Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1861-10-18
THE VIRGINIA FREEDMEN

4 communication in the n. Y. Indepcnd-
emf, contains the following, which we IN
derstand to be in substance, where not liter
ally, from letters of MIR. Lockwood, the |
missionary of the American Missionary
Association. who has charge Of the colored
people at the Seminary, Fortress Monroe.
The letters of Mr.. L. are of dates Sept. 2
and %. After giving an account OF the re-
llgious exercises of the National Fast day,
Sept 26. and of the schools established by
him, and Of the eagerness OF the men, wo-
men and children to learn how to read, ana
to acquire scrlptural knowledge, Mr.. L. adds
al am bpppy to express my obligati ms TO Capt.
Burleigb and all ut the Seminary. and to all the
officers and other friends in and about the Fortress
| who sneak we'll of me and my work, and IN Varl-
| GUS ways give me aid and comfort But there arc
those about here, and some iE official posts, VINO
| do not relish these new measures Tho spirit OF
slavery, though slumbeIiLg here, is not dead: II
is manifested toward the freedmen, as wen as
| toward those who are trying to benefit them
Before Gen. Butler left the command here
he took a decided stand with the claimants
/
the claimant and fugitive were both Deiors
him. Gen. 3. asked the latter II he wanteu
10 90 with his old master, The man re-
nlied sNo. sir "Wel, then, sad Eeh'
b.. "you need not 60 Sir. you cannot haY7
him ) Gen. Wool one day, when con
trahand ;, claimed by his old master, was
summoned before him, asked him I'll he was
w;II;n~ 70 90 back - and received Tor an,
s,ror Il do not wish 10, sir. Then,
said the General, 'you shall not be forced to
Co. and if any man attempts to modest you
e1,oa N me- This il noble But the
same stand has not been taken in every case
5 ono of the "contrabands" said to Mr.
: Lockwood. If one is returned, why may
not all be ? and # | am TO be returned le
me be returned now, and not kept IN sus
80 os :. nv fate. " Another said, "Mas
tors have tried to make US believe that th'
Yankees oalv wished to sell us to Cuba, t
c yet money to carry on the war. Some sa,
e That masters who now pretend to be Ono.
men were strong Secessionists and the
shake their heads when told they hav
changed their sentiments, shcewd.y suspec
5 ting that it is only to regain their slaves
d 1t requires steady and undertaking tirmnes
+ and consistency 10 inspire these strangers
with confidence in the Government, an
svmpathv for its success. Mr.. i. does 4
ISL. he can to quiet their fears, repress the
= complaints, and inspire them with conf
rs dence and trust. He writes, under date
= Sept. 18th
=, Il want, TO the extent Of my ability, 70 G.
operate in 70 % faith with those in authority; an
en- happy il having secured the good VIII OF
many. The Lord continue to give me tav,
ID among officers and people. and save me from q
, evil designs of adversaries Our school was III
~ afternoon visited by two naval eff -ers. One
I'd them spoke approvingly Of the undertaking al
,e thought 1t would be good for the children
their return TO slavery, 10 which he thought th'
D. were inevitably doomed. lie thought the W
would soon terminate, and that then the say
t, holders would have inst claim to their props
IL ty. And this officer Is a New EDglauder