Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1860-06-19
For the Daily Patriot.
Municipal Election.

MEssRs. EDITors:-Another municipal cleo
ton is approaching and it seems to me that
nothing can be more desirable, than that the
minds of our citizens should be directed,
while considering the claims of various as
pirants to Office, TO ma tiers of city policy,
without any mixture of national politics, if
such mixture can possibly be avoided. II
cities, ard even States, could keep their do
mestic regulations apart from the great ma
tional issues, it can hardly be doubted, that
public honesty would be fostered under such
a course. But if great dust of excitement
on national politics is to be thrown in the
peoples eyes, when the affairs of their own
CITY government demand strict scrutiny,
there will ever be found pimps of party ready
to ride into position on the wake OF preju-
dice, and to depend on that prejudice to keep
them in countenance after their election,
while they leave municipal interests to drag
out miserable existence amid the embar-
rassment incident to placements abuses.
If there ever was necessity that the citi-
zens of Nashville should, in eleeting NUM- |
cipal officers, turn their eyes singly to ques-
tions peculiar to our corporate limits, that |
necessity exists now. Accumulated taxation |
has literally driven many citizens into the
surrounding suburbs; and without strict at
tention to our own affairs, it is not likely |
that the burdens of residence and traffic in
the corporation will be lightened. On the
contrary, it may be expected that gentle
men largely interested in suburb growth,
will volunteer their kind services, (as they
have done heretofore0 in persuading our
people to shoulder great loads Of taxation,
which themselves, as they well know, will
not be required to touch with one of their
fingers. There is imminent danger of our
fair city's being prostitutsf to the illicit en-
braces OF gentlemen who reap benefit from
the exodus of her citizens, as purchasers
of their possessions. Indeed it has not been
long since the children of suburb residents
were Struggled into her public schools, for
which she pays heavy tax. And 1 have
even heard it said that some gentlemen
of parts have plead kind of higher
law of philanthropy for thus squandering
the citizens money. Those who would
be charitable, should thrust their hands into
their own pockets, and not into the public
! treasury.
There is not a branch of our city govern
| ment which stands more in need Of O thor
ough ventilation before the voting popula-
ton, than the public schools. If 1 may be
permitted, under God and the lords tempo
raj and spiritual of education, to entertain
and express an opinion ON such a subject, l
give my humble conviction, for what it is
worth, that the present Superintendent if his
name were submitted to the people, would be
| defeated by one thousand to fifteen hundred
votes. And yet, he who runs may read, with
| bis eyes shut, that he is THE MAN, and the
man TO the last extremity, with the preemi-
nent potentates who rule in the Board of
| Education.
Can there not be some plan devised to
bring the retention of Mr.. Pearl before the
people, in the approaching canvass for May
OF, Aldermen, and Councilmen, in such
manner as to obtain a verdict of the voting
population without regard to political parties!
Notwithstanding the lofty, peremptory bear
ing of some members of the Board of Educa-
| ton, l am 10th to believe they would fatty
disregard an unmistakable expression of pub
lie opinion through the ballot box. have
heard democrats Tor, at least, one very inteli-
gent, and, think, very reliable democrat,)
say openly, on the one hand, and unhinching
opposition men on the other, they would vote
against their political preferences, for can
didates avowedly opposed to the present
Superintendent of the Public Schools.
| hot tbarx
your souls, bodies, and breeches, Messrs.
Editors, that if the Council reelect the present
Board, without Observation-Disclosures capital
alteration-Mr. PEARL will as naturally be-
come the Superintendent for another term,
as the egg becomes the bird. But if that
body of gentlemen could be induced so far to
defer to the many headed" as to reelect the
inevitable Superintendent under promise
that, in the event of a popular verdict against
him. he will resign, and let them elect
another, the question of Mr.. P.'s accepta-
biIity to the people could be satisfactorily
tested.
Perhaps it might be demonstrated to the
leading members of the Board OF Education,
without troubling candidates to discuss the
matter at all, that they are persistently hug
ging TO their bosoms a gentleman whom the
people do not want for Superintendent.
And as candidates don't like to be cucumber
ed with too many questions, respectfully
suggest TO our fathers OF. the City Council, that
they give the Board OF Education and Mr..
PEARL an opportunity which will leave them
no room for lodging, and viii leave candi-
| 5atas untrsmmeled
AS said before, the Board sOiH, composed
as it now is, elect Mr.. PEARL Let it, be-
fore carrying out its determination, obtain
the promise named above. Then let the City
Council pass a resolution su Emitting the
question to the people, at an early day, SO
that the subject may be fully discussed be-
fore the day of election. Let US have d.
rect vote "For Mr. Pearl" and "Agatna Mr..
Pearl" What say our fathers of the Coun-
+ cila What say our approved good masters Of
the Board? Are the people too ignorant to
vote on this question:
AS have a natural aversion to anony.
nous writing, / sign to this the initials Of
my proper name. w. L.