Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1863-08-06

Arriraz- Tie Ne,os from Vicksburg-THe PEG,
ole of Florida s0ould return to the Union
TIE Poor Whites all Rebels-The Colorea
,Schoo1-Greot Progress an Education-JosepA
Horie's Liberality-TAe Children all Sing
Cotorea Women Buy National Flag-Poor
Old Ned.
Correspondence of the State Journal.
tERNANDINA, July 21st, 1868.
After three weeks of isolation and sus-
pense, it is refreshing to receive the news
of the fall of Vicksburg and Port Hudson,
and the successes of our armies in Ten
nessee and Virginia. It foreshadows the
" beginning of the end" Notwithstanding
rebel raids into Ohio and copperhead riots
in New York, ell honor to the gallant
Metropolitan Police for their frmneas in
the hour of trial, so long indicated by the
dark threats of copperhead politicians. Z
slaughter OF few thousand traitors and
their satellites in New York, would do as
much good as the overthrow of a powerful
wing of the rebel army. The time is not
far distant when the leaders of the "peace"
movements, which have induced the rising
III New York, will find their reward
in the condemnation Of all lovers of free
dom and the nations honor. And | hope
the time may come when even New York
city will be redeemed from her thraldom
to vicious and degraded population, IN
der the lead of corrupt and designing mon.
IF the counsels of the Hartford Conven-
ton, in the war of 1912. attainted the
character of its participants, how will
these men stand on the page of history
who are crying "peace, peace, when there
is no peace save at the expense of free-
dom and the liberties of the country g
who for the sake Of personal or party
ends are seeking to preserve slavery at
the expense of constitutional government
and the best interests of the nation? 1t
seems 10 me that If there is q lower
hell than that to which the rebel leaders
In arms are entitled, it belongs alone to
those men who in the free North are in
stigating resistance to the efforts of the
government to put down this rebellion. II
there is a more heinous crime than that OF
open and defiant treason to the Constitu-
ton, it has been found by those who by
appeals to the passions and preiudices OF
a vicious class have divided and distracted
the power of the nation, and paralyzed the
arm of the government. The blood OF
hundreds OF thousands of brave men calls
loudly tor vengeance upon these sneakng
traitors, from whom lave sprung the dis
graceful resistance of lawful authority
throughout the free States, and the scenes
that blot the fair fame of our great com
mercial metropolis.
AN ARRIVAL.
On Thursday, we had an arrival from
the rebel lines under flag of truce, of 6
lady and q family of her negroes-Madam
Albert, who resides on the St. Mary's ri
yer, some sixty miles in the interior. She
Is the lady from whose plantation Col.
Higginson took the specimens of magnifi.
cent 'jewelry" now displayed at Gen.
Saxton's headquarters at Beaufort, such
as shackles, stocks, chains, manacles and
other genteel ornaments, used by refined
people in the South to subjugate and
christianize their human cattle. She is 8
shad-taced, piouslooking lady, of the
southern style, whose appearance ind.
Gates that the "divine institution had alb.
s0rbed all human blood from her breast
She comes now under the humane pre-.
tence of taking this family of negroes to
settle in free country, in obedience to
the provisions of the will of her late hus
band, who is said TO have been one of the
most cruel shareholders in Georgia. II ]
was commander, instead of furnishing
the amiable and plous old lady pass to
New York or Philadelphia at government
expense, | would relieve her of her black
burden right here, and give her notice tC
trot back to her rebel friends Immediately
By this arrival, we get the first news o.
the fall of Vicksburg, accompanied with 6
rebel salvo that Lee had taken Harris
burg with 10000 prisoners The Lieut.
in charge of the flag said to an officer thai
large majority of the people of Florida
would to, day vote to return to the UnioI
even with Old Abe and emancipation.
There has been for several nights a dis
play OF signal lights from the opposite
shore, on the old site OF St. Mary's, anC
answering signals within our lines. One
man here has been arrested, but no Ger
tain evidence has been secured fixing the
reasonable conduct upon any one. Near
ly all the poor whites left here are il
sympathy with the rebels, and will de
most anything for pay. Every man o
them should be conscripted into tie army
The colored schools which hav. been il
successful operation here for the asst eigh
months, closed on Wednesday for vaca
ton of two months. The progress mad,
by the pupils more than equals the expec
tations of the most sanguine friends OF th.
race. The children have evinced an ap
titude to learn and q capacity fully eQua
to white children at the North, and in al
the better characteristics they are in n,
way behind them.
No one who has watched the progres
of these schools as | have, and witnessed
the earnest efforts of both parents anl
children to secure the benefits of educa
ton. can for a moment doubt in relation
to their qualifications to live in freedom
And none who have witnessed the CRATE
full expressions of fathers and mothers
and the daily tributes of flowers, an(
other evidences of affection OF the childre,
for their teachers, will ever question The
natural susceptibility of this people to cul
tivation and prompt response to the or
diuary appliances which make mankind
respectable. The system pursued by tn,
teachers has been addressed to the min(
and heart rather than to the animal in
stincts. Corporal punishment has beer
so rare, that | question whether, durin.
the entire term, among 500 children, Their,
have been more than half a dozen cases
and | have never seen uneducated chill
dren anywhere exhibit more sensibility t,
the dlshonor of a Punishment from schoo
or other similar inhiotion, than these chill
dren of slavery.
Instead of rejoicing at the closing o
the schools, there was one universal ex
preston OF regret on the part of the chill
dren, at parting with their teachers ava,