Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1867-06-19


about the politics Of the deceased Treasurer. This
is matter Of no consequence, bat suppose have
| as much knowledge on this subject as any one.
, he had been lifelong supporter and admirer Of
Andrew johnson, bat Of late be was generally re-
served and silent politics. 0nly once, while be
was in the Capitol, did hear him disclose his sen
timents lie had bean to East tennessee and had
seen and been talked to By John Baxter, and came
back q very excited Johns0a- Baxter man. Finding
the other officers in the Capitol not in sympa,hy
with him, he again became silent and reserved
This is all presume, any Radical knows Of his
politics
THE SCHOOL FUND, AND WHO has IT.
Bat what is or rather was. tie School Fund Of
the Stste, and who has il win show you The
basis of this great fund is certificate Of deposit Of
the Bank Of Tennessee for fifteen hundred thousand
dollars and constituting the greater portion Of the
capital stock Of the bank since Tess This SUM has
been augmented since by proceeds of school lands
etc. to 81 ,f46, ls9 Il. this sum add Ss32s7e 10
the amount os surplus revenue paid over the State
/ by the General Government and set apart BY the
constitution, article 9, section 10 and by legislative
enactment TO the School Fund, and you ind the
grand total Of this ssscred fund deposited in The
I Bank of Tennessee, and carried of BY Bsxter's
"oficers who had them in charge to Be s2s79,-
OILS 3d. Noe yOa haDe erorV Siggle dollar Of Hat
fund ia Confederate hlOHsy. Did Baxter complain
of this when be spoke here From the audience
=" No, no-that was ell in the familv II This
State Of all parties and eolors--held by tie State
I as trustee for their use-was, in defiance Of the
constitution which declares that Il "shall remain
I perpetual fund.- invioably FIR the support Of
! schools throughout the State carried away BY men
swOrn 70 support that same constitution and by ia
i Investment in Confederate money devoted to The
\ support Of treason. And this is the reaeon Won
have no School Commissioner-nO free schools:
this IS the reason you have now six thousand va
cant school houses, extending from Johnaon IL
u IA tor ft,.t sLs- 4
of nearly three millions was lost to YOU and me?i
Did be czy out that this fund win never be reoov
cred oh, MOI These millions went 70 suit him.
and he advocates the restoration TO power Of the
party whose financial operations and regulations
/ lost 1t 70 you. But if dollar is temporarily ap-
piled by the State officers to pay the State debt and
save the State credit be cries aloud H. is lost 70
I you and me-" Perhaps he thinks il nixht have
! been better expended in bribing Northern newspa-
/ papers. Certain Il is he has never been heard 70
complain ofthe use made Of this money Now the
I school fnnd about which his doleful story is told
amounts 70 about she One-ninth part Of tho school
fund applied BY the Baxter Ethsridge party 10 the
lost cause" Il was designed by the Legislature
/ as nucleus OF new school fund to supply that
! which was lost. And what a spectacle have we -
The men who are Chargeable with the ten millions
! squandered and pilaged from the bank, who went
with it, lowered around it, thrust their hands into
its kegs and boxes Until but pittanco Was left and
that pittsnce taken from them BY force these are
I the men WHO hOWl WntH a pOrtlOn OF their "leaY-
ings" is supposed to be endangered to the people,
No paper has been 50 noisy about this sacred fund
MS The Nashville Union. I am told that Torbet the
President Of the bank which contained the lost
school fund, is one Of the owner and a writer for
that sheet. And there is Trousdale another repu-
ted owner and writer for that paper and Atkins,
another editor Of newspaper, who seem 20 have
been repeatedly on hand when ehises and hammers
we're used in the distribution Of be school fund
These are the men who camor most about this sa-
n L. 81
Cry aloud and spare not. Your record 50 ats you
for the trust
SALE OF THE COIE FoR J-3Os.
/ make no defense for the Financial Young gen.
tleman" Baxter charges with having sold the com
in market in some way 70 his own advantags. This
Financial young gentleman, as Baxter well knew
was never entrusted with the sale of q single dollar
of the coin nor with the reception of the proceeds
/ The Governor Secretary of State and Comptroller
were ordered by the Legislature, by act Ct June O.
