New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1871-12-07

one preceding IT, ANY other conclusion wonll
do Siolenee 10 oil rules OF construction, AID
make confusion worse COMPOUNDED in refereu -
/ to any act, no matter how plainly its purpose
might be stated
The conclusion Of the Auditor. that in no
event can he be required to pay over any oil
this money until October LIST OF each year
although absard, may call for word or
two. Ii effect be given to his construction
OF the act; then immediately upon its ap
proval. July %. 1866, the authorities OF
the two cities were authorized t,
suspend all payments on account of this fund
until October l, 1866, when there would only
be due the amount accruing for about two
months, sufficient, perhaps. to support the
schools up to that date and no longer, when
the schools would be closed until October [.
1867, twelve months, with their fund constantly
accommodating in the treasury Of the two cities
and the children running the streets in idle
ness, and that, too, in the face of a law punish.
school. (See section 20 and Il of act Of June
25. 1864 When Congress passed that act
did they expect by it to close these schools for
whole Year, aud yet such would have been
the result then, and will be now for at least
eight months, if the Auditors construction is
to prevail,
Again, the first of October is the end of the
first month of the school year, on which date
the first months salaries of the employees of
the board are due and payable, and the demand
for money is from that period to the end Of the
school year, june 30, quite imperative, and
Congress, in its desire to make this board
independent in every sense, fixed this
period as the one from which their fund
should be constantly under their control
and within their reach, and to avoid all
question as to the time when they should be
entitled to its payment, leaving it in their
discretion to call for it all at once or not,
as the interests of the schools should de-
mand, and it is here worthy of note that they
nave never in single instance availed them
selves OF this provision, but have always waited
until the white schools were paid from month
to month and then presented their claims for |
the proportionate part of the fund due them.
1t is not denied that the colored schools of
w ashingto and Georgetown are public schools, !
out II Is denied that this fact destroys any of
Ine peculiarites of organic alton with which |
congress has seen fit to endow the Board of
trustees called to manage their affairs. And |
whether called public schools or by any other
name Is not in the least degree important and
can have no influence in determining their re,
latIon to the new District Government.
The question at issue is this has Congress
made this board, in the management of their
schools, independent of the local authorities;
and 1t so, has the District Legislature made
any provisions interfering with or modifying
That condition? We think it has been fully
shown that they are independent and that the
local Legislature has not nor has it even man
Tested any intention to pass an act looking in
that direction.
CHARLES KING,
Treasurer of Board of Trustees of the Schools
tor Colored Children IN the cities of Washing
ton and Georgetown.