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The Life of au American Citizeu :
BEING THE
biography of william turner,
LATE OF PUTNAM COUNTS, (• A.
BY HIS SON, J. A. TURNER.
CHAPTER X.
Argument in favor of Literary Institu
tiont.
At che satae time that rny lather was
engaged in taking the census, and collect
ing the statistics of Putnam county, he
was also busily engaged in assisting at
the foundation of institutions of learning
in the county, and,’ in fact, in doing ev
erything else that could conduce to the
advancement of the mental, and moral
improvement, as well as the developement
of the physical resources of the new settlers,
and their children.
On the 2?th day of Aug., 1810, he
wrote, for publication in The Intelligen
cer, then issued in Eatonton, by Samuel
Wright Minor, the following article, in de
fence of the Justices of the Inferior
Court of the county, for procuring the
passage of an Act to incorporate Union
Academy, and for then levying a tax for
its support. It will be.seen that there
was the same old demagogue’s crjr of tax
ation raised, whenever an attempt was
made to provide the necessary public in
stitutions: and it will be seen that my
father was prompt then, as ever, to com
bat the malicious malignity of the dema
gogue, when he could better, probably,
have served his interests by joining, in
4he hue and cry of unjust taxation—op
pression to the people, &c., & ■.
41 CANDIDUS ” TO TIIE CITIZENS OF PUTNAM
•COUNTY.—NO. 2.
Citizens of Putnam County :—I prom
ised to examine the charges exhibited
against the official conduct of B. Hollo
way, B. Gaither, R. Iverson, S. Holt, and
E. Lane, esquires, in levying county tax
es, and procuring the passage of the Act
for the establishment of Union Academy :
permit me now to perform this promise.
It is said, • Every year, you have been
taxed one-fourth- of the public tax, for
■county purposes.’ This, I believe, is a
fact; but whether the fact bo criminal,
or not, remains to be determined ; and to
determine this point, it is necessary to ex
amine the charge, that the Commissioners
- procured the passage of the Act to estab
lish and incorporate Union Academy.
Now, no one will deny the propriety of
Literary Institutions. The barbarism that
pervades countries that have them not,
and the civilization of those that have
them, are conclusive evidences of their
utility. It is not, then, the iucvq estab
lishment of the Academy, but the manner
of supporting it, to which many honest
citizens object. ‘ It was unjust,’ say some
of you, ‘to cause monies, which had been
appropriated to the ‘ sole use and benefit ’
of the county, to be diverted from their
proper channel, and applied to the sup
port of an institution, from which the
greater part of the citizens will derive no
benefit.’ Decide not too hastily on this
subject. I will suggest considerations
you never thought of. Notwithstanding
the delusive hope held out to you, that
you niay, by a proper exercise of your
electoral privilege, procure the repeal of
the Act, for the establishment of Union
Academy, know that this is a permanent
institution ; that the. legislature will not
turn with every wind, and that they Will
not, one session, establish an Academy,
and, at the next, suppress it. Human af
fair?, especially private Fortunes, are fluc
tuating. In the course of a single half-
century, many who now enjoy the smiles
of Fortune, will lie prostrate under her
frowns ; whilst many who are now strug
gling with adversity, will bask in the sun
shine of prosperity. The children of
some of those Very commissioners, against
whom the popular indignation now runs
high, may be ‘ hewers of Wood,' and draw
ers of water,’ 4 whilst the children of some
of the humblest among you, may be de
riving substantial benefit from Union
Academy.
But keeping out of view these contin
gencies, and supposing the rich will con
tinue rich, and the poor remain poor, still
all classes, the poor, as well as the rich,
have need of, and are benefitted by, whole
some laws; wholesome and intelligible
laws can be made only by wise and intel
ligent men; and wise and intelligent men
are chiefly educated at public seminaries
of learning.