1865 (see acts OF 1868 page $50 TO invest the coin
in United States or Tennessee bonds at their dis
cretion United States 7-30 securities having been
selected the best temporary investment she Gov
eFnor opened Geographic correspondence vita
Messrs Jay C7pke q 60, Of PHILADELPHIA ard ne
gotiAted sale OF the coin a lutte u6ove ae mar
ket value. This correspondence was Published AZ
the time Sled in the proper Offices and subsequently
reported to the Legislature, and it has again bssn
published in q late number Of tho Knoxville Wing
| viii, not consume time by readingit now The
negotiations being complete and the price fixed,
Captain Thomas WAS despatched with the train
which carried the coin, 10 see it counted out As
Cooke g. Co. received portion Of It by weight Il
amounted 10 a .rife more than the actual count Of
the committee. The calculation was made at the
price agreed on in the ,eegraphic correspondence,
and amounted 10 s6ls,250, which sent By ex-
press 10 the Governor sealed up in packages. u
was not unsealed or counted when It arrived, but
placed in the Comptrollers safe, where It remained
untouched until IL had te be delivered Tnds7 the law
TO the Treasurer as Superintendent Of Public In
structon. In the sale aud delivery 0f the coin and
the reception of the proceeds, Captain Thomas new
er handled dollar BE was in Chicago when the
1905 arrived ut Nashville An honest man can zee
nothing wrong in this entire transaction, bat thief
/ will imagine all sorts Of vilianies. Baxter and
Fisher and the officers in charge Of the assets may
see how frauds may have been committed, but you
and l. gentlemen, are not sufficiently instructed IN
financial arts.
HI6a TAXES AID ExrEsDirUEEs.
II win take but few minutes 10 dispose Of Bax-
ters cant about high taxes and heavy expenditures
While Il is true that taxes are oppressive and
expenses heavy, ii is equally true that every amount
given and statement made BY this reiormer are will
fully exaggerated II he bad the items before him.
as have here he saw and knew that syery dollar
Of additional expense incurred BY tho State Govern
ment was the direct and legitimate fruit Of that
bellion in which be tred'so hard 20 figure, and did
4 figure as an orator aud Office seeker Let us ses
how the account stiinds. ! have here an oflcisl
statement taken from the books 81 tbs Comptroller
from which il appears that the expenditures Of the
/ last two years ending May lst, 1867 amount 70
! g. 453 332.
I / have also The report Of Comptroller Dunlap,
7 showing me expenditures FOR the years 1860 and
Z 1851 70 Be 81 ,72ts5f 81.
I In the face OF this document, presumed 70 have
been in bis Office for six years Baxter asserts that
the annual taxes .befors the war only amounted 10
i $3.50. 600 Oh for u blush Of shame On seeh
I ~ faf L.,
excess Of expenditures Of s73l $50 for the last Two
years over tia years 1850 and 1851 Every fair
minded man will Eonder, Ia view Of ths vide
spread ruin that existed in 1855 that the increase Of
i expenditures has not been much greater. A few
items resulting from the rebellion viii account for
this excess. One ten alone accounts FOR tgo-thiftE
Of THAI Of Interest paid on bonds loaned 70 rail-
roads Previous TO The war, not dollar bad teen
paid on this account except IN one ~ two instances
Of small amounts, which were promptly refunded
I By the railroads. Now this much abused State
/ Government has had 70 pay little over $500 600
on aec02ns Of railroads lady Injured BY tho re-
belon that they unable 70 meet their interest
/ The precise arnoant viii appear on settlement
With our fiscal agents--enoush Is known, however
/ COW 70 authorize this staten eat And who IA 20
blame for the destruction Of railroads. Brown
Low aad The Lsgialaturs or rebel politicians who
made speeehes for the rebellion
Not dollar Of the interest on the STATE debt had
been paid for I've years. This had 20 be funded
and the interest," On the funded deb paid out Of the
treasury. This alone amounted 70 S26.72i 30
Then there was the State Cspitoi-strfpped-de
iauded Of everything IN al its rooms and depart
lpents. The present State Officers found orders al
ready issued BY Military Governor johnson, 70 re-
furnish the StaSs house. These bills with repairing
TIC amount 70 sisy3Sl, but little Of which would
have been Incurred if we had had no rebellion.
Tho State PeniteBtary and Hospital for the In
sane had been carried On during tie war mostly on
credit Even the nurses and servants for these in
stitntions bad 70 be paid in 1895 FOR services in
1861. And 50 Of bills for supplies Of every kind.
have made a calculation from the Comptrollers
books, Of the expenses incurred in this way, and
find they reach over SO 600. The appropriations
for repairs and tools and stock for tie penitsntary
amount 70 about $4,000. The emancipation Of tue