Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1867-10-15

uoNc tn6 AuQltO1 Ul tu6 CUuIf. i
would seem, had yet another. This confusion
was the result OF the clumsy wording OF tn,
bills that passed Congress: both the origina
bill and the explanatory bills, which certainly
claim to have been their intention. II time wa.
given to the committee to deal with these CON
ficting figures, they would endeavor to repor
next Monday night
the motives OF any Alderman, but he stated
that the effect OF the action recommended by
them would be TO defeat the law of Congress,
and he still thought so. He said the report OF
the Trustees Of the r Public Schools would show
conclusiveiy the amount to be appropriated
for the colored schools, and said his bill was
based on that report 20 ..
Mr.. Noyes called Mr. Elvans' attention to
the fact that the trustees Of the white schools
have re vised the figures Of that report.
Mr. Richards said that Mr.. Wilson. who h ad
that it would be inadvisable to take those fig.
ures as the basis OF an estimate.
Mr. Elvans said that the law OF Con.
kress provides that the Trustees OF Colored
Schools shall receive OF all money received
and expended for school purposes. q proper.
tionate share equal to the proportion which
the number of colored children bears to the
plumber OF white and coored children In the
District. One.fiith of the children in the Dis.
trict, it was ascertained by the census, were
cOlored children. The Trustees of Coiored
Schools were therefore entitled to one. fifth of
all the money received and expended for school
purposes. II you appropriate $4,000 for white
schools, you must appropriate one-fourth of
that amount $4,000, for the colored schools.
He then read statement of the amount Of
fines collected de voted to school purposes, and
eontended that the colored SCH ools are entitled
to ne-fourih of such amount. The amount
OF fines beng s., 1854 Sc, the colored schools
were entitled to Sss.29i.li. t
Mr. Richards said the gentleman was mis-
taken. The amount Of fines was S6,i55.70 and
the eolored schools were entitled to one fifth
Of the amoun, under the law, and SO their
n Qd
was right according to law. But when they
come to the other amounts appropriated for
white schools, it is claimed tha. one fourth
should be taken. Why take one fifth of the
fines, and one fourth OF the otner sumss He
a ked Mr. Wilson, OF the Board OF Trustees,
why be estimated one e-four;h Of the school
fund for colored schools, when the law said
they should have one.hi'h, or 20 per cent
which is the proportion the colored children
bsen 10 the white and colored Children so
says the law; not "white," bat s'wbite and
colored."
Mr.. EIvans contended that his position was
tight II the colored schools are entitled to one
MIN OF all the money appropriated for school
purposes, hey are entitled to one fourth what
ever amount the white schools receive.
Mr.. Richards wanted TO know if there was
anything Of that kind in the law OK Congress,
that the colored schools should receive one
fourth IS much as the white schools.
Mr E'vans read the law to sustain his in
depreciation oft
Mr. Richards said it was clear. under the
law, that the share OF the coIored schools
should be to that Of the white As the number
of colored children to that OF the white and
colored children, or as one to five; that is, they
were entitled TO one. fifth. The gentleman
tMr. Elvans) wanted to prove that four-fifths
were five.fifths.
Mr.. Elvaps said 1t was necessarily and
mathem atically true--an axiom, ana therefore
did not need demon strat1on or proof-that if
Yen divide ANYTHING in The proportion Of one
f!th to four -fifths it must be the proportion Of
cue TO four. i--
MIR. Richards said he could not understand
how four.fif, hs could be equal to the whole.
MIR. Elv8ns said the gentleman was some.
times obtruse, not from ignorance but other
obvious causes. He then explained that he
came a. the figures in his bill making appro-
port OF the Trustees Of the Public Schools, and
said that until some suc ch provision was m ade
for the colored schools he would vote against
any Appropriation for the white schools.
