The Portland daily press., 1863-03-09

there is now on hand more than 100 900 pounds
of Cotton yet to be sold, which will swell the
amount to more than half-a-million OF dollars,
subject to the draft of the Treasurer OF the
United States.
The above statement needs no comment and
sufficiently dispreves the oft-repeated assertion
that the Freedmen uf South Carolina are bur-
den upon the Taxpayers of the Nation
The labor of the teacher has been well reward
ed The eagerness of the blacks, both adults
and children, to learn, is all engrossing. They
appear to seize every available moment, hurry
ing from their work to the schools, and are jeal-
GUS of every diminution of the hours in which
they can enjoy what they rightly deem their
great privilege. There over threethousand
under instruction at Port Royal and the islands
on the coast, many of whom show great prof.
cheney. This report would be too voluminous
were extracts given from the Letter of teachers,
which all concur in testifying to the universal
Gag erness and aptitude of the freed people.
Ladies of refinement, and possessed Of all
the Christian graces, have given much Of their
time to the phianthropic work of instructing
and encouraging the poor down-trodden chill
dren of Africa, who may be presumed to feel
in the presence OF such ministries very much
as the cast-off inebriate does when he first
feels the warm touch of friendly hand ready
to lift him up and for the first time in his de-
basement his ear is greeted with the encour-
aging word Brother" So long and SO uni
formly have the plantation negroes been treat
ed as mere beasts of burden, to whom instruct
ion was denied, and who were not allowed to
know how to read Gods will concerning them,
that when they found themselves the objects
OF the tenderest solicitude, it is no wonder
they eagerly embraced the hand extended
for their elevation, and have astonished the
nation by their progress.
1t is surprising that such results should
have been secured at Port Royal at SO small
an expenditure Of money. The gross amount
of money received by the Association, during
the year '52, less the expense of collection
was but s6,0s9.74; do in '63, up to date of re-
port, Jan. 9th, S2,9l2. 80. The disbursements
OF cash for salaries of Superintendent and
Teachers at Port Royal, Rents, Freights, Of
fee Expenses, &c, s., 20.22. Every other out
lay has been in goods forwarded in the shape
of dry goods, provisions, implements, &C., a
full list of which is given in the report. The
progress in the direction of civilization and
christianization of these hitherto degraded
and benighted Popple, Is seen IN some OF the
working tools which it has been found necessa-
ry to provide for their use. OF this kind we
notice 167 papers of needles, Is doz thimbles,
10 cards scissors, 2 doz. spectacles, ploughs,
l seed drill 6 doz. bottles OF ink, 80 states, ~
doz. pen holders, gross pens, 25 looking
glasses, 35 washbowls, 80 tables, 6 boxes soap,
100 white-wash brushes, one seeing machine,
90 pools thread, &c. &c.
The sewing machine for those recently alb
ject slaves! Is not this progress? The next
report, who can imagine its contents! Posi-
bly, toilet tables, fashion plates, and ladies'
dress goods! Who can tell how soon the pia-
no and the Atlantic Monthly may follow
God speed the good work. Who will not re-
joice to see, even in this humble example, the
children Of Ethiopia stretching out their hands
towards higher and a better life.