Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-03-16
MISREPRESENTATION 10, 1885,
Tho Point.

We have often recalled the TACT tha'
previously to the warbetween the states
the scruples Of southern congressman
ne 10 the constitutionality OF appro-
priations for the improvement OF rivers
and harbors, and other objects, had oc-
casioped such a difference between the
amount of money appropriated to the
North and the amount appropriated TO
the South as was of itself sufficient to
enrich the former section at the expense
Of the latter. Northern congressman
very generously permitted southern
congressman to pass for their own gov
ernance a Cromwellian self-denying
ordinance whilst the former accepted
all the money they could possibly get
out Of the Treasury for the benefit OF
their own section.
We had hoped that that condition Of
things had departed never to return.
When Congress appropriatcs money for
every conceivable purpose-as we
showed last week-when everybody
knows that millions Of dollars worth
of public bonds have been donated to
Western and Northwestern States in
aid Of their public schools-when pen
stems are granted not to soldiers
only, but to the widows of distin-
guished dead men and to judges Of
the Federal courts-when the Govern
ment puts its heavy hand upon every
pound Of tobacco grown in the South,
every gallon of whiskey made, and
every gallon Of brandy distilled-when
we meet Government agents at our
doors, on our streets, in our highways
and byways, on land and sea, on rail-
road trains and in steamboats--we say,
when we see all these things, it seems to
be q mere mockery of conscience to
raise constitutional scruples as to the
power of the Federal Government to
pass the BLAIR bill to aid in the edu-
cation of the children of this country.
We fear that now again, as before
the war, the northern congressman will
permit the southern to have their own
way. 1t is bill that gives to the
South much more than her share Of the
money appropriated by it would be if
the fund were distributed according to
population. 1t is the one generous
offer Of our northern brethren. And
our reply is to be that the bill is I'M
constitutional Was ever such folly
heard of before? We are compelled to
see our States revenues swallowed up
under decisions Of Federal courts, and
our people taxed by order Of those
courts, when we feel that we know
these courts are usurping jurisdiction,
yet, we refuse to accept gift from
the same powerful Government on the
ground that the hands which rifle our
pockets, whether we will or not, have
no right to put back into those pockets
any part of the money thus taken
from us.
Does it not seem, to use General
CAss's words, that we are struck
with judicial blindness We are
amazed at the pig-headed obstinacy
which caused CHARLES |. to lose his
head rather than surrender his consti-
tutional scruples, but we do not per-
ceiye that our own folly is as great as
his. Practical common-sense would
saw with the Norfolk Landmark, that
ave need not consider the constltu-
tional objections S" to the BLAIR bill.
at is sufficient to know that it pro-
poses TO distribute vast sum of money,
which would enure very largely to the
benefit Of the South. Our friends north
Of the Potomac become very conserva-
tive and economical whenever any bill
comes up which is to spend money on
this side OF that historic river, and this
consideration alone bids fair to defeat
the BILL"