Daily American telegraph., 1852-06-04
MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND JOHN w. MAuRY

friends n.
that Mr. Maury is opposed to the Public Schools of
this city and that Mr.. Lenox is the only man in the
field for Mayor that has taken any interest in the
Public Schools it is deemed proper to make the fol.
lowing statement to show what has really boon Mr..
Maury's conduct in relation to them, and how far the
facts in the case justify the claim to exclusive merit
which Mr.. Lenoxs friends set up for him.
writer in Mondays hteliigencer says:
1.-The following extract from the journal of the con-
venton which submitted to Congress the basis of our
present charter and which constitutes the feature
upon which our system rests, will exhibit the deep
interest felt by him in the subject at that early day
rs well his active zeal in favor OF that plan most
calculated to difuse generally the elements of public
instruction
"'Sec. 10. AMI be ii enacted, That the poll tax
which may be collected shall constitute fund.- or be
added to any other fund or hereafter to be con-
stituted by any act of the Corporation for tie paty-
poses of elucation and for no othor purpose under
such regulations MS may by the Corporation from
time to time be provided and established
- Mr.. Lenox moved to amend the 10th section by
striking out from the third line the words purposes
Of education" and to insert establishment and sup
port of common Schools !"
If tho writer had looked little further he would
have among the palers laad borethe Convention
on The first day Of s session by the then Mayor Mr.
Seaton, a copy of bill proposing certain amend
ments to the City Charter, which had been drawn up
and presented to the District Committee by certain
members of the two Boards. In that BILL the writer
would have seen, las any person can now see, who Will
handwriting Of Mr. Mamy, an amendment, provd-
ing that tie reUenuc achich may be aariUed from saul
ooA tar shall be applet By the saia Cooperation to tie
establishments m support Of ptbhe scAools az tAe SAID
city' If the proposition Of Mr. LcnoX, mate months
afterwards in the Convention entities him to so much
credit ought less to be given to Mr. Maury, who orr
ginated it, and had urged its adoption upon the Dis
trict Committee months betore
The amendments to the charter agreed upon by the
Convention having failed to meet the appreciation of
Congress and various unsuccessful efforts having been
made to obtain amendments up to the session OF
lS47-'9, Mr.. Maury introduced resolutions in the
Board of Aldermen, to submit tho amendments to tho
! charter which had subsequently been agreed upon
by the two Boards to vote of the people of the city,
on the 23d of February, S4S These resolutions
| passed February 4, 184S. Previous to the day of
voting public meetings woro held in the First Fourth
Sixth, and Seventh Wards to consider the proposed
| amendments. Mr. Maury attended all of these meet
ngs and explained to his fcllowcitizons the objects
| contemplated by the amendments. He urged upon
them their adoption. and especially upon the ground
of the favorable provision made for tho support of
public schools The amendments to the charter were
approved by largo majority of the voters and were
submitted to Congress by the Corporation Committee
Of which Mr.. Maury was member. When they were
laid before the District Committee of the House of
Representatives Mr.. Seaton (at that time the Mayor
was confined to his house by sovero and protracted
illness. Mr. Maury,. as Acting Chairman Of the Cor
poration Committee. attended, with the other mem
bers tho meetings of the District Committee, and adj
vocatcd and explained section by section, the amend
ments. The result highly gratifying to our citi-
zens The District Committee made a unanimous
report in favor of the amendments, and they were
adopted by both Houses of Congress, almost without
| objection.
After the charter had been amended, various prop
ostions were from time to time brought before the
two Boards of Council for the purpose Of extend
ing the public school system, but none were adopted
until the Both October, 1S4S, when, the subject being
before the Board of Aldermen, Mr.. Maury offered MC
t0kLocing bill substitute to reconcile conflicting
| opinions, and it was passed by both Boards with
| great unanimity and promptness:
AN ACT supplementary to the Act 10 increase the
Der public schools in the city of Washington and for
other purposes approved the sixth of December eighteen
hundred and forty-four
BE enacted by Tic Board Of Aldermen and Board Of Com
Cbuncl Of The city Of Was'uto' That the Board Of
thorized establish in addition to the existing public
schools not exceeding ten primary public schools which
lie int rest and convenience require and to employ
teacher for each of said primary public schools at salary
not exceeding two hundred and fifty dollars per
payable monthly and the said Board Of Trustees hereby
authorized until other accommodations shall be provided
be necessary for the of said primary schools Pordd
That the annual expense thereof shall not exceed the
average amount Of sixty dollars for each OF said schools
Sec 2 Ind be enacted, That the ninth and tenth sec
tons Of the act INT tied AN act TO ncrc the number Of
public schools in the city of Washington and for other pur-
approved December the SIXTH eighteen hundred and
70 four be and the hereby repealed and the
BOARD of Trustees of the public schools rcby autho
zed employ not exceeding five assistant teachers in the
four existing public schools salary Of exceeding
hundred and fifty dollars each por annum, payable
nonthy and the said Board of Trustees are hereby
the necessary books and stationery TO be fur
nshed free of charge to all destitute pupils attending
| If the public schools Of this city.
Sec And be endced That the Board of Trustees Of the
Public Schools shall keep Office in the City Hail. in such
may be selected by the Mayor where all the books
Japrs other matters relating TO the public schools
the proceedings Of the said Board OF Trustees shall be
cp and where all the meetings Of the said Board shall be
4 held
Sec l. And be enacted That the sum of Que thousand
loar or so nue. thereof as may be necessary be and the
the payment Of rent for one year Of such rooms
buildings may be required for the said primary public
Schools and for providing suitable Seats desks and other
/ nec. sary fixtures for the same.
Soc 5. Ind be enacted That high school shall be
abolished by the Board Of Trustees to go into on
ton shall provide accommodation for the
Approved, November J. lS4S.
Tho journal of the proceedings of the two Boards
is referred to for the above facts and among tho pa
pers of tho Board of Common Council, in charge OF
its Secretary, th original bill be SEEM IN Mr..
lanvs ha,latcytiRg. This bill is now in force and
the foundation Of the present prosperity of pub
lie schools will appear by the reports OF tho Trus-
tees In their report of the 18th August. 1S49 they
say the addition of ten schools to the four prcvi.
ously existing. embracing nearly ono HouSand 0dd,-
tonai pupils tcithtR SINGLE ye0r, all tic SciOois
| with one two exceptions) crowdcd aciM pupils.
Wiik mukaudcs are pressing far admissions is in the
highest degree crcditablc to the wisdom and lihora
y of the Councils, and to the virtue and intelligence
of tho community
| Could there DO higher compliment paid to the
author Of any law than is conveyed 20 the author of
the school law, in the fruits it has yielded and tho
just commentator bestowed upon it by the trustees
and all who take interest in our public schools
1t increased the number Of pupils nearly ono thou
sand in less than one year and the increase has con
tinucd until public schools now number more
than two thousand five hundred pupils,
To show the interest that Mr., Maury takes in our
public schools it may not be amss to state the fact
that he is the author Of the petition presented on the
/ NnFN 49, IN tha lnak
for donation of land money for the support Of tho
public schools of this city, and upon which the Hon
A. G.. Brown, chairman Of the Committee on tho Dis
trct Of Columbia reported, by direction of the Com
milton n hill making donation nF tbron b,ndrod