New-York daily tribune., 1859-05-31

dren. The opposition IN taht Sta,e came chteu1
from Boston, ard perhaps two or three other large
TOW 80, where the larger proportion Of co'ored per-
cons resided II was finally overcome, and We be-
reyc there has never been the least disposition 10
return to the old system Of prescription. No evil
whatever has followed frvu this simple act OF JUS
,cc, according 10 the emphatic testimony OF the
Superintendent of Public Schools in Boston; OF
members of the School Committee; ci teachers IN
the schools after tie mixture bad taken place, and
other competent authorities The Boston Cour'er,
certainly competent authority on this side OF the
question. SAYS Of this change: :" We contem-
4" plate il with unmngled satisfaction. We re-
:, ioce that colored men are not set apart in our
churches from their white brethren, and that the
children Of the two races sit side by side on tie
same benches" And again: The anxiety Of
90 tire colored people TO have their children edu-
- Gated shows that they were entirely worthy OF
- the boon bestowed upon them. OF having their
" children educated at the same schools With
" the whites"
Ills is certainly strong testimony, aud from a
most unexceptionable quarter; but il was not :" a
"boon that was bestowed on the colored people in
this legislation, but recognition of their Just
rights II Vas never asked as = favor. but de-
nanded as all act of simple Justice that all classes OF
the coinmupity should be treated alike in the mat
ter of public education. And as such II was con-
redfd 1t is on this ground that the same action is
asked Of tie Legislature Of Rhode Island this year
ard We are happ, to believe with fair prospect OF
success There certainly should be no doubt OF 1t
ira-much AZ there are but three towns which still
maintain the Iyidious distinction soon to be abol-
ishrd-Proyidfnce, Newport and Bristol-and
there would he more il not that these are Tue
three largest and richest and therefore most welghty
muricipalite, in the State. But the clear JUS
tee Of the ease is so plain that it would be to reflect
On The ac.l sepse and fair.mndeduess of tie Legis
hture to doubt that il will follow the example OF
Massachusetts,. The schools are supported by the
faxes If tie col0red people 10 the same proportion
according TO their property As by those oi the
whiies ard it leeds 20 argument to show that they
are entitled to the same advantages and conven-
fences of education as any Of the taxpayers. This
they clearly DO not enjoy as long as they arc con-
peIed to resort TO school, of Inferior descfiP-
ton, or which, if equally good are branded with
marx Of degradation, aud which, at any rate, must
be less essy of access to the children cf mauy of
them than the district school proper This latter IS
an ipcony enience which. in certain proportion OF
cases. amounts to denial Of public education.
This is per. sps the iuprcgnable argument
which should convince every citizen, aud especially
every legislator. of the simple right which lies at
the bottom of this question. Ii is merely this: Is
OF Is not a citizen entitled to his fair share of
pubic adsan;oge. Of the expense of which he Is
obliged to pay his fair proportion "a proposition
which admits Of but one answer. 1t can ony be
sophisticaly eyadcd 10y the assumption that the
claim of the colored taxpayer is satisfied BY the
erection of celored schools But this is met by the
undeniabe fact that tie very best colored chools
do not replace the Latin and High Schools which
are shut in The faces If coored children where tue
separation exist. even if the schools furnished
them be- equal TO the average Of the lower district
,cbools-whicb, We imagine, is very far from being
the case But aside from the pure rigtt OF the
matter, there is question of fair play involved IN
IT, " hich should enlist The s!mPahes OF every gen
erous mind in behalf Of the weaker party in the
controversy The colored people of the Free
States have fairly lived down he Slanders which
have been teaped upon them By shareholders, and
their abettors as TO their capacity for taking care
Of themselves. Tley Contribute, according TO
their means and opportunities, their full pr'por-
tion to tie con fort ard wealth Of the community
Their fathers fought. alongside of ours the battles
Of the Revolution They support Themselves; they
scauire property; taey show an honorable desire
10 improve their ccndltion, ard that OF their chll-
dren. We have been assured that, III PhiladelPhis,
and we krow the to be true OF this city,
their proportion of the t'Ies for schools and the
poor considerably exceeds the amour paid for col
or,d schools ard paupefs, so that they actually
cor tribute, Of their moderate means, to educate
the children ani support the poor of the white
race The prejudice against them, which is but
the lingering shadow Of our departed Slavery, has
denied them chances enough, and for long enough.
Let them have fair opportunity at last to show
y bat tbcy can DO under more favorable sur
roupdings.
The testimony which the teachers Of the colcred
schools bear as to the progress Of their scholars Is
touching evidence Of the niischiefs attending them
The, have uni(nrmly fuud that while the younger
children y bo had cot learned the existence ot the
prejudice which is the badge OF their tribe, made
fully as rapid progress white children Of the same
ure their zeal and interest in their studies lnsari-
ably .lackentd Us they grew older The growing
sense of the crushing disabilities under which they
labor, organized, as il were, into the very school
house in which they sit. robs them of all heart and
hope. But where an equality of privileges is en-
L.. Nc