The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1860-09-14
GREAT SPEECH OF
Hon. Horton @. Hunter.
(CoNcLUDED.l

DIYERTING THE COMMON SCHOOL FUND.
The Governor next says: ITO make the
work perfect it was necessary to divert the
common school fund from its legitimate
purpose, to tho ordinary expenses of the
Government which have fully answered.
He complains that during l84l and 1912,
some Of this money belonging to those little
children, was borrowed and never paid
back, and no provision ever made for its
payment Such is the fact And is it not
a burning shame that since Is43, during all
of which time the Democratic party have
been In power, that no provision has ever
been made for the payment of that money
and its interest and that it was left for the
Republican Legislature, as the Governor is
pleased to term it, in 1859 to make arrange
ments for its payment, with interest But
alas, il was so. The bill was presented by
a Republican, and came from Republican
committee on education. I wonder if these
children will now accept it, as It. came
through that source Yet notwithstanding
this adjustment and in the very face of ii, the
Governor says, the Republicans wanted to
squander this fond and rob these children.
He further says; "They were determined to
carry through their schemes, and show no re-
gard even for the consultation you made, pro-
viding thai nj no time should the principal Of
the fund be ever decreased. They passed
what they supposed would be law direct
ing that the State officers, should use the
fund, to pay the ordinary Indebtedness of
the State The Governor is rather toe new
a convert to the principles OF honesty in
reference to the sacredrsss of that fund, to
commence occurring the members of the
Legislature upon that subject. Did not the
Governor and the State officers, just the July
before, borrow sos, 900 of that fund, 10
pay the interest on the State debt2 Were
they then disregGrdng the constitution you
made and which they had taken an oath to
support II lily becomes him to cast such
epithets. Ifit was a crime bis garments
were soiled with it, tor he had Just done the
very same Thing, and we were only follow
ing in his footsteps. If il was wrong in us,
il certainly was in him. How does he JUS
tify his conduct for negotiating that loan,
OF these chldrens money, and applying it
as he did? While we are on the subject of
the sdereQAssS of these funds, let me read a
small paragraph OF Democratic record, as to
the manner in which these State officers
have laid their hands on the sacred funds,
and applied them without either law or gos-
pei authorizing 1t 4 read from Auditors
Report 1889 page 20. &r-Tc r9@oTF
There is due from the General Fund
To the SwGa,D hand FHad Sl28,89S 70
To the College Fund. s........ w 2Ts7l II
To the Saline Fund ...... 26.I5O 70
To the Bank Tax fund -! - 1857 ~
Tothe Surpias Revenue Had q 1860 IL
TO the Three Per Cent. Fund F'EsG32 l3
TO the Common School Fund 255,O73 81
10 the State Debt Sinking Fund 46I asa -
To the Fund from Estates avith-- i q Va
olft Hf'rs..... s:..-.t........,.a g4,s7l 90
10 the Wabash aud Erie Canal. %, 929 54
Total !. ., :, e99s7b 40
Which makes ear & millioatof dollars
that these State -oficers have used of the
Trust Fuads which remained in The treas,,-
rY, aud all Of those in italics arm athT,oT
funds, to use which in the manner tb..1, Iid
was not only a violation of law, but Of tbat
sacred constitution you mdde
80 THE sTATE DEBT. T. +-4 tot
Aod while on this subject, let me suggest
another spsG5J matter for the inspection and
information of those wko are seeking after
light and knowledge in reference to the
management of State affairs by economical
Democratic administrations You viii all
remember in 1874, tie Democratic party
went into power, and have been In power
ever siuce. In 1886, after our artangem emit
with our bondholders, and including inter
est up 90 1853, from and after which the
whole amount drew interest, our State debt
then amounted to only $7,527,zT 90 (see
documentary Journal, 1865, page Ala
Now our State debt emounts 10 so, 2s6,-