It would seem, therefore, that the Ap
propriation of a fund, owned jointly by
the citizens of Putnam, to the support of
an Academy, in and for said county, is
not fraught with such manifest injustice
as many have -upposed; and that the
conduct of the commissioners, and of our
senator and representatives, relative there
to, may be greatly palliated,, if not com
pletely justified. And, in the same pro
portion that we condemn, or justify the
reservation and appropriation ot this fund
for the support of Union Academy, wc
shall condemn, or justify the levying of a
county tax, because this fund, being re-
sei*ed for the support of an Academy, a
county tax was absolutely necessary to
defray county expenses-.
But before I take a final leave of the
Incorporation Act, permit me to notice
one more objection which has been urged
against it. It has been said it invests the
Trustees with ‘ the most extraordinary
powers ever conferred on a corporate
body, viz.: they are commissioners for
life—have the privilege of appointing
their successors—are accountable to no
power on earth (by the Act of Incorpora
tion) for their conduct in office!’ Did
‘ Dion ’ know that the Trustees of the
University of this state also held their of
fices during ‘ life,’ had the privilege of
filling vacancies in their boarJ, and were
‘ accountable to no power on earth (by
the charter, or Act oi Incorporation) for
their conduct in office?’ If he did, what
are we to think of him ?
I shall not say much more at present.
I will, however, digress a little, to notice
one more of the many misrepresentations
that pervade his writings. Speaking of
taxation, and the building of a jail, he
says, ‘ You will be taxed every year, at
the will of these gentlemen (the commis
sioners) unless this detestable law is re
pealed!’ Now you know better, gentle
men. Wg all know that the Inferior
Court is limited in levying county taxes.
How, then, dare any man to make an as.
sertion like the above? Shame, where is
thy blush ? Candidus.
Camp Sumter.
Ande&sonvillf., Ga. July 13, 1864.
General Order No. 64.
The board of officers have reported
the following list of prices, at which mar
keting is to be sold at this Post.
It is published for the information of all
concerned.
Flotir 75c to $1 per lb.
Cakes weighing J lb each 501-
Cakes weighing J lb each $1.
Biscuit 1.0 to the lb $2. per doz.
Fruit Pies 50c to $1 eac
Chicken and Pork P.es $1.50 eac .
Water Melons 50c to $3.
Musk Melons 50c to $2.
Apples 50c per doz. $12 per bushel.
Peaches 50c per doz. $12 per bu.
Dried Appjes $16 per bushel.
Field Peas in hull $2 per bushel.
Field Peas shelled $10.
Green Corn 50c to $1 peri 17
Tomatoes 50c per qt.
Irish Potatoes 50c per quart.
Sweet Potatoes $4 per bushel.
Beets $1 to $2 per doz.
Cabbage $1 to $1.50 per head.
Collaids 20 to 30c.
Onions $1 to $2 per doz.
Snap Beans 50c per quart.
Squashes $1 per doz.
Cucumbers $1 per doz.
Eggs $2 per doz.
Iloney in Comb $2 per pound.
Honey Strained $25 per gallon.
Butter $3 per pound.
Butter Milk 25c per quart.
Sweet Milk 50c per quart.
■ Syrup $15 per gallon. .
Lard $3 per pound.'
Pork $1.50 per pound.
Mutton $1.50 per pound.
Beef 50 to 75c per pound.
Chickens $2 to $2.50 each.
Turkeys $5 to $7 each.
Any one found selling at higher prices,
within the limits of the Post, their goods
will be confiscated, one half to the infor
mer, the other half to the Hospital. The
purchaser, if belonging to the Post, will
be punished. The Sutlers at this Post
a r e forbidden to purchase any produce
within twenty (20) miles of the Post, and
whenever they may purchase within fifty
miles of this Post, Albany included, they
will not pay higher rates than the current
rates at the place of purchase. A ny devi
ation from this rule will be cause lor re
moval, and punishment.
The Provost Marshal will, under in-
s ructions from the commandant of the
troops, see that this order is duly executed-
By Order,
xirig. GeD. John H. Winder.
W. S. Winder Capt. and A. A. G.