Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1862-12-27
County Superintendent.

on the subject of the head Of this article.
They have a right to know what political
aud party movements have brought about
the present state Of things. The draft was
made on the 10th Of October and on the
25th, DR.. John published the following
article;
soy- Among the drafted III this county
was the County Superintendent, Mr.. VIM.
Burgess. 1t was generally supposed that
ii School Directors were exempt, the coun-
ty Superintendent ought to be, but it ap
pears that the Office Of county Superinten-
dent was made since the Act of Assembly
exempting School Directors, and through
oversight no provision was made to meet
an exigency which at that time no one ev-
er dreamed would ever occur. Feeling an
interest in our public schools, not one of
which can legally open without the
teachers undergoing an examination and
receiving certificate from the Supcrinten
dent, we wrote the Department at Harris
burg respecting the matter, Having no
authority to act in the matter, but reali-
zng the Importance of the subject, the
Secretary Of War was consulted, who at
once authorized the Governor to order the
Commissioner to relieve Mr.. Burgess from
the draft. Benceforth County Superinten.
dents as well as School Directors will be
J exempted from military service.
Directly upon the heels of that, came
the announcement that Mr.. VIM. Burgess
had retnoved to Tunkhanpock, Wyoming
county, and was publishing a republican
newspaper. 1t was patent, therefore, that
the good Of the schools was not the reason
why Mr.. Burgess was relieved from the
draft; and in order to test the question,
on the 18th Of December, the following
paragraph appeared in the COLUMBIA
DEMOCRAT.
nGs~ Have we County Superin tendent
Of Public Schools among us; or is he up
in Wyoming county, publishing black
republican newspaper 1t will be remem-
bered that DR.. John anuounced with
great flourish Of trumpets, not long ago,
that the County Superintendent had beeen
released from the draft, by the Secretary
Of War, because the Schools could not 20
on without him. Where is he now, aud
how do the schools 60 on, and who draws
the Salary? aud was he not released from
the draft, because, unless he was, that
niger sympathizing newspaper in Wyo-
ming county could not go on cige Ia
humbUg.
1t acted like charm. DR.. John, in
terrible trepidation, turns to "Mr Wm.
Burgess" for aid, and Mr.. Burgess steps
upon the witness stand, and answers all
ous questions in the Affirmative:
LETTER FROM MR.. BURGESS.
TuNKHANNooK,P Pa, Dec. Is, 1862.
DR.. z. JOHN Having been charged
indirectly through one of your papers with
a neglect ofoificial duty, 1 wish TO state
through the Republican for general infor-
nation, that my engagement to remove to
this place occurred more than two months
before the draft, and that l consented to
remain in Columbia TO my pecuniary dis
advantage, to conduct the annual examna-
ton Of teachers, while l was paying house
rent and other expenses here, but that on
leaving l rendered my resignation to the
School Department at Harrisburg, to take
place as soon as successor could be ap
pointed That there should no serious
difficulty grow out of a vacancy, / consen,
ted to perform such oficsal acts as might
be absolutely required until the vacancy
should be filed.
If my position was such as to clear me
from the draft, was on the same footing
as those whose names were drawn from
the wheel, without any bearing whatever
upon the kind Of business I chose to fol-
low for living after that event. also
expected, On acceptance Of my resignation,
to express few parting words to teachers
and the friends of education in the county
with whom l have SO long min gled on
terms of mutual friendship.
Yours truly,
VIM. Burgess.
So it is perfectly clear, either that "Mr
VIM. Burgess stated falsehcod to the
Department, Or that be was relieved from
the draft on political and partiaan grounds,
For, observe, both OF these veracious gen
tlemon claim that Mr.. Burgess was exempt
because he s0as County Superintendent;
while he now confesses that ",nore than
tco months befo'e tie draft" he had made
engagements to remove to- Tuukhan-
mock, and abandon the business under
which he claimed the exemption, Lid Mr..
Burgess tell them he was going to resign
bis office in few weeks, and engage in
newspaper publishing! If he did, then
be was relieved on political and partizan
grounds, as we qncriedj if he did not,
then he was relieved under a false claim,
knowingly made to the Department,
There is the record. DR.. John may