Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-02-26
appears to be their purpose.
THE SCHOOL FUND INyESTIGA
TIRN.

AAONs
The "school fund" investigation
proved to be too great a job for the
House of Representatives, which
commenced it. The members of the
committee set out with the determi-
nation of probing this scandaious
affair to the core, but they had not
proceeded very far before they be-,
came convinced that such an inves-
tigation would ruin their party.
The leaders of the party no where
were satisfied that such would be
the result, and they brought such a
pressure to bear upon the committee
that two or three of its members
abandoned the investigation and
left for their homes in disgust.
Enough has been brought to light
to show that a most outrageous
fraud has been committed touching
the "school fund.-" and that large
number of leading Radicals are in
volved in that affair. This fact
should be borne in mind that the
committee shrunk from the ex-
posture of their party friends which
they saw was inevitable if they
pushed the investigation any fur
Their. The GAINESVILLE Patriot,
(RadicaD appreciates the terrible
odium which the "school fund" fraud
has brought upon the Radical
party, for it says in its issue of
February "a
The new withdrawing committee,
headed by Mr.. Singletary, has reporte d
in grandiose terms, that there was MOTH
ing in the record of Mr.. Arnelfs votes,
while member of the Assembly, which
proved any corruption On his part so far
as the school fund was concerned-that
he could be believed on oath, and lastly,
but not least, that the House had 40
jurisdiction eUer him. Verify, our Solons
Of the Assembly have put to shame the
historical wisdom of the world, and here
after the characters of Bunsby and Capt
Cutie must take back@seats in the syna-
agogue Of literature We understand
there was not particle Of evidence of,
fered, or sought to be adduced, showing
that Mr. Arnell did not receive the moneys
which were sworn to and charged
against him Another remarkable iea-
ture in this sweet episode of legislation
is, that Mr.. Arnell endeavored to prove
that Rutter could not be belieDed on oath,
It will be observed that, while Rutter had
funds in his hands to disburse to these
needy troutlets, they coursed up and
down the stream, wagging their tails in
all the gushing lovliness of their natures,
gratefully receiving and swallowing the
crumbs with which the expert angler
baited them. Pending these proceedings,
Rutter was honest to fault-Diogenes
needed his lantern no more-an honest
man was found, and he continued ire
trievably honest until these little State
secrets commenced to leak out Then
there was change of programme. and
the "hoUest" mantle was stripped from
the green spot in memory's waste"
which covered the blushing "Rvse Of
Sharon" and was suddenly transferred to
the Bardolphs, Pistols and Nyms of this
Falstafian array of Saints. 1t was
the little difference between then and
R0a0i The point must not be overlooked,
in the struggle to catch straws, as to
what did become of the school fuudP
Who got it2 Who has it2 Who has a
share of it and why was it so shared ?
These are questions, yet remaining I'M
| answered, except in so far as Mr.. Arnell
is concerned He has not been able to
shake off the contamination; or to wipe
out the damned spot, with all the assist
ance he may have had from the Macbeth
ian witches of the Assembly. They have
paltered in a double sense, and that's
fat Whitewash as they may, and then
report cOTdm non iudice, cover up as
they may, they cannot get earth enough
to shut ont the sight of the fostering
corpse These appearances of virtue
and entertainments won't doI'
There is much force in what the
Patriot says of the efforts Of the
committee to whitewash those
Radicals whose garments smell Of
the "school fund" Cover up as
they may, they cannot get earth
enough to shut out the sight of the
fostering corpse" The Taxpayers of
the State will remember this great
swindlo, and how the Legislature in
stead of investigating and exposing
the perpetrators and benefciarics
of the deed, endeavored to white
wash those who were implicated
and stihed further investigation.