Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-05-21
THE DEFLECFION OF THE SCHOOL
NANCY.

The Memphis Post Of the 18th
inst. contains this paragraph:
"The Nashville UNION AND AMERICAN
isexercised because the Post does not
denOunce the men who manage the State
finances, because school money is de-
fected from the purpose for which
il was collected. The editors Of the
Post are not by any means Indifferent to
this use Of the school money, but they
appreciate the financial embarrassments
OF the State and the difficulties which
the Comptroller has to contend with,
and have no disposition to add to his diff
ficulties by simply factious grambling
for the mere sake Of grumbiing.
They feel assured that the State will
soon reach easier sailing and these ne
cessities pass away"
The Post tries! a sharp dodge.
The Comptroller does not have the
custody of the school fund, or for
that matter, any Of the funds of the
State. w hon tho treasury has
been found empty, he has been
charged with the duty of raising
money to meet the ordinary ex-
penses Of the State, which he tums
over to the Treasurer, as otter
moneys. He has no control over
the money in the treasury, except
that it is only paid out on warrants
drawn by him to parties entitled to
it under the sanction of law The
school money was used for other
purposes than that for which it was
levied aud collected under the order
of Gov. BrownloE, as we have al
ways understood. He has stated
over his own signature that
he directed the payment of interest
on bon DIS loaned to one of the rail
roads in this State out of that por.
ton of the school fund" saved
from the Tennessee National
Bank of Memphis, and there
is little doubt that the gen
eral understanding that the
other school moneys were used in
the payment of interest or the or
binary expenses of the State gov
eminent by his direction is true.
| II may be that other State officers
conceded with him in opinion.
There is very grave doubt whether
the Treasurer did not transcend his
duty in obeyipg this order of the
Governor. But the dodge Of the
Post is still more unique. 1t has
no disposition to add to the Difficult
ties of the Comptroller "by simply
factious grumbling for the mere
sake of grumbling" 1t is plain
case that the school fund collected
for distribution among the counties
OF the State to aid in sustaining
free schools, has been DETECTED from
that praiseworthy purpose, and
without the semblance Of authori-
| ty in law, applied TO very differ
ent purpose, while the schools have
suffered for the want of this money
| Here is clear violation of duty
and law by some officer
or officers of the State gov
eminent, and the Post has nc
fault to find. If State officers vi :
late the law with impunity in one
instance, what is TO hinder them
from doing it in others2 If the
Post has no fault to find with the
officers who have applied the school
fund to purposes for which it never
was collected or intended, with what
grace could it complain of any VIC
latiorof law by those same officers
The Post has no word of condem.
nation for the men who have thus
deprived the children of the State
of the money collected for their es-
pecial benefit, notwithstanding its
chief editor is the State Superin-
tendent of Public Instruction. And
their acts are thus palliated simply
because they are Radicals. The
school fund may be FILTERED away
upon ilIegitimatc objects, butso long
as it is done by Radicals the Mem.