Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-02-14
hniau and 1ispatfh.
FRIDAY. FRERUARY "A. Is6s.
Largest Circulation in City and State,
THE SACRED SCHOOL FUND.
a Singular DOeument-What Does ia
mean-Why ShouId the law be VIO-
lated ?

Correspondence Of the Union and Dispatch.
SMITH COUNTY, Tenn, Feb. 8, 1861
The following is a copy Of printed peti-
ton which has been circulating in this
community for several days What does
il mean IT il understood to have origiaa.
ted in Nashville, and was forwarded TO the
appointee Of the Superintendent Of Public
Instruction az Superintendent OF Public
Schools for this county. He is a man Of
very high respectability perhaps the most
intelligent and influential member Of the
Radical party in the county. In fact it is
said he sometimes rather indignant
ly denies belonging to that party, yet he
never fails 10 vote that ticket at least he
never votes any other These facts raise a
suspicion in regard TO the document. A
petition from the people should originate
among the people. The document seems
10 me 20 be mysterionsly worded. 1t is
neafly all preambles and has eleven
whereases The third one asserts that the
school fund sis greatly reduced By defective
and indefinite revenue lava" How "defec-
tive and indefnite?" God knows the
revenue laws seem TO be e6eciire enough 10
wrench from the industry its whole earn
ings. How much more effective aud
definite can they be made9 Under the
fifth whereas, the fact is stated that the
Governor, Secretary Of the State, Comp
trollqr Of the Treasury and Superintendent
Of Public Instruction, are made by the
school law, Commissioners Of the School
Fund, and are required by section Az Of
the same 10 guard il against diminuiion,
and see that the fund for annual distribu-
iion shall be invariably paid over TO the
support Of common schools for the benefit
of all the people as provided by this act,
and no other use" This clause seems 10
make plain and imperative the duty of
these Commissioners Of the School Fund,
and TO a strict compliance with the same
they have bound themselves by their
official oath. And under the next whereas.
il il stated that eve have learned from the
Comptroller that it is deemed necessary,
and il is the present intention TO use
said school fund TO pay current
expenses and State interest" Whose in
tention is il to do this? These Commis-
sioners in violation Of law and their oath?
And why necessary? Can it ever be neces-
sary 10 violate law? If these high func-
tionaries are thus violating the law under
the odious plea Of necessity-the plea of
tyrants-Nhy don't the Legislature inn
peach them But then, to pursue this
very strange document no further, what do
these men who get it up, and who it is said
are none other than these Commissioners
Themselves dictate 10 IA 10 petition for
The answer il an amendment to the reyes
nue. laws, and for the proper appropriation
of the school fund. How much stronger
could the law be made on this last point
than it is And how do they want the
revenue laws amended? Are we TO look
TO the Comptroller report for the answer ?
The truth is this document looks like a
very bungling confession that the whole
school fund has been squandered-no only
the S6l8,O00 brought from the South, but
the $500, 900 appropriated in 1865 and the
levies Of 1866 and 1867. And now they
want the people to ask the Legislature to
tax them to make good the shameless pro-
figacy Of these faithIess officials How is
this MANY PEOPLE.
THE PETITION.
To the Senate and House Of Representatives Of
the State Of Tennessee, in General Assembly
convened
Whereas, The thirty fourth General
Assembly OF Tennessee passed an excellent
common school law, designed ito provide
for the supervision and maintenance of free
common schools"
Whereas, BY the provisions of this law
a school fund is provided, and,
Whereas, This fund is greatly reduced
| by defective and indefinite revenue laws,
Whereas, According to the Comptroller
report, the school fund of the State is pur
| down at over one million dollars, exclusiv,
of the six hundred thousand doliarl
brought back from the South, and assigned
| by the Legislature TO the school fund, and
Whereas, The Governor, Secretary o
State, Comptroller Of the Treasury, and Tia,
Superintendent of Public Instruction, arr
made, by the school law, Commissioners o
| the School Fund, and are required by sec
tion A." of the same to "guard it agsins
| diminutiua, and see that the fond for an
nual distribution shall be inviolably pal,
over TO the support of common schools 70
the benefit of all the people as provided b,
this act, and no other use, and
| Whereas, We have learned, with sorrow
from the Comptroller, that il is deeme,
necessary, and il is the present intention, {,
use said school fund to pay current eX
penses and the State interest, and thus L
deprive the State, for another year, of fre
common schools, and,
| Whereas, Ii is believed that il the lie
gislsture allow the school law 10 be thu
violated aud nullifed, and the school fund
paid, in good faith, by the people for thi
specified purpose, TO be diverted to othe
uses, the confidence of all good citizen
will be destroyed in the power Of the gov
ernment 10 execute good and rishteou
laws, and,
| Whereas, The people are expecting, an
have a right 10 expect, the immediate dis
tribution Of the school fund, because the
have not received one dollar for over seye
years for school purposes-not even froT
the S6O0,0OO brought back from the South
nor the direct appropriation Of $500, 700 i
1865, nor from the levies Of lS667--an
because they we're promised, during th
last State canvass, that the present Legii
laiure WOuld see that our excellent schOC
law should be faithfully executed, and,
Whereas, Il is Just snd wise, at sll time
and even under the most embarrassiu
financial diflicultiea, 10 provide for the e,
ucation of the Young, aud
| heFtdS, II viii pc pIhuchl, ds Il hhA'
cial scheme, 10 provide, Immediately, {,
free common schools, because the wealth
, | the State and the value and reliability
, all her obligations are in direct ratio 90 q
intelligence aud virtue OF her citizen
and,
b Whereas, IL would greatly increase Il
. motives 10 immigration, which all desir
n and enable the railroads more easily to p'
10 the interest on their bonds so liberal
n guaranteed by the State. and in case
= their failure 20 pay said interest il Won
enable the State the more easily to supp
the deficiency; therefore, we, your humb
petitioners, citizens Of, would most 7
specially and earnestly pray your mC
honorable body
: First To amend our revenue laws
that the school fund may be speedily a
II surely collected with as little diminuti
II as possible
% Second. To see that the school fund
Is ready collected for this purpose, be inv
> lahly paid over foE the support of Fl
r common schools for the benefit Of all pc
l. ole as provided by the school law.
l. -
THE Eastern question assumes new Co
plications daily lis solution is rapid
c,Ir,i,.,;-.,-;n conflict no dnubt and