Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1872-04-10
WHAT BECAME OF THE SCHOOL FUND

Tennessee once had school fund. 1t
was lost, squandered and stolen in the
general wreck of the State government
which followed as natural consequence of
the Democratic rebellion. A great deal
has been said about where this fund went
to. Every man of reason knows that it
went into the pockets of Democratic poll
ticians. These same Democrats, with the
impudence of Satan himself, have attemp-
ted to charge that it was lost through the
negligence, extravaganza and dishonesty
of Republicans
We havenefore us a copy of an act
of the Democratic, rebel Legislature of
Tennessee, passed in February, 1862, while
that itinerant concern was holding forth
at Memphis, which throws some light up
Oh the manner in which the school fund
was then regarded. Wequote two sections
of the act as follows:
An Act to provide for the families of INDECENT
soldiers
SECTION l. BE It enacted By tie General As
sentJly Of the State Of Tennessee, That the sum
of four hundred and fifty thousand dollars an
nually, for the years 1862 and 1865, be and the
same is hereby appropriated for the relief of
the families of INDECENT soldiers now in the SER
vice of the State of Tennessee or in the Confed-
crate States of America, or that may hereafter
enter the service of the State.
SEC. 2 BE 1T fuTther enacted, That to raise
said fund the whole amount of revenue now in
the Treasury, for the above named years, from
any and all sources for common school purpos
es, except the sum of one hundred thousand
dollars per annum, and all property and monies
accrung to the sch DOL fund from escheats and
two thousand dollars in lieu of land tax is
hereby appropriated.
There is where nine Hundred thousand
dollars of the fund was provided for. We
know of some prominent Democratic poll
ticianS in East Tennessee who were MEM
bprS of the I,pDislaturp ot that time Sippa
then, they have grown eloquent in their
condemnation of the misapplcation of
this fund. Wonder if they were present
and voted for this law?
1t will be remembered that by the pro-
visions of the Constitution, this fund was
to remain as a perpetual fund.-" the
principal never to be diminished by leg
islative appropriation" The men who
passed this act-all of whom are Demo-
crats-had taken a solemn oath, upon the
Holy Evangelists of Almighty God, to
support this Constitution. Having per-
jured themselves and robbed the children,
it is very natural that they should now
wish to avoid the consequences of their
crime. He who commits perjury will not
scruple to hide his crime, by reiterating
falsehOod upon every occasion. This is
the condition i'll which we find the lead
ing Democratic politicians of Tennessee.
First, they were willing to break up the gov
eminent because they could not control the
offices. They thought they had succeeded
in this, and would never be brought to ac-
countability, by reason of the chaotic cond-
ton of the country consequent upon the
disruption of the government, and did
not hesitate to perjure themselves to get
their hands into the State Treasury. This
was the motive which led them to ruth
lessly break down the barrier between
themselves and the sacred school fund.
They didn't care a straw for " INDECENT
women and children; " it was the love of
plumber. They robbed the school children
of the State, of this fund, squandered it
for their own use, and ever since have
been lying to conceal their villainy. I'M
partial history must so record it. Those
who are acquainted with the facts must
now admit it, and with honest men, the
actors in this disgraceful scheme must ever
be regarded as infamous. If they had
taken the money stolen from the school
fund and applied it faithfully, as the act
shows it was intended, there might be
shadow of excuse for tive say mere
shadow-because it could not be diverted
from its original purpose without perjury
ON the part of Legislators, but we have no
evidence that it was so applied. The in
ference is, tuat it was squandered, stolen
and msapplied by the remnants of the
rebel State Government, during its pere-
grination through the States South of u.s.