The Farmville herald. (Farmville, Va.) 1957-current, 1961-05-26

IN May 3, 1856, Declaration of Go
Uicti0ns was adopted during pub
.aring on the proposed budget befo
e Prince Edward Board Of Supe
sors. The resolution was adopted u
limously by citizens who. filled t
urtrOOm.
We believe this resolution sets for
bold relief the position of the Peep
Prince Edward County:
The power of tie Federal Courts be-
ing once again invoked against the adj
miniStrative officers of our public schools
for the purpose of causing children of the
white and negro races to be taught togeth
er therein we the people of Prince Edward
County, Virginia, deem it appropriate that
we should make known to all men our con
victions and our purposes.
We first affirm our deep and abiding
loyalty and devotion to our country and its
institutions. We acknowledge the Constitu-
ton to be the supreme law of the land
and the bulWark of our liberties, ever sub
ject to the sovereign powers reserved
by it to the states and to the people. We
know that the liberties of all Americans
of all races rest upon the Constitution and
the division of powers ordained therein
We deem it the obligation of free men to
preserve the powers reserved under the
Constitution to the states and to the peo-
pie and to preserve the constitutional
separation of the powers of government
in the legislative executive and judicial
branches separately.
We believe that the educational, social
and cultural welfare and growth of both
the white and negro races is best served
by separation of the races in the public
schools.
We believe the tranquility, harmony,
progress and advancement of the negro
and white races, who must live together
in Virginia and in Prince Edward Coun-
ty. is absolutely dependent upon the
mutual good will and mutual respect of
each race for the other.
We believe that policy which under
takes to force the association of one race
Will lllt- OtllCl dSdlioI tlC VIII Vi CiCilNl,
by court decree under threat of fine or
imprisonment is destructive of mutual
good will and respect breeds resentment
and animositieS, and is injurious to the
true interests of both races.
Education Parents Duty
We believe that the molding of the minds
and characters of our children is the
sacred duty and the priceless natural right
and obligation of parents.
Freedom of decision with respect to
these considerations touching as they do
the most intimate relations of the people
of our community and the most cher
ished natural rights and duties of parent
hood is absolutely essential TO the main
tenance, operation, management and con-
troll of our public schools. We conceive this
freedom to be among the sacred rights
RETAINED by the people under the Ninth
Amendment of the Federal Constitution.
Among the reserved rights and powers
of the states. guaranteed to the State of
Virginia under the Tenth Amendment,
is the power to maintain racially separate
exercise of this power has ever been pro-
hibited to the states by any provision of
the Federal Constitution. We believe that
this power can be prohibited to the states
only by the states themselves. To concede
the right of a Federal Court to withdraw
this power from the individual states is to
concede that all rights and powers of the
states and of the people are enjoyed at
the sufferance of the judiciary and that
the guarantees of the liberties of the peo-
pie are no longer fixed i'll the Constitution
itself.
We do not intend to speak diSreSpect-
fully. The gravity of the issues requires
that we speak plainly BY its decision of
May II. 1854 and subsequent decisions
the Supreme Court of tie United States
has flagrantly exceeded its lawful authori-
ty trespassed upon the rights of the people
and dangerously encroached upon the re-
served rights of the states.
Holding these convictions, it is not posi-
BILE for us to submit the children of Prince
Edward County to conditions which we
most deeply and conscientiously believe
to be pernciouS. Nor can we as the heirs
of liberty. purchased at so great Sacri-
flee by those who have gone before. sub
init to this judicial breaking of the consi-
tutional chains forged TO restrain tyranny
for all generations of Americans. We.
therefore. pledge ourselves firmly to use
every honorable. legal and constitutional
means at our command TO oppose this as
liberties of our people.
Resort To First Amendment
Therefore, if courts refuse to recognize
these most fundamental, intimate and
sacred rights and the profound necessity