Wilmington journal., 1872-04-26

ponded promptly and literally. The fund
appropriated by the General Assembly for
school purposes during the present year Is |
larger than has ever been used in North |
Carolina for the support of free schools in
any one year. The school law, as revised, |
has been pronounced by good Judges to be |
the best we have ever had in this State.
It was also believed that it would be
right and proper, and TO the interest of the
State, if the University could be taken out
of party politics, and be re-Organized and
revived upon a non-partisan basis. The
matter was deliberated well before any step
was taken. The principal difficulty sug-
gested was that Rev. Solomon Pool,
! who is a brother of Senator Pool, held
the title of president of the University
! which he was unwilling to giveup, and that
! Senator Pool would not consent to any
| thing which would involve the removal of
his brother. 1t was thought best, however,
/ to make the attempt. A resOlotion was
! adopted by the trustees appealing to the
Alumni OF the University and asking their
aid for the relief and support of the I nj
versity. The Alumni responded cheerfully
and promptly. Fifty-tvc of them assem-
bled IN the Senate Chamber after a notice
of ten days, and expressed Willingness to
give their most cordial and united support
TO the University, if it could be taken out
Oh pC1lIlCSs "A QUORUM vi IuC IIlSCCCo lIAcbl-
! mously concurred, and instructed me to
! send circular to each trustee, giving an
| account of what had been done, and of
what was proposed to be done. L did so.
At first favorable answers were received
trustees were sending in their designations
from ali directions, entirely approving OF
what had been done, and OF what was pro-
posed to be done. Senator Pool, however,
answered That he disapprovcd OF what
hod hoon 6nna cllon1I II hiYNSp I
and advise bis friends to oppose it. Pres
emily designations stopped coming in
Some of those which had been sent
in were recalled. I learned from
trustees themselves, that Senator Pool
had sent q circular to them asking them
rot to resign as trustees, and if they had re-
signed, to recall their resignation, intima-
ting that must not be continued in my
place. | have been surprised by the dCvel-
opments made in this case. had no idea
that Senator Pool, by means of his official
l patronage, had acquired such power in the
E State or that he would venture to use his
! power with SO Little regard to the will OF
The people of the State which he repre-
1 sents. L may take occasion hereafter to
! say something more upon this matter OF
, { official patronage. For the present / will
say that Mr.. Reid, who is trustee of the
Z University, agreed with Senator Pool that
4 the University must be kept in the hands
: Of the Republican party exclusively. The
income Of the University from cscheats,
etc, is now about ono thousand dollars
u a year. Mr.. Il. w. Lassiter, treasurer
n of the trustees Of the University, regl-
c larly receives and retains one thousand
! dollars year as his salary, besides Incl
dental and travelling expenses. The duties
n of tie Office are very light. ] have at all
!, times been willing to have them annexed
O TO the duties of the Office which L hold
without any compensation whatever. The
> attempt was made last January to reduce
Il Mr.. Lassitcrs salary as Treasurer of the
University from one thousand to one hun
dred dollars, and when that failed, then tC
five hundred dollars. The venerable and
Ii reverend James G. Reid stood by ''hiS
= friend Lassiter upon that occasion Will
e his votes and speeches. He carried hin
safely through, and Mr.. LaSsiters salary
remains one thousand dollars Il year
5 Senator Pool, Rev. j. &. Reid and Other
If trustees of the University, by retaining the
Il University in their own hands, enable MIR
=. LasSiter to receive and use $1,000 year
which the creditors Of the L niversity ought
e to have. If they accomplished anything
more, | have not been able to discove
it. The nomination of Reid was ar
endorsement of this, and rejection of th'
offer implied i'll the action OF the Genera
!, Assembly, that the educational interest o
- the State should be kept out Of party con
c tests, and be supported by both parties
= know lie was nominated because he StOOC
y by Mr.. LasSiter, and refused to allow hi
" salary, as treasurer ofthe University, to bt
r reduced from one thousand TO one hundred
> dollars or to five hundred dollars, and be
> cause he refused to consent to a re-organi
ZatiOn Of the University upon non-partl
I. zan basis il other words because he in
| sisted upon making the educational inter
E. est CT the State suDServient to party pOlltl
II clans. When ] heard the acclamatiOnS 0
d applause with which his nomination wa
\ received, | asked myself what does thi
" mean? 1t means simply that th'
e convention which processes to represen
h eighty thousand colored voters and mum
> Der Of white voters has, for the sake O
y gratifying three or four politicians, actuall,
d sacrificed the highest interests Ofthe peo
G. pie which it processes to represent. If
IS know anything well, it is, that it is rllinou
k to the cause Of education to drag il int
political party contests. a system of pop
IS ular education based upon The idea that
= is to be monopolized by one party is sim
f ply impossible, and the attempt to fore
of such a system is simply criminal. 1t is rl
| inous to the best interests of the State ant
l. Of all the peopl. Of the State.
he If | am asked how | know that MI
I'd Reid'S nomination was agreed upon il
l. W aSmngtOn City, my answer IS, Mr.. Rel
ut himself so informed me. / also know tina
a he was appointed for the reasons whcl
ID have given. 1t is impossible, therefore
&c that / should endorse his nomination. l
e. would be unjust to myself and TO the caus
rd of education, if | should not disclaim tn
ID endorsement, which, by mistake, has bee
to given in my name. If Mr.. Reid is to b
IL elected, it will not bc done with my cor
to sent or support.
in ALEXANDER MCINEH.