The Washington union., 1857-05-13
From lhe NalIonal InlellIgenoer.

COLUMBIA FOR CoLoIsED MALES AND FE-
MALES
10 k Editors:
n,xrrpry: Entertaining the opinion that the follow
49, .rticle taken from the Boston Journal, should be
Known to the citizens of this District request its
,Dubjcation, with the accompanying comments, in your
FP1 WALTER LENoX.
paper.
From the Boston Journal Of April rs.
scuooL FOR FREE-CoL0RKD Girls IN WASHINGTON y
rss are in the United States 500, 900 free people OF
or They are generally, although subject 10 taxation
uded by law or prejudice from schools OF every grade
TSr case becomes at an object OF charity, which
ies infinitely above all party or sectional lines THIS
haIty we are gratifed in being able to state has al
Jv been naugurated through the devoted labors Of
~ W ~vcaIIent yonng lady from western New York, by the
name of Miss Myrtilla Miner who has established and
maintained for the past four years IN the city OF wash
iton school for the education of ee-colored youth
This school is placed there because national giouna
and the nation responsible for the weilbeng OF its
onuation because there there Ill 600 OF this su
fdnr people excluded by law from schools and des-
tue of instruction because there are IN the adjoining
States of Maryland and Virginia l5o 900 equally desli
e who can be reached in other way; and because 1t
= bnnod through this means to reach class OF girls of
niar interest often the most beautiful and intelligent
and vet the most hopeessy wretched and who are often
objects of strong paternal affection. The Shareholder
oud gladly educate and these children, but domeS
M neace drives them from his HEARTH he cannot emanc
maize them to be victims of violence or lust he cannot
send them to northern schools where prejudice would
brand hem and il is proposed TO open an asylum near
them where they may be brought, emancipated educa
led and taught housewifey well science, and thus
he prepared to become teachers among their own mixed
:,
In its present condition this school embraces boarding.
domestic economy normal teachers and primary depart
ments and is placed under the of association
eisting of the following trustees Benjamin latham, N
Y Samuel NJ Janney, Loudoun county, Va. Johns
IIopkins Baltimore; Samuel Rhoads and Thomas Will
hanson Philadelphia q. Baily and L. ID. Gale Wash
inpton H. W. Bellows, NJ "; G. Il. Stowe, Andoyer
H W. Beecher Brooklyn; together with an executive
committee consisting of s. j. Bowen, j. NJ Wilson, and
l. d. Gale, of Washington; and M. Miner, principal and
William H. Beecher, of Reading, secretary
The trustees state that very eligible site of three
acres within the city limits of Washington, of the north
west has already been purchased paid for, and secured
10 the trustees and that all which is wanted is S20
900 wherewth erect larger and more suitable edice
for the reception Of the applicants pressing upon it from
the numerous eecolored blacks in the District and ada
cent States The proposed edifce is designed to
moae $50 scholars and to furnish homes for the teac
c and pupils from distance The enlarged school will
include the higher branches in its system of instruction
There was Il meeting yesterday afternoon, in ante
room of fremont Temple of gentlemen called together to
listen the statements of the secretary of the association
regarding this school. The meeting small but en
bnced such gentlemen as Hon. Geo s. Hillard Rev. DR.
Lathrop Rev. E. E. Hale, and Deacon Creole, all Of
The meeting decided to draw up and circulate sub
scpon paper and counted upon receiving $40 600 for
the purpose in this city The pastors of several churches
in New York have pledged their churches in the Of
thousand dollars each Mr.. Beecher will solicit sub
spons in most of the principal towns OF Massachusetts,
The designs and benefits of the project will be fully set
forth at public meeting in this city in the course of
fortnight
is not my purpose to notice the mputations which
all,
tonal controversy The matter involved is too momen
in all its relations not only to this community but
to the entire country and in the language of the
tract ITSELF 'rises infinitely above all party sectional
lines Ii is my wish to arrest public attention here,
also elsewhere, in order that such immediate
may be adopted the exigency of the demands If
do not entirely mistake the opinion which the citizens
of this District will entertain of the character and fatal
consequences of this enterprise, they will almost univer
sally without distinction of party class, emphatcally
protest against it, and will confidently expect that the
advocates of this will promptly abandon it,
unjust and dangerous interference with the interests and
feelings of separate independent community.
The proposition is to establish at the city of Washing
on upon an extensive scale an academy for the educa
ton of free coored males and females from every section
of the Union. Let calmly view the question both in
Its local and national aspects The District of Columbia
contains about 600 slaves and 900 free coored per-
This latter class embraces very many most worthy
members who contribute to the wealth of the
nifty but the necessities of large portion of them i'm
pose tax upon the public and upon
private charity This condition of things does not arise
exclusively from their dement's they have been
gradually and to very considerable extent ousted by
the increase of white labor from the positions formerly
filled by them domescs and laborers. Their number,
originally too large in proportion to white popula-
on increasing rapidly both by their natural increase
and from immigration. Justice to ourselves and kind
ness to them require that should prohibit imngra
on and encourage their removal from limits. Now,
plainly manifest that the success of this school
epriSe must largely increase negro population by
the inducements il offers The schools will be increased
with the demand 1t will bring not only scholars to
main temporarily, but entire families until our District is
inundated with them. Upon white labor, upon the
present colored residents of the District and their descend
ants and upon the public generally this increase must
operate most injuriously. IT, however should admit
hat the increase from this would be tring and
that the instruction would be mainly confined to
resident population, the following insuperabe objection
presents itself
lhe standard of education which is proposed Is far be-
yohd The primary branches and will doubtless from time
70 ume be advanced Is IT, then, just to ourselves,
humane to the colored population for to permit de-
gree OF instruction far beyond their political and social
Vohdon and which must continue to exist in this in
every other slaveholdng community With this superior
ualion there will removal of the present disa-
Olhhes, no new of employment equal to their
mental culture and hence there will be restless popu
''on less disposed than TO fill that position in soce
which Is allotted to them. In my judgment, these