Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-01-08
The blair Bill.
To the Editor Of the Dispatch l.:

To the Editor Of the Dtspdtch:
The people thank you for your earnest
and able efforts in behalf of the Blair
bill, and such is especially the case with
the real taxpayers of Virginia, ana par
ticularly so with those who were once
- sticklers that everything should be
plainly constitutional. Such people
have the sense to know that it would
be childish now to fight against what
the great majority of the people have
settled to be constitutional, and they
also have the further sense to realize
that the United States Govern
ment, having made the negroes
voters, it is but right that that Govern
ment should bear a portion of the ex-
pense of educating such negroes. 1t is
the real people of Virginia who in fact
now pay the bulk of the taxes to edu-
cate the negroes Of the State, and such
people are not such "old fogies as
to be splitting hairs OIL such constitu-
tional dead points as would result in
preventing the Government of the
United States from helping them
to educate the negroes of the State.
The common welfare of the country
and the most perfect justice demand
that the United States Government
should contribute freely to educate an
ignorant people that it has made voters
Of and, may truly say, in spite Of the
wishes ofnine tenths of the educated peo-
pie Of the southern country. Let it be
thoroughly known to our Democratic rep
resentatives in Congress that if they fail
to work for the passage Of the Blair
bill at the present session it will be
blunder, but if any of them are
found throwing obstacles in the way
of its passage it will be akin to
folly, and if single one should vote
against it, it will be crime against the
best interests of their constituents, and
the member who so votes had as well
- beSpcak his plank to make his politi-
cal coffin" for he will surely in the next
contest need it. The day has passed
when the intelligent taxpayers of the
State are strongly for thing that their
representatives will be excused in kill
ing such thing because it was contrary
to what hair-splitters " on constitu-
tional points who lived some thirty
years ago thought was not or might not
be constitutional. The intelligent peo-
pie of the State demand that things
be dealt with as they exist and not as
some dreamer would have them to exist.
Looked at from every point, | have no
sort Of hesitation in saying that it will
be bad day for Virginia and her best
people mot Governor Cameron's sort of
best people, if the Blair bill is defeated
in the House of Representatives by
either the lack of interest in it or by
the votes of her Democratic repre-
sentatives. If prominent men Of the
Democratic party do not think as
/ do, and as | am satisfied the people
think. the evidence will be furnished to
them in the coming fall election, and in
way that will be anything but pleas
ing to such men. General Malone is
not dead, so any blunder our representa-
tives in Congress may make would add
strength to his political life. Surely
sticklers on constitutional points thor
oughly understand that if he can carry
the State ESQ far as Virginia is concern
ed) his will doubtless will be :" the
sunreme law of the laud.n
COMMON SENSE.