Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-12-25
4 Card.
To the Editors Of the Union and American:


To the Editors Of the Union and American:
In your issue of the 23d inst, l find
correspondence of which / wish to speak
as briefly as possible.
In the first place, the correspondence
seems to call on Messrs. W. p. Marks,
Robert Stewart, ST., J. 5. WOOdfOrd,
Phil. Olwill, w. A. Glenn, John Morrow,
Sr., and Jo. c. Guild. These gentlemen
seem to be called on respectfully, but
earnestly, to accept the office of Alder
dermen, for the ensuing year, of this flour
ishing young city. This circular letter is
signed by near one hundred citizens of
the town, which makes it appear as
though their election was necessary to
save the corporation from ruin by Oner-
Gus taxation, by what is sometimes called
the free school party. Now, what are
| The facts7 There had been two public
| meetings held III Edgefield previous to
their select meeting, where neither of the
above named candidates Except two, not
members of the present bOard), received
| no more than from one to four votes in
any ballot for candidates, and at the last
public meeting held at the City Hall on
the night of the 18th inst. a school ticket
was nominated: Messrs. Alex. Joseph,
George w. jenkins, J. W. White,
| James Hale, d. c. Coleman,
]. P. Barthell andthe undersigned. This
pressing letter seems to have been re-
ceived by the anti-school candidates on
the next day after the select meeting at
the store of SimmOnds & Thompson.
Now | will not say that any Of the
candidates drummed up this meeting, or
that they assisted the very few select
friends present TO put themselves in NOM
nation, or that they, or majority of
them, dictated this very pressing letter,
which was then and there done, and there
signed by the few friends present, and the
next day WIS industriously circulated for
the signatures of more of their friends,
any argument being used to get more
names, many being obtained by represen-
tatiOns that the candidates called on were
for free schools, by levying a moderate
tax, and the school party, sO-called, were
in favor of a ruinOus tax of six, eight or
even ten mills on a dollar. | have con-
versed with nearly all the candidates on
the school ticket, and find they are all OPP
posed to greater tax than what was
| levied for the current year, but all of
| them are in favor of from two to three
mills on the dollar of the same should be
| set apart for schools
Three of the gentlemen on the no
school ticket are in the present Board of
Aldermen, or the Board just going out of
office, all of which are honorable, high
toned gentlemen, and may, and probably
have, sought to faithfully carry out the
| leading objects of saving and apprOpria-
| ting the peoples money to the best advan-
tage for the public good, or for the great
| est good to the greatest number. True
the Board has served without pay, and no
| doubt would do so for years to come
without an act of the Legislature saying
they shall do so, and that under high
| penalties, notwithstanding a free mans
services are his private property, and
should not be taken for public use with
| out compensation, without his consent.
| These gentlemen "Tegret to see a DISPOSE
ton manifested to depart from their true
| policy by the seven other gentlemen now
| in the field, who they wish to infer are
in favor of levying an Onerous direct tax
on real and personal property and polls for
the use and benefit of free schools in this
town. will answer for all the candi-
dates on the school ticket, that they are
in favor of levy of tax sufficient to
keep all the children that attend free
school in school ten months in the year,
and procure for them good teachers
competent to teach the primary branches
of a sound English education.
This is the only system that viii OF can
"impart knowledge or cultivate and i'm
prove the morals of a people, and each
and all classes in a community. Free
schools are truly the fountains of intelli-
gence," and have done as much for the
improvement and lettering of society as
any other one enterprise. l would hardly
deem it necessary TO reply to what they
please TO call "The following facts in
regard TO the sum required TO sustain free
schools in our town for the next year,
$50, O00-and then $13, 900 for grading
streets and metalling them with sand
brought up and put on the streets at an
outlay of five cents per bUshel, after pur-
chasing an island on q credit for s., 600,
at the same time broken rock has been
put on Woodland street near the livery
| Stable, &, OUU DuSneIS, at less Jndu IhIte Cenls
per bushel. Such strict economy and
much more of the same sort will show
what claims for reelection some of the
gentleman have"
The measure alluded TO, introduced to
the Board this year, was to levy tax OF
three mills on adollar, which would have
raised about 81, 900, and that in conjunc-
ton with the So, 645, which is now on
hands, and as l am informed we would be
entitled to about $1,000 of the Peabody
fund so-called, which would have given
us near $13, 900. The bill was rejected
by the vote of three of the candidate;
who are now aspiring to the same posi-
ton. They assume that it would cos
$40 per scholar to keep the children o.
} Edgefeld in school one year in our town.
, while $40 each is all that is required il
other towns and cities for schooling in tn
primary school, which would includ,
spelling, reading, writing, mental ant
practical arithmetic, etc., or such branche
as are necessary and Indispensable for tn
ordinary business of life, as far prObabll