Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1870-05-04
Our state Debt.


The foregoing il an extract from the
Press and Herald, of this city, and is a
specimen of the efirontery displayed by
the Democratic press throughout the State.
The thing has been repeated 40 often that
some people, who have not had access to a
medium through which the falsehood is
contradicted, may be inclined to believe it.
The truth is, the party which brought
about the late civil war, and created the
enormous debt which hangs over us, seek
to divert public attention from their own
sins by calling attention to the shortcom-
ings of others. Now we do not propose to
defend any man who is guilty of even con-
niving at the loss or misapplicatiOn of the
Tennessee school fund. The Democratic
eating committee on that subject, and the
people expect from them, or at least they
desire, a full and impartial report We
prefer specific charges to general insinua-
tions. We call attention to the subjoined
remarks of Hon. a. j. Fletcher, delivered
at Nashville, on the night of the 10th of
January last. Mr.. Fletcher has a plain
way Vi sla.ihS l'cts' anu ,iiousn MS speech
was delivered more three months ago, pub
lished in pamphlet form, and sent out over
the State, we have never seen his state
ments denied. Hear him:
" For more than year past the rebel
press of Tennessee have abounded in cries
of school fund thieves Radical robbers
of the school fund.- robbers of the poor
children ETC., and it is stated that the
school fund of Tennessee was by Radical
manipulation converted into prey for the
loyal brotherhood
There is not, as viii proceed TO show,
one syllable of truth in, nor the slightest
foundation for, any of these charges. On
the contrary, every dollar OF the school
fund OF tennessee was appropriated by the
rebel leaders of Tennessee between the 10Th
OF March, 1867, and the 10Th OF May, 1860.
1t was carried away at the former date by
order or permission OF the Confederate
Legislature OF lS6l,2 II consisted OF III,
tle,oNer two and half million dollars, and
| not one cent OF tins vast sum was ever re-
| turned TO Tennessee: Not one dollar OF
the school fumd OF tennessee ever wen'
INTO the hands or became suplect 10 the
control OF any republican Legislature OF
OF any Republlcan of1lclal. No! wnen
the dark storm-cloud of civil war was lift,
ed from the stare, us sacred school lunu
was gone-gone like the dew OF the morn
ing before the rising sun. Every dollar OF
| It had been pald out IN support q treason
IN Md oil what Is now so nlourhlully ue-
nominated TIE lost cause The only snow
ing the custodlans OF tne schooI iuhd ol
tennessee mad wlleh they returned 10 lht
state was, the exact amount OF the sacred
1und III the shape OF confederate oohds
| Ihis Is precisely what became oil tht
! school iund OF tennessee, ana II now lies
among the wreck o. the BANK OF lenIes
| see, payable SIN months after the fatllca'
| ton OF a treaty OF peace between the Con-
| tederate government ana the Ollteo
| states
~ very bret historical sketch OF thls
sacred fund, drawn from the laws OF Con,
gress ana OF the state, VIII establish an
have said.
Ihe school 1und OF tennessee Isl OIL
rather tcds, tor it has ceased to exist since
the Bank Of Tennessee was invested II
! Confederate bonds, almost entirely tht
! bounty OF the Federal government. II
the year 1876, when the United states cedeo
To the new State of tennessee vas
amount OF public lands WITHIN her borders
1t set apart two hundred thousand acres o.
said land for the benefit OF common schools
| the proceeds of which, by the express pro
visions of an act of Congress, was to re
main perpetual fU',d tnutotd6ty for m
support q common schools throughout m
State. The State, by act OF Congress, was
constituted trustee to sell this land, ano
TO secure the proceeds, and TO distribute the
interest to common schools. In the yea