
not expect ever to ask the voters for
Office, they nevertheless have friends
who are ambitious of such honors.
These friends they are embarrassing by
an opposition which is fated to be fruit
less for if the signs Of the times may
be relied upon, nine-tenths of the Dem
ocrats of Virginia, not to say of the en-
tire country, are in favor Of the BLAIR
bill. A resolution endorsing il recently
passed one or both branches of the
North Carolina Legislature unanimous
ly. If the Virginia Legislature were in
session, its endorsement would also, we
believe, be unanimous. Why keep upa
warfare that can result in good TO no.
body?
viii it be replied that there is ques-
ton of principle inyolvcd;-that the
directors regard the bill as unconstitu-
tionals But surely the weight of au-
thority in favor Of its constitutionality
is so great that any man might be ex-
cused for not insisting upon that point.
Let us once more repeat the names of
the Democratic United States Senator's
who voted for the bill--namely, Messrs.
Brown, CALL, CoLQUITT, GARLAND.
GEORGE, HAMPTON, JACKSON, J0-
MAS. JONES, KENNA, PUGH, RAN
SOM, and WILLIAMS. In addition TO
these, Messrs. GIBSON, CAMDEN. La
MAR, VANCE, VOORHEES,, and WALK
ER, would have voted for the bill if
they had not paired off with an equal
number Of its opponents. Indeed, they
did in effect vote for the bill.
The ablest lawyers among the Repub-
lican senator's also voted for the bill
among them, MessIy. EDMUNDs,
FRYE, HARRISON, and IloAR.
The Chief-Justice of the Supreme
Court OF the United States is on record
as one who holds that the BLAIR bill
is constitutional. Also Hon. A. II. II.
STUART. Hon. r. G. WINTHROP, Hon.
j. l.. NJ. CURRY, Governor SCALES of
North Carolina. and hundreds, nay,
thousands, Of others Of the ablest con-
stitutional lawyers in the Union.
What commendablc object can any
good Democrat hope TO accomplish by |
uttering words which few months
hence will be used against his party |
friends on every stump and in every |
Republican paper in the Common
wealth. II any such Democrat per-
sisss IN employing the same arguments
against the bill next fall as he employs !
now, the natural result of bis utterances |
must be the defeat Of the Democratic
candidates whom he will thus have
handicapped.
From the beginning we have studi-
ously RETAINED from utiering any words
that could be objected to by the few
Democratic papers which oppose the
BLAIR bill. We have hoped that sub
stantial unanimity in the Democratic
party in its favor would result from
cool reflection. We haven't doubt
now that the next Democratic State
Convention will declare in its favor
With one voice.
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Seueraoe Svxfaos