Printed circular from C. N. Wilson to the people of Layette County, Mississippi; Undated

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Printed circular from C. N. Wilson to the people of Layette County, Mississippi; Undated

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People

Alcorn, J. L. (James Lusk), 1816-1894 Barr, H. A.Dennis, Samuel Elliott, Unknown Hewson, H. F.Wilson, C. N.Yerger, Unknown

Events

Taxation United States--Census, 1860

Organizations and Businesses

Boards of Directors Courthouses Courts Courts--Chancery Courts Green and Company (Jackson, Miss.)Mississippi. Executive Department Mississippi. Legislature Schools

Occupations

Bankers Lawyers Mississippi. Auditor of Public Accounts Students Supervisors Teachers Treasurers

Places

Jackson (Miss.)Lafayette County (Miss.)Marshall County (Miss.)

Page 1

[note]*[/note] TO THE PEOPLE OF LAFAYETTE COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI.

A PLAIN TALK AND A FEW TRUTHS.

THE AMOUNT OF SCHOOL MONEYS RECEIVED AND DISBURSED—FOR WHAT PURPOSES, AND BY WHAT AUTHORITY.

[Extract from the Message of Governor Alcorn.]

On or about the first of April, 1871, His Excellency, Governor Alcorn, in a message to the Legislature, called their attention to certain abuses contained in existing laws—citing, as an instance, that Boards of School Directors had an almost unlimited power, and giving as an instance of wanton expenditure the ac-tion of the School Board of this County, in the following words, to-wit:

"In a very few short months of actual work in the County of Lafayette, the School Board of that County is charged, upon grave authority, with having expended $3,500 in cash and $4,000 in credits, with little or nothing to show for the money."

The above paragraph, deliberately penned and gravely submitted to the Legislature of this State, is, putting figures of speech aside, an implied insult, and we must, indeed, say that we were not only aston-ished but mortified to think that the Chief Executive of the State should give credence to such a report, upon a simple ex parte statement. We all know that social status and position are no protection against imposture, and men whose honor none can impeach, whose motives are pure, are often made victims of by designing parties—and we have no doubt but that the Governor really believed, and was morally convinced that the School Board of this County illegitimately expended the said amount of $7,500.

Again, many of our honest and conscientious citizens are really imbued with the idea that when they hear the name of School Director mentioned, they hear a word that is a synonym of extravagance and reck-lessness. It is openly stated on the streets that the School Board have made short work with the school funds, that the Treasury is empty, etc., etc., and many well meaning people are disposed to look with alarm upon legislation capable of squandering $50,000 in a few short months; and it is to this class of our people more particularly that we desire to present the following facts and figures, premising, however, that the sys-tem of public education in this County was almost an experiment. At the first there was a certain amount of prejudice to be overcome. Many labored under the impression that mixed schools would be started; others did not believe in the system for the simple reason that they were told that excessive taxes would be levied; others again felt willing to be taxed for educational purposes, but desired to send their children whither they listed, and further, many are to-day opposed to it, believing that they have paid an educational tax and are not deriving such benefits as they think should properly accrue to them.

Page 2

In its proper time and place we will not only show to the people of this County that hitherto they have paid no taxes in aid of free schools, nor will they be required to do so in the future, other than poll tax that has been levied from time immemorial, all statements and assertions the contrary notwith-standing. Our people must recollect that the Board of School Directors were new to their duties, had little or no experience in educational matters, and while they have committed some mistakes, and made some errors, have labored, as far as lay in their power, conscientiously and faithfully. Bearing this fact in mind, it will be further noted that five out of six of the Directors are to the manor born, old citizens of this County, and represent in the aggregate as much, if not more taxable property in it, as any legislative body ever convened here for County purposes. With this fact before us it would indeed be singular, nay, suicidal and opposed to all laws of reason and comity should they act in the disposition of the school moneys of the County in the reckless and extravagant manner as is charged by the Governor, and believed by many of our people.

