The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1885-09-10
Ignorance or Misrepresentation.

| 6-~@-S S<Ses~'
Ignorance or Misrepresentation.
The Dispatch Of Friday last, in report
of Fitz Lees speech in one of the lower
counties Of Eastern Virginia, quotes him
as follows
He showed that the Democratic party,
as the friend of the people, had founded
the present system of public schools, paid
by far the larger part of the taxes to sup
port them, and had originated and passed
every measure that had sustained them
and increased their efficiency. He was in
favor of the Blair bill. while Mahone's
allies in the Senate-Sherman ingalls,,
Allison, and Others-were opposed to it,
because they said the southern people
would not give the colored schools the por-
ton OF the fund they would be entitled to
under the act. This was foul SANDER
upon the southern people, who are as
honest and high-minded as Sherman, In
gals q co. The bill would pass Congress
next winter, when the Democrats of Vir-
glnia would be in power to make an honest
and equitable distribution of the fund.
If this report is correct General Lee is
either inexcusably ignorant or willfully
misrepresents. 1t is well known to every
man except Gen. Lee that it was Repub-
lican Senate which passed the Blair Edu-
cational Bill. 1t was introduced by Re-
publican senator and passed by Republic
can votes. Upon the final passage of the
bill on the Sth of April, 1884, the yeas were
33 nays IL. fthe thirty-three who voted
for it twenty were Republicans, as follows
Messrs. Blair. Cameron, of Wisconsin,
Conger. Cullom, Dawes, Dolph, Edmunds,
Frye, Harrison, Hoar, Logan, Mcmillan,
Henderson, Miller, of New York, Morrill,,
Pike, Platt, Riddleberger, Sawyer, Wilson
20. Thirteen were Democrats, as fol
lows: Broaon, Call, Co1quit. Garland
George, Hampton, Jackson, Jonas, Jones, OF
Florida, Kenna, Patgh, Ransom, Williams
-13.
Of the eleven who voted against the pas.
sage of the bill, NINE were Democrats and
only two were Republicans-Messrs. Haw.
ley and Miller, of California. The nine
Democrats who voted against it were
BAYARD, Butler, Coke, Groome, Harris
MaGey, Morgan, Pendleton and Salisbury
The bill passed the Senate and went to
House that was Democratic by II major.
ity. 1t slept there for three months. On
the 18th of July, Mr.. White, of Kentucky,
Republican, moved to suspend the rules
and take up the bill. The motion could
only prevail by unanimous consent. If
enc member objected itfailed. John Ran
dolph IucEer, of Virginia, was the single
member who did object and thereby
killed the bill and robbed Virginia of
$5,310,0O0. From that day to this, al
though year has elapsed, the bill has re-
manned in pigeon hole, and wills remain
until Republican Congress is placed in
power again.
The most pronounced and unrelenting
enemies of the bill were Thos. F. Bayard
in the Senate, and J. r. Tucker in the
House, both of whom are demi-gods in the
Democratic party and each of whom in his
respective position is doing all he can to
secure the election of Fitz Lee. Tucker
is parading the State as Democratic can
vasser. and if he mentions the Blair bill at
all on the stump, speaks of it only to con-
denim it.
The Democratic candidate for Governor
should either post himself or go back and
finish his fall blowing.