The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1858-05-20
For the Ottumscd Courier.

For the Ottumscd Courier.
Will The editor of the Courier allow me 70
make through his columns the following state
ment to whom il may concern?
-Four DAYS since received a certificate Of
my election to the Office of President of the
Board of school Directors for the City of Of
tumwa, have felt some hesitation as to
what ought to do in the premises. have
two objections to accepting and holding the
office. FIRST: II would seemingly involve
Identification with party, whereas | have here
tofore uniformly avoided everything of the
kind. ! 40 not claim 10 be without political
principles. nor do | regard it as a virtue stu
dlously to conceal my principles, Bnt to be
partisan, enlisted with a set of men, how
excellent, under party colors, and going with
them whether in electing constable or con-
gresham, and as such on partyground entitled
TO their support, I am not, and as a minister
Of the gospel could not be. If have any,
thing to do with the Office it must be under
protest, that the use of my name as a condi
date was without my knowledge or consent,
ard that partisan, whether under the name
republican or anything else, l am pot and have
not been.
A second objection is lest my accepting thi s
position might be construed into an endorsal
of. and furnish prete xt for, ministerial office.
holding. I have acted upon the principle,
which conceive to be just one, that minis
ters are only IN the path of duty when they
give themselve. mholly to their calling, and
that therefore we are bound to avoid everything
which can interfere with entirsness of conse
Grafton to our peculiar work. l should be
sorry to do anything which might furnish
even pretert for clerical office-hnnting and
ofFice-holding. These considerations would
have utterly precluded my conserving to be.
come candidate under any party, even for an
office without emoluments and so slenderly
supplied with honors as that of school Direc-
tor.
But under the circumstances IN which am
placed, what ought | to do? The ordinary
duties of the Office seem to me such as could
be discharged without interfering at all with
the duties Of my station. Its relation to edu-
catonal interes, make me fell deep interest in
it; and several years experience in connection
with schools of various grades, leads me to
hope that might not he wholly unqualified
for the station. The partisan feature of the
matter protest against, and moreover it seems
to be generally agreed that the supervision of
our edutonal Interests ought to be divorced
from the petty contests of politics. To de-
cline the office, l cannot do without mourning a
pecunary forfeiture, not very heavy it is true,
but such as in hard times would rather avoid.
Moreover to take the oath of Office soemny
prsmising to fulfill its duties, and then immedi-
ately resign, though it might pass in lac,
would not, acc ording to my views, pass in the
Court of conscience. therefore conclude
that, though the position is not one of my own
choosing, nor altogether congenial to my taste,
will yet accept it, and, for the present at least,
do the best can to discharge its duties.
]. NJ McELROY.
Ottunwa Wednesday, May 18th.