Mir. Richards was in favor of a bill making
provision for the colored schools. and if it was
made the special order for next NJ onday would
vote for il, giving the colored schools :he
amount due them under the law he UNDER
stood il, but be could not make four -f1fths
equal to five -fifths. The Trustees of Public
Schools had properly divided the amount Of
fines by fve, bn. when they came 10 other
moneys for school purposes had divided by
four. There Yves no dispute as to the ve1rs '62
and '63. but there is difference of opinion as
to the Interpretation of the law OF 1866. That
law says there shall be paid over to the Trus-
tees of Colored Schools such proportionate
share Of all moneys received and expended tor
school purposes, of all kinds whatsoever, as
the number of cOlored children between the
ages of and II years bears to the whole num-
Der OF white and colored children between the
sane ages. 1t was mistake in the law, but
we must abide by the letter of it. He was
told we should be governed by the intention
OF the lawmakers. He had no doubt their in
tention was to divide the money in the propor-
tion colored children bear to white children,
but he could not take that intention when it
cONtf4dicfpa nj no Ia
which was plain. His sympathy would leed
him to take the position Of Mr.. Eivans, but il
would be against his convictions Of right.
Instead Of making the amount due eolored
schools more than $4,000, as figured by Mr.
Elvans. he (Mr. Richards) made il S55. .s62, or
after deducting the amount already paid to the
Trustees OF Colored Schools by Mayor Wal.
ZACH, $780, ,66s. He had obtained from Mr. Viii.
son, OF the trustees, a statement Of the sums
expended for school purposes in the District,
and was satisfied that he (Mr. Riehards) was
Mr.. Eivans explained that he had stru ck
out OF his bill both items OF interest
Mr. Richards said they were only entitled to
10 per cent interest after the lime when Judge
GARTER gave his decision on the act of Congress
In July, 1866. ~. rahrr ,a,.a .rsf - :
Mr.. Elvans wanted to know what right
Judge Cartier had TO invalfdete 'hs opinion OF
the Corporation Attorney. r,-
After further debate the question recurred
on Mr.. Elyans' motion to postpone one week,
whicn ne stated was for the purpose OF having
Nc tuAs AuAlUk UkoppSOpILduous IOE tn0 cOlOr0O
schools, passed and approved by the Mayor
before this bill is ected on. 1E = q
Mr.. Noyes said itwas now presented in the
shape of threat that there should be no school
appropriation billuniess this colored school bill
was passed. 100 90 1r-.--s- .rs, fTE. --sr
Mr.. Moore alao understood this was clearly q
threat Of Mr. Evans that unless the appfo.
priatiOns for the colored schools are passed the
appropriations for the white schools shall not
pass.
Mr.. Evans motion to postpone one week
Messrs. Eyans, Grinder and McCathran-a
Nays-Messrs. Moore, LLOYD Noyes, Richards,
Talbert, Talt, and President, Barry
The question was then taken on agreeing to
the Council amendments, and they were re-
lected by the following vote: Yeas-Messrs.
Elvans and Grinder "a. Nays - Messrs.
Lloyd, McOathran, Moore, Noyes. Richards,
Talbert. TAFT, and the President, Barr g. u
Mr. Noyes, froEn the CommittSe on Public
Schools, also introduced bill to organize one
additional secondary and two additionAi pri-
mary schools In the First School District;
passed. Mr.. Noyes, from the CommItaee on
Canals, to which was referred "a hill vestine
IN certain citizens Of Washington all the rights
now held or owned by the Corporation in the
Washington city canal and afoff other pur-
pos es;' also, San, act authorizing tho sale Of
the Washington canal, &o;'' also, communt-
cation from William ID. Wise, Offering to
dredee the canal tboS0uehly for the sum OF
$120, ,0O0, offered the following bill IA su bsti.
Itute tor the bills referred to said COMMITTEES:
! AN ACT to dredge the Washington Canal
sfGr HsS II and
Wise for dred ging the Canal to it. fnI
width, and to the depth Of, four feet below low
water mark from Sev eventeenth street west. to the
anal, the entire work to he, eonnloxaI xriti,;n