The weekly Anglo-African., 1859-12-31
OUR DETROIT LETTER.
DETROIT, Mich, Dec. %, 1859.

contemplating measures to secure an i'm
movement in the condition of our public
school privileges. Sundry spirited meet
mos have been held, and after much de-
liberation it was judiciously resolved to pc
tition the Board Of Education Of our city
for what we really did not expect would
he grated, in order to draw from them
what we very much needed, a good gram
mar school. The petitioners, following the
trail Of our eastern pioneers, Nell and
Downing, asked to have the public schools
Of the city Of Detroit thrown open in com
mon for the reception Of colored as we'll as
white children. This petition, as was ex-
peote1, has been rejected But the Board
has been SO farinfuenced toward favorable
action by it, az to grant us what in the
first place we contemplated asking, one
good grammar school. The Wesleyan
Church in Fort street has been purchased
by the Board, and is now about being sub
iected to the necessary alterations and pre-
partitions preliminary to the opening Of a
respectable grammar school
Mr. Roberts, Of Philadelphia, is exhibit
ing his newly invented and ingenious
apparatus for extinguishing fires, to the cit
liens Of Detroit and vicinity. The utility
oft has been acknowledged by tho most
competent Judges in the city. His certif-
Gates of comlnendation have been signed
By the Mayor Of our city, and the chief Of
the fire department 1t would be well if
some capitalist among Us would take this
invention of Roberts in hand and help him
to Introduce it into practical operation.
why does not Stephen Smith look into
the matter, or some other colored man of
means2 If not, some white man will by
some means, ere long, find himselfinvested
with An exclusive right to it.
At our late municipal election the Black
and Brown Republicans polled it success
fully for Mayor. This is the first victory
Of the kind obtained for some years. The
Harper's Ferry influence has done it-col-
ored citizens do not vote in this State
politically we are mutes.
A soiree was recently held by some Of
the ladies' of Detroit for the benefit Of the
Agricultural Society" The entertain
ment was gotten up in good style, and was
we'll attended. The ladies deserve much
credit for their enterprise in this matter
Michigan has some very respectable AND
substantial colored agriculturalists.
The exhibition of Mr.. Green's Academy
took place The carly part Of this month.
The children acquitted themselves in their
exercises with much credit and satisfaction.
Several very beautiful specimens Of female
industry were exhibited, such as embroid-
cry, knitting, netting, &c. Mr.. Green was
educated at Oberlin, and is an excellent
teacher. but as he has no female assistant,
it may be presumed that the most of the
samples of fancy work were produced by
some of the former pupils Of Mrs. Mary
Bib Cary. The proceeds Of the exhibition
we're devoted to the purchase Of public
library.
The Rev. Mr. Berry, Of St. Matthew's
Church, has accidently been drawn into q
serious difficulty by having, on the 25th
ult., married Mr.. Thomas Slaughter, Of
Detroit, colored man, and keeper Of a
lager bier saloon, to Eliza Watson, of Can.
ada, white woman, it being contrary to
the laws of the State of Michigan for 9
minister Of the gospel to unite white
nerson with colored in the band of holy
matrimony. The Rev. Mr.. Berry was no
aware. at the time of the marriage, that thu
woman was of unmixed blood, nor was h
aware ut the time that there was any Law
N existence in the State forbiddinE
such marriages This law seems to have
been mere dead letter until this recen
marriage. Intermarriages between white
and colored have heretofore been quite
common On almost any Sunday vel
dressed coIored men may be seen walking
the streets of Detroit with their finely at
tired white wives. The Harper's Ferry
affair has had its influence in bringing
about this prosecution. This is evident
from the fact that some of the public prints
of this city have plainly intimated that
there were colored men in Detroit cognizan
to Capt. Browns movements in relation tc
the Harper's Ferry affair. The Rev. Dir
Berry having, no doubt, been regarded
among others as disciple of Capt. Brown
the whole cause of his prosecution may be
traced to the bitter and excited state O
public feeling produced by this case. lie
vas arrested few days after the marriage
tried before police court, and sentenced