The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-02-13
New YORK, February s, 1895.


10 tie PcoptC OF IWgi,,ia:
Justice to ourselves as Publish
Ing Company, and to our friends
tho people of Virginia, who are hon
oring us with their confidence and
patronage, as they honored our pre-
decessors, makes 1t our duty to no
tice III public way the false and IN
famous attacks upon our business
Intely spread abroad in the Norfolk
Pilot newspaper. We nccept the
challenge of the Pilot, and, without
waiting for "the slow and volumi.
nous processes of "A libel suit, as it
editoriaily taunts lis with doing, we
Will meet the issue and try it by the
pubic, before whom the methods OF
our business are arraigned.
The outrageous assault on tho
honor of the Virginia State Board
of Education has already been pub
licly repealed by tho Governor aud
Attorney General with u truthful
detail which leaves nothing omitted
80 convince the fair minded of the
absolute integrity and disiutcrested-
ness OF their transactions. They
have shown, to complete demon
strutlon, that they could not have
adopted other books thnn those
they did without going against
the united educational sentiment
Of the State. This sentiment was
expressed by county school su,
perlntendents and loading tenchlng
authorities, and WAS substantially
unanimous in favor OF continuing
the books which were satisfactorily
Ia use. In the face of such m OK
preston. the State Buntd could not
have justified their action to tho
public II they had interrupted and
dlsorgnnized tho schools by com
pclilng the introduction Of new and
uutried books. No more could they
have justified their action If they
bad bnrdenea the people OF Virginia.
IN the midst of unprecedented hard
times. with the large expense which
any change OF school books involves.
ihc answer of the Stntu Superin.
teDdent and others, who by name
have had their personal honor as-
SAILED, viii doubtless be made in the
courts, where the ISSUE will be tried
by their peers, ana lace to face with
their nccnsers; and we do not doubt
their triumphant viudicatlou.
An APOLOGY To TIE READER.
Before entering upon our answer
to the charges of the Pilot in detail
our self respect cumpels III To aDo.o
glZe TO sens bic public for bringing
10 their notice tho insane rawlings OF
whit charity might claim TO be .'an
irresponsible being II sometimes
becomes necessary, according To the
,criptnFal injunction. 60 answer n
!uol according to his folly"
The charges against us arc so
nonstrous nnd fonl, SO vicious and
nolcut, tina: III many respects they
pccomo not only ridiculous, but alb
solutely grotesQuc, and III this WAY
pest relute themselves. But amid
Me Pilots lnterminnblo mass OF
;nporings there are some fnlsehoods
,tnted Us facts, which might mlslead
the right minded. These REQUIRE
correction and exposure.
THE TRUE INwARDNE $ or THESE IN.
FAMOUS ATTACKS.
70 clear the vision Mt the outset,
sc Will expose the real source ami
true motives OF these assaults. They
constitute
BUSINESS METHOD ~ vILiFICATIoN,
which has been adopted by PUB.
hshing house That was disappointed
aud unsuccessful iii tho late Virginia
state adoption. Failing to get its
publications selected on their NOR
its, 1t has the hRrdlhood to chnrro
verything that is corrupt ana dis
honorable upon the methods of
their successful rivals, and to Insult
the peopleot Virginia by an attemp,
10 lmpeach the integrity of its State
officials. 1t aims to Open w nlnr
ket Tor Its own wares by attempting
10 destroy tho market of competi
ior. lhstead OF pressing the
merit of its publications. mr.
Offering lower prices for the
same. 1t maligns the nhnrnetnr