We will now give the amounts of school moneys received by Samuel Dennis, Esq., Treasurer of this County, from the 20th of July, 1870, to the 1st of April, 1871; also, amounts disbursed, and for what pur-pose our readers bearing in mind that the figures are from the books and the official reports of the Treas-urer, furnished the Board of School Directors.

July 20,	Cash received of ex-Treasurer Elliott	$1,149 06
	Promissory notes received of Elliott	1,602 80
	Cash received of H. A. Barr	641 00
	Cash received from various sources	64 31
Oct. 12,	Received of Auditor of State	33,615 15
—	Received of Auditor of State	4,735 06
March 1,	Received of Board of Supervisors	3,995 00
March 12,	Received of Board of Supervisors	2,387 00

	Total	$48,139 38

Here we have $48,139 38 in available assets in the hands of the Treasurer, from the 20th day of July, 1870, to the 1st day of April, 1871. Now let us see what disposition this reckless Board of School Directors made of this amount of funds.

April 1.	Amounts allowed parties for Beneficiary Claims from the 17th day of No-vember, 1870, to the 1st day of April, 1871	$ 832 00
April 1.	Amounts allowed to teachers of public schools to date	5,352 00
	Miscellaneous disbursements, including per diem of members, repairing thirty-two school houses, purchasing two school sites and houses, rent, books, stationary and office furniture, including $570 paid for seats, desks, and stoves for school houses, maps, charts, etc.	1,483 70—
	Total		$7,668 40

Thus we have $7,668 40 disbursed up to April 1st by authority of the Board of Supervisors and Board of School Directors, cojointly. Now let us see how much was disbursed by the Treasurer
upon other authority than that given by this Board, upon the legality of which disbursements they have grave doubts, to-wit:

Feb 14.	Appropriated to County for the purpose of building a court house	$25,000 00
	Amount paid in liquidation of Beneficiary Warrants	10,087 59
	Treasurer's commissins in school moneys	2,292 84
	Amount paid Mr. Yerger, at Jackson, Miss., for legal services	500 00
	Incidental expenses in procuring school moneys	65 00

	Total	$37,945 44

Here we have $37,945 44 expended and disbursed, that the Board of School Supervisors are not and can-not be geld responsible for.

The appropriation of $25,000 to aid in building a court house, was opposed by every individual member of the Board at the time it was made, and was loaned directly by the Board of Supervisors for the purpose named, without the warrant, sanction, or authority of the Board of School Directors; in fact, the Board was totally ignored, and while the Directors deny the legality of the loan and cannot sanction it, yet sooner than place the amount in litigation, and perhaps spend thousands of it for lawyers fees, came tacitly to an

understandingwith the Board of Supervisors, relative to its repayment. In other words, both Boards met and compromised, a word, by the way, with a good deal of signification, as its precise meaning is "deviation" from principle.

Relative to the $10,078 59 paid in liquidation of beneficiary warrants, I will simply say, that by far the larger share of them were issued years ago, and the whole amount before the Board of Directors had become a body politic or corporate. The other items need no explanation.

The expenses proper of our schools, for teachers' salaries, amount to about $3,500 00 per month; we have fifty-nine schools in actual operation, and twenty-six hundred and one school children in daily attend-ance—seventeen hundred white, and eight hundred and ninety-three colored. This disparity is striking, but the United States census of this County, shows a far larger juvinile population to the whites in proportion to numbers—the difference, all other things being considered, amounting to at least 33 per cent. in their favor.

