Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-02-16
ABOUT SCHOOL FUNDS AND PECU-
LATlONS,


We have cornered the Press and
Times in regard to the school fund.
1t was very choice in the epithets
wherewith to denounce the Demo-
cratic party for the loss of the
school fund, which constituted a
part of the capital Of the Bank of
Tennessee. One of its most pol
ished sentences when arraigning
the whole Democratic party for the
loss of this fund, was that "hell
opens wide its sooty jaws and every
devil in the sulphurous domain
gapes to devour the child-robbers
Of Tennessee" The child-robbers
in its own party have been plying |
their vocation, but the Press and
Times has no choice epithets to
hurl at them. When reminded Of
this, that paper declares that "the
cases are not parallel; (" that " the
loss which the school fund suffered
in 1861 was the necessary result of
secession, which the Democratic
party of the State brought about;
but that lin the present instance,
the peculation on theschool fund has
been the work Of individuals who
acted without the sanction, or even
the knowledge of the Republican
party" Secession, not individual
peculation, was the cause Of the loss
of the school fund in the first in
stance, but in the present the pecu-
lation was the work of individuals.
That is q distinction it is well
enough to bear in mind. Whatever
loss the school fund sustained under !
Democratic control was not the re-
suit Of individual peculation, but
not so when it passed into the
hands of the Radicals. That is
compliment TO the honesty of the
Democratic guardians Of the school
fund, and a reflection on the Radi-
cal, that we hardly suspected the
Press and Times capable of utter
ing. Let US see how this school
fund matter stands. According to
arecent report to the Senate, the en-
tire school fund in the Bank of
Tennessee was 81, 315, 434 70. With
that bank there was returned an
amount of specie which was
converted in S618,25O United
States bonds. By a report of
a joint committee submitted to
the Legislature on the 10th
of February, 1867, it appears that
there were twenty-three bonds
of the State of Tennessee, with cou-
pons attached, the same belonging
to the school fund" which were
deposited with the United States
bonds in the Tennessee National
Bank of Memphis Here then we
find that the Radical party recoV-
cred nearly the half of the school
fund. The coin returned with the
Bank of Tennessee, after being con
verted into United States bonds,
was set apart by an act of the Lee
gislature as part Of the perpet-
ual school fund, and shall never
be diminished rs provided for in
chapter II, section 10, Of the con
stitution Of the State Of Tennessee.
Notwithstanding this solemn dedi-
cation Of this fund, less than 500,
900 Of it remains in the treasury. |
The balance has been dissipated, |
part the populations of individuals
and the balance appropriated to the
payment of interest on the State |
debtin defiance of the act Of Feb. 16,
1866. This fragrant violation Of law
has elected no word Of condemna-
ton from the Press and Times, nor /
has that paper denounced its party |
for continuing in Office the men |
in "the peculation on
the school fund" 1t has not even
demanded that these men shall re-
sign the offices they hold with this
Odium attaching TO them. When
speaking Of the Democratic party
in connection with the school fund
i declared that "hell opens wide
its soOty jaws and every devil in
The sulphurous domain gapes to de-
YOUR the chiId-robbers Of Tennes-
see, but it has not even a gentle
manly reprimand of the Governor
for his utter disregard of the law
n DETECTING this fund from its sol
smnly declared purpose, nor hint
hat the men who have peculated
lPon it should be degraded from
he offices they disgrace
WHO Is "WHITE2"
The debate in the Senate on the
m ffirarp amendment tO tho cDDSti |