New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-03-01

benefcent results would have been wrOugh
by the legitimate expenditure of this tune
} no one can tell. We do know that the Nc
Donogh fund has been diverted from thu
purpose for which it was donated; that {
large portion has been sQuandered or ex
late war S525, 1873 was appropriated by the
city and used to put the city in a state o.
: defense against Federal authority, and ''de
tense bonds" were substituted. These
bonds. of course, afterwards proved worth
less. This action of the city authorities
was illegal, and they are bound to restore
the money misused.
But the fund has not been restored,
and will not be until the high mandates
of sovereign authority can be obtained to
compel it. The facts Of the diversion OF
the McDonogh, Fink. Girod and other
funds are too well known to the readers
of the REPUBLICAN to require repetition.
The use We now make Of them is to show
that with such an example set by the city.
the country parishes were not slow to take
the cue. and robbing school funds for any
and every purpose became the rule. and
not the exception. The reports Of the
State superintendent for years prior to
1865 TEEN with complaints against parish
treasurers. the majority Of whom locked
upon the educational funds that came
into their hands as legitimate plumber.
We need only refer our readers to the re.
port Of Mr.. Lusher for 1867 to verify
these assertions. But unfortunately the
/ .oraoa6apf h. &c boop Cor, co;+bg,,I,, fol1o-ro,i
by some Of their successors.
Mr.. Brown boldly tells the story as he
! finds it written in the official reports.
But our contemporaries omitted to give
his dates. We will supply a few Of the
omissions. Superintendent Brewster. of
the fifth division. reports that in Catahoula
| parish large fund was at the disposal of
the School board. but was lavishly used.
and the records impertectly kept. "When
the present board was organized. the
books showed small amount on hand.
viz: 1927 81. but the sum was not on
hand, and was merely due by the treas
,lrer. There was an Indebtedness to teach
ers OF over S3000." As these defalca-
tons occurred under former admins
tration. as the funds were all gone. and
nothing but debts remained. neither Mr..
Brown. Mr.. Brewster. nor their appointees
are to blame for them. They report facts
that existed when they came into Office,
and practices which they have since sue
ceeded in putting stop to. In Concor-
dia and Morehouse parishes, and the still |
more unfortunate Carroll can immense
fund was squandered in 1871 and 1872"
Although the public schools were closed |
in July, 1872, the money for the quarter
ending March, 1873, was drawn in ad- |
vance. and spent for some other than |
educational purposes.
Superintendent Keeting, Of the fourth |
division, informs the State Superintendent |
that the rascalities practiced in his divis-
ion previous to his taking charge greatly
exceeded his most sanguine expectations,
though he had put the figure very high.
Superintendent George B. Loud, of the
third division follows in the same strain,
and relates peculation Of funds before his
appointment which were irretrievably be-
yond recall Superintendent Stoddard, of
the second division. and Williams, of the
first, also complain Of the local school
officers in their divisions.
But these reports. at least tie portions
glanced at by us, refer to period Of time
reaching far back into the darker days of
the States history. Though the evils
noted are :ncurable. though the money
has been squandered, and the guilty spo.
liators are permitted to hold up their
heads among honest men; nay. when
some Of them even make it boast that
they seized the McDonogh and other
funds Tor a patriotic purpose" namely.
''to repel the Yankee INVADER" the effects
yet remain to embarrass our present con-
scientious officers who are sincerely striv-
ing TO build up the public schools. both
in the city and country. It is no longer
even in Catahoula. Carroll
and st. Tammany parishes, to spend
large sums Of money for educational pur.
poses and have no schools. We desire to
defend Superintendent Brown and his as
sistants from the imputation that their
discovery Of rascality has not resulted in
its suppression. They have discovered
that the horse has been stolen. but have
taken precautions against return CT the |
thief. /.
We cannot hold the Democratic party
blameless in this matter. In mos: cases
the absconding officers have belonged to
that party. though not in all. aud the
invariable habit our political opponents
have Of referring to successful rivals as
Radical thieves doubtless suggested the
first idea OF the weaker members, recent
perhaps from Democracy, who
had been rewarded for their apostacy
before they had acquired honest habits.
They have passed away. however. the
thieves and the money. and we believe
they have generally been succeeded by q
better class Of men. At all events, there
are vigilance. integrity and intelligence at
and we feel confidence in
the future.
THE POOR GROG- SELLER.
The passage of bill in the Legislature
to prohibit the sale of intoxicating drinks
on Sunday has called one of the ,1nblush.