Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1862-06-14
Vol. XVI fa-@o0

deriag Fugitive SiHVes---Alr. Coliyor'l
! Statements ausarsE 9G 8r Lu.
Mr.. collyer, late Government Superin-
toadent Of the Poor at Newbern, N. c.,
whose schools for the instruction Of the
cOntrubands we're ordered closed by Gov.
Stanley, was invited 70 speak the other
I night in New. York, when he related the
circumstances as follows:
In regard to The opening and closing of
the schools for the blacks will simply say
that found myself with leisure evenings,
\ plenty Of school-books, and many thous-
ands Of poor negroes who were anxious to
be taught.
Ibid my duties in the daytime to the
Government and the Associations who sent
me out; ba5 my Evenings were my own,
and thought if could bring them into
harmony with the great mission Of love
which occupied my days I had right to.
had scarcely announced to the negroes
thatI should open my school, when I was
crowded with applications for books at
once, and the first night 600 negroes, from
the ages Of 60t0 20 (one old man the an
! eestor Of 90 children) down to children Of
/ ten years old. & I had previously opened a
/ school for the whites, having natural love
1 for our own kind first. The eolored school
was kept open for three weeks, but the
\ scholars varied so in attainments that
/ divided them into two schools, and when
| they were closed By suggestion of Cover
/ nor Stanley, Ihad 100 scholars who could
4 write and read. .--...-..,.-- .--.-.
/ I had thirty teachers, principally from
/ the 25th Massachusetts Regiment who did
greatservice, and who found pleasure in it.
so that when they were compelled to move
on, theyexpressed great regret at being
obliged to give up their vocation as teach
ers. ll aJ' 10 Hal1llaDJ -c i.t"
heard that the people Of Newhern didn't
like it; and one man Ia Unionist) threat
ened thatifit was not for the 10000 bright
bayOnets which protected me, that some
thing would be done which would not be
very pleasant TO me. A great number Of
the citizens, however, liked it, and some of
them evidently had taught their slaves at
home, before we went there The lady who
have engaged as the teacher has two
brothers in the Southern army. She said
she had taught her negroes for a number
Of years, although it is against the law.
So that in North Carolina even, the law
which Gov. Stanley wishes to enforce is
regarded as odious and as black code.
When the Governor arrived, as Superin-
tendent of the poor, called upon him, and
was received pleasantly and privately. He
was very courteous and kind. He asked all
about my Office, and then stated there was
one thing in it which he objected to, and
that was, the keeping of school forthe blacks;
that the laws Of the State made il a crimi-
nal offence, and he was Instructed to admin
lister the laws as before this rebellion broke
ont These were his instructions from
Washington He did not wish the schools
closed abruptly, and, as man and Chris
tian he might have perhaps done rs had.
1 had opened them BY permission Of Gen.
Foster, but Of, course when a superior Off
Ger came, and told me l was doing wrong, l
aid what any loyal citizen should do in
such times as these, Iobeyed the intimation.
or the returning hnPl - L. f'4s i.lfS |
slaves snHTr next speak Anumber OPne- |
grOes came into my quarters and said man /
had come f6ra fugitive slave, who had the |
permission Of the Governor 10 take back not /
only her but any negroes whom he might
claim. / had 5000 negroes under my
charge, and up to that time none had been
taken away. Orders had been given to the |
piekets. by Gen. Burnside that all negroes |
should be reported to me. These negroes |
are practically free, and you can imagine
how they felt when this new rule was an
hounced. This master claimed to be loyal, |
though I don't believe he Is; that's an open
question, however, though his brother is a
quartermaster in the rebel army. / found
the Governor had given him authority on
his, promising 20 take athe Oath--an oath I
which be did not take. I'D --- p
i I told the General, who was very much
surprised, and sent an Aide with me to see
all about it. We reaehed fheyard too late,
however, to be Of service for the slave was
taken, and we fOuhd the place filed with
inffrighted negroes, crying and wailing ter
fibly. r In 4lae next hour girl came into
nv quarters and asked if she might stay
with me- / told her she might, and set
her to work on cartridge bags for our ar
nv. She was was about sixteen years old,
and very prepossessing in appearance. /
then went to the Governor and asked how
these things were. He said he knew the
man very well Iasked if he had taken
the oath--nOt presUmptuously, but because
I had heard Of the man before He said
No, but he had promised to, and he had
given him authority to take his property.
1 went back and told the girl she had
better keep out of sight for few hours
while went to see the General. In came
the man and inquired for the girl. He had
the right to 60 where he pleased, and went
went insolently and impudently all
about the place But the girl was too
nimbIe for him; she saw him, and jumping
over tBe fence, ran away at ''double quick"
went to see the General, and he said he
had no authority; that the Governor could
order him wherever he chose I went home
wiser and a sadder man II wrote my
resignation and took il 70 the General, but
he told me to wait a Bit not to bein
hurry, and not to get excited.
That night two negroes, scouts, came liz
from sixty miles distant. They had been
gone two weeks, and came back chOck full
of information. g took thaHA ~ tne zen
evaI In mcUntIme the most intense
excitement prevailed among the negroes,
and such a scene SIS I saw in the yard have
never to see again. DR.. Tyng-"God for
bid. ~ There were these men who had been
working for-us, building bridges, getting
information, making eartridge-bGgs and
I building fortihcations for our army, and
vet they were to have no protection from
that army. The men came up in tears, and
the women were perfectly overcome; 20
that night didn answer the roll-cal. They
had gone to the woods and the morasses,
and had hid themselves. Many Of them
thought, a. the dog would act by instinct,
pIf these people can protect me, I'll 60 to
the men who car" and they went to their
masters, I reported the facts to the Gener-
al and told him Of the scouts, and when I
took the slaves who had brought me the in
formation to the General, he told me that
the act Of Congress which made It wrong
for any officer to return fugitive slaves
slould be his Law heneeforth. The master
found the girl, but he didn't keep her; two
man went 10 the house nhere shn vas kenf