Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1868-12-30
UoW 10 DesGrOy the Free Schools In
Tennessee.

!
,s-yasn is root-fast, having been bred in the bone
OF course then, we thoroughly detest all schemes
sp devices for raising the poor to level with tae
rich the ignorant 70 level with the educated, ana
the low to d level with the high. We believe most
heartily ia privilege, and the rights Of privilege
in short not to mince tue NATTER in an arstocracy,
whose privileges are something more sacred than
r,nmop mems rights. Such an aristocracy has al
WAYS ruled Tennessee heretofore and we mean to
do our best towards making it rule in the future
Scrub stock must not presume TO an equality with
blood stock.
-I.ne ru,-.-- ll-----siar,al
b,yonets told fearfuly against our dne old chlvac
sristocracy; but they were really mild blow COM
nsred with free schools. No aristocracy can live
long where they are No wonder, then, that as Ten
7e.see conservatives and arstocrats we hate them.
we do hate them, and we boldly declare that the
free school law shall be repealed before the accursed
system takes root Sometime we viii give in full
detail the reasons why Tennessee conservatives must
not allow this abomnable institution to get foot
hold among US but not just now The pressing
urgency Of the hour is to destroy these schools and
20 cripple where we can't destroy. Let the deed be
done at once; the reasons can afford to wait.
The repeal Of the law is what we want; but how
to get that repea7 Conservatives are not in power
Just now, mores the pity for if we were, the law
wouldn't stand on the statute book two days. The
onlyway, then, and the plain way, is to pillow with
the hefer and get the republicans themselves TO
peal it for u.s. This isn't over and above easy, we
very well know; for great share Of these fellows
have wit enough to that if their party is to live
long on Tennessee SOIL It's roots must get their life
from free schools But luckily they don't all see
IT, and more luckily still there are among republi-
can representatives and senators at Nashville men
who don't care pcayune which party puts them
in Office provided they are in Office. Look out such
members Of the legislature infect them with the
itch Of being greedy Of the support of the rebels
who are soon to be made voters again give them to
Understand that that support must be earned, and
that the price thereof is the repeal of this law which
is so justly la.efaI to conservatives and their good
friends the rebels Once get them filed with these
notions and hopes, and they may be relied on to do
anything want done. 1t will be best to get East
Tennesseesus 10 start the movement for that will
give it a look ofloyalty which will be worth good
deal 10 us After having used them to gain our
eads the enfrsnchsement Of rebels and the repeal
of the free school law why, of course we can drop
them as dirty tools which we have no further use
for.
Now, If this excellent scheme could only succeed
the irst time trying, everything would have been
gained. But that is too much to expect; it will
take several trials Hence the necessity of doing a
good many other things TO help along the main OBJ
ject There are 50 may Of these helps, that we
will not try to name tnem aIl--only few Of the
principal ones. Now, among them, perhaps the
chief is to make the law odiOas to the people.
is already odious TO all conservatives and rebels
it only remains, then to make republicans cool to-
wards 1t and this we believe be done, if only
We work hard enough and stick to it long enough
In fact we have already good start in that direc
tion thanks TO the joint action of several causes
Here are some of them:
The business in the Comptroers Office at Nash
vile has been managed SO as to help US nightly
That Office dictates and practically controls the use
Of moneys raised as taxes for free schools Not q
. dollar can be actually drawn from the school fund
except upon certain action by that Office, and thai
action has been delayed and delayed under one ex-
cuse and another till many Of the warmost friend:
Of the school system have lost al faith in its prac
teal workings, and the rest are tormented with
doubts and misgvngs. School officers don't dar,
TO make contracts with teachers and teachers don't
dare 10 take schools, because both have no conf
dence that the money viii be forthcoming to pay
the wages. Aud so the schools haven't been taught
Taxpayers who had paid in their taxes in 1866 an
1867, have begun to feel that they have been plum
dered and that there is to be 40 return Of the kind
h,. fho ~
against the counfounded school system" whict
promised everything and performs nothing. Al
TINS has worked powerfully for US in just the guag-
Ter where We wanted work done but where W,
couidn DO II ourselves Our cause couldn't have
been 50 well served if We ourselves had held the
machinery Of the State government in our owl
hands. II 1t be asked why and how this course ha.
been taken in the Comptrollers Office if is enougl
for the present 10 say that res,y not oysssss ar,
for the public eye Sufficient lust now Is tbs rand
fact that this hated school law has hoe, soral,
wounded in the house Of its friends: b, II
to keep this wound inAamed till guppraDo sof. :,
and death ensues.
SO much having been done FOR as it has bae
pretty easy TO follow on and do something for o,-
selves; nor have we been idle. Having got tba 10,
and the system well spokeu against amongst ever
the republicans themselves it could not be a har
matter 70 get that state officer who stands al n
head A'id manages free schools spoken evil Of. W
mean the State Superintendent Of course Tt
hrst thing To do was 70 saddle on him the blame
The non-payment Of the school moneys to the coal
ties True he had no power over a cent Of Il
iundi bat then the foolish masses believed he hs
and could not be made TO believe otherwise. So a
him have been showercd the curses that rghtful
belonged elsewhere. Isn't it jolly7 What cou
be more 70 our mind and all without toll or tro
bic 70 US.
now further The Superintendent, after earef
consultation with great numbers of teacher sch,
oneefs aud other friends Of free schools. proceed
70 make ouelAl recommendation OF books for &c
ersl and uniform use all over the state. aret.
law commands him TO DO a certain great %
fishing house in Cincinnati hal for years held t
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