The present Board of School Directors have decided to have the free schools taught five months during this year, and at one session, estimating that the total cost for doing so would not fall far short in accordance with careful estimate, including all expenses incidental thereto, of about $17,500, and may possibly reach $20,000. The Board will probably, in the future, have school taught about six months in each year, and with the facilities now available, with an experience derived from a knowledge of the practical workings of the system, it is assumed, and can be calculated with a tolerable degree of certainty, that the monthly ex-penses in the future will not exceed $2,750 per month, or a total for a six months' session of $16,500 00. Now let us see what amount of tax will have to be levied on the goods and chattels of the sovereigns of Lafayette County to meet such outlay, first, however, calculating what we have on hand: The County owes us $25,000 court house appropriation; $6,000 of this, however, has been paid, leaving $19,000. On the first day of May we will get at the Auditor's office, in Jackson, about $4,500 or $5,000, as interest on funds held by the State for the County. In the future we will get the poll tax, and I trust that such legislation will be had as will give us the privilege tax. As the law is at present constituted, we get but the interest of moneys derived from such sources. This tax, poll and privilege, amounts to $8,300, the first about $4,000, and the latter $4,300; and it is but fair to assume that in the future it will fully come up to this figure, to—wit: $8,300 annually.

In addition, there is every probability of our procuring $13,000 of school funds now in the hands of Messrs. Green & Co., bankers, of Jackson, they claiming they have a legal right to the same, and the County holding different. The Messrs. Green offered to compromise the matter a short time since, but prominent lawyers—Mr. Yerger and others at Jackson—state that there is not the remotest possibility of their evading the payment. The whole question will be decided in the Chancert Court of the District in which Jackson is situated in a few weeks. Now, for instance, assuming that we will get this $13,000, let us see what available means we will then have for this year, to-wit:

On or before the 31st of December next we will get from the Board of Supervisors about $10,000, part payment of court house appropriation; will get from Jackson on the first proximo, about $5,000. This, in addition to the $13,000 alluded to, will place in the hands of the Treasurer $28,000. Of this amount there will be remaining in his hands at the close of the year from $15,000 to $18,000. In the years of 1872—73 we will get from the Board of Supervisors the two remaining instalments of the court house loan, which, with interest, will amount to over $11,000. This, in addition to our privilege and poll tax, and the amount we draw annually from Jackson, say about $5,000, will give us an income during the years 1872—73 of about $19,000 each year; and thereafter about $13,500. With the amount that will be left in the hands of the Treasurer at the close of the current year, there is no possibility, no likeihood of the people of this County being required now, nor in the future, to pay one single dollar as a direct tax for the maintenance of the system of free schools in this County. We have ample means, and while the school law may be cumbrous, and while a great deal of power and responsibility rests in the hands of the Board of School Directors, and while other counties may suffer and have excessive taxes levied—as in the case of Marshall County, where a levy of $60,000 was made for educational purposes alone—the people of this County can rest assured that the talk of school tax, and school moneys squandered, has for its basis the voluble tongues and the fertile brains of parties who delight in creating a sensation.

Page 3

The Board of School Directors of this County can show as good a record as any other Board in the State, and the teachers throughout the County, now in their employ, have entered heartily and zealously into the discharge of their duties, and in every instance report gratifying progress in their respective schools.

In conclusion, I trust his article will serve to correct many erroneous impressions that have gone abroad. I have been candid in expression and seek neither applause or censure; the public acts of its officers are always legitimate subjects of discussion,and many err unwittingly. To any that may be disposed to judge this latter class harshly, I will simply ask to bear in mind that golden rule. "do unto others as you would others do unto you." Thinking thus, let us throw the mantle of charity over the common frailties of each, and while our consciences for the act will approve, it will, in addition, engender a peace of mind, a content and a happiness that will at least be productive of good will and kindly feelings.

Respectfully, Your Obedient Servant,

C. N. WILSON.

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PRECIS.
[gap]

No'.

Executive Office,
State of Mississippi,
County of La Fayette

From C. N. Wilson
Address [gap]
Dated [gap]
Received [gap]
Answered [gap]

A circular letter of "a plain talk & a few truths,, to the people of ~~the~~ Lafayette County

JAMES L. ALCORN,
Governor.

H. F. HEWSON,
Private Secretary.