New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1874-01-22

1862: allows to each State 10000 acres G
public land for each Senator and Representa-
tive in Congress, and provides that the in
terest OF the proceeds shall be forever hell
sacred, by each State avaiing itself of tn
benefits of said act, for the endowment
support and3 maintenance of at least ont
agricultural college in such State.
The State OF Georgia at that time was en-
titled to seven Representatives and two
senators, OF course, which gave her nint
Congressman, thus the act of '62 allotted t.
her 10000 acres of public lands.
| But as the war was in operation at this
time, nothing was done in securing the sale
lands. And as the time allowed the States
to accept the provisions of the act of 1876:
was about to expire, the acts of April IA
1864, (see vol. l3, page Az and Of July %
1866, (see vol. A, page 2O8) both operate tc
extend the time allowed each State accept
ing the benefits of the first act down to Jul,
%, 1860, and for establishing the college OF
| colleges down to July %, 1871.
Now, if we turn to the acts of the Georgia
Legislature we will find, by an act approved
| December II, 1866, that two thousand dol.
| lars were Appropriated to- the Governor to
| meet the expenses of receiving and dispOs.
| ing of said lands in accordance with the acts
of Congress.
1t does not appear, however, that GOV
ernor jenkins ever consummated the object,
but that it was accepted under the admins.
tratiOn of Governor Bullock, some time in
1868 or go, and that acting Governor Conley
sold the land for the use and benefit of the
State for the sum OF ninety cents per acre,
which amounted to the aggregate of $243,
900. But the money was not paid actually
n tho Sfntn fill cip.a l.
came into the executive chair.
But the great question is, has this money
been received? 1t has, otherwise the Legis-
ture of Georgia would not, in a resolution
approved February 81, 1873, second para
graph, have used the following language, to
wit: "And whereas the purchase money OF
said agricultural scrip scrip has been re-
ceivcd and paid into the State Treasury
&c. See public laws of the State of Georgia
at its session in January and February, 1873
page G7.
BY authority of the act approved Deem
Der IL, 1866, the Governor was made the
absolute and sole dispenser of this s243 900,
for the use and benefit of the State, for the
act empowered him "tO invest in like man.
ncr, as he may deem best, the proceeds OF
said sale OF sales in the bonds of this State,'
&C., and disburse the interest of said in
vcstment for the support and maintenance OF
college, such as contemplated by act of
Congress-" &c.
But did the Governor dsburse it properly !
He did not! Another act of Congress says
in the most emphatic words, "There shall
be no discrimination in its benefits" sc.
But i'll the face Of this act, and in the face
OF his better judgment, the Governor gave
every dollar of it to Franklin College at
Athens, to establish and endOw an agri-
cultural department in that old time-hOnOred
seat of learning, where he knew no cOlOred
student could enter, and never will, without
a great hubbub and confusion. But as
read in a Democratic paper last year, "Gov.
crnor Smith may not know he is acccleratin9
social equality by that act, for if all that
money remains there, negro students are
certain to enter those halls in few years, to
get their proportion of it,"
There is no excuse for not placing one-hali
Of our share of the money where we could
have access to its benefits. For there was the
Atlanta University, (colOred,) with three
hundred students in it, with a faculty posi-
bly, equal to Franklin, which would have
been glad to have received it for our use
which University, too, the Georgia Legisla.
ture has recognized by passing an act appro.
priating eight thousand dollars per year, the
same as they do for Franklin, but for some
cause that has been withheld. When neal
forty (lO) of us colOred members were in the
Legislature it was agreed between us and
the white Democrat members that we would
never bother Franklin University if the
State would make an equal appropriation to
our University, that is to say, eight thousand
dollars to each annually. But for causes and
reasons best known to himself the Governor
| fails to either pay over appropriation or to
| Mt animal hoard Of Wis h,,t tf
the white university he does all and then
he takes away from us our share of the
United States land scrip.
This is, in substance at least, a plain anG
unvamished statement of the case. There
may be few errors in the way have item
lied the different results, but the substance
is the same. l shall make no animadver
siOns or comments. l am willing to abide
public opinion. All we ask for is square
right! Give us that, and you may chain ou
tongues, lock our mouths, and paralyze ou
pens; but as long as that is withheld, W,
cOlorcd people are bound to protest agains
manifest injustice. 1t is customary for some
to raise the howl of social equality whel
these questions are preached; but this is no
| a question of social equality. We are no
seeking to foist ourselves into white society
on the contrary, we are trying to avoid it
! IL
ultimatum as much as they pretend, let then
aid us by instructing their Senators and Rep
resentatves in the General Assembly to S
legislate as to give each class their rights ii
the sphere they may choose to revolve.
But, treating us as the story says tn
/ Yankee treated the Indian, will not do. The
hunted together all day, and the time cam
to divide spoils, but they had only killed
turkey and buzzard. The Yankee saiG
Snow, Indian, you take the buzzard and
will take the turkey, or will take the tut
key and you can take the buzzard." The In
dian replied, "But Indian take buzzard ever
time"
We, as colored people, only want on
share of the turkey-nOthing more, nOthin
less. Hoping all cause of complaint wi
soon be removed, and that justice will b
administered to all,
1 am, very truly, II. M. TURNER.
January s.. 1874.
Hon. le. Ii. Elliott.