Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1865-12-29
Misrfll
for the Journal.
NORTH CAROLlNA-sCHOoLs, &C.
EDKsroS, CHowAS Co. N. C. /

EDENroN, CaowAN Co. N. G.
Nov. ~, 1888,
Nh. EpIron s---Perhsps | can relate few
things about the north eastern part Of North
Carolina that will be interesting to the nu-
merous readers OF your paper. Edenton was
once the capital Of North Carolina, and many
noted citizens Of the State have had their res
licences here. Before the war it's property
valuation was twenty million dollars. A Mr..
johnson was worth two millions. Last year
a band OF guerillss came and robbed him Of
ESQ, 900 OF old state bonds and $1,000 in spe-
Gle, but they were captured by the citizens Of
the place and two Of them taken up the Chow
an river and shot. When the federAls APP
preached the city, the people retired to Gate
vile till they received information that private
citizens would not be molested, when they
returned with some of their slaves. but most
Of the able bodied male slaves were forced
into the confederate service to work on for
tifcations. One old man, (McDonsld BY
name,) made free at the death of his master,
was dragged from the town and compelled to
work on the ram Albemsrle. They tried to
sell him for the benefit Of the confederate
government, but his free papers and age saved
him, and be is now in Edenton at his old
nume 70 WtiCOme tne tehCneIb OF tue rTeeu-
men. He can read and write and attends
our evening and Sunday school. The school
opened here by the National Freedman's Re-
lief Association, at rs, John St. New York,
is great success. II has been 10 operation
but two weeks and numbers two hundred and
sixty pupils all eager to learn. The colored
people rent house and find almost enough
provisions for three teachers. The church in
Al i Il 2 L a 4 i. Al =
so they will not be likely to burn it down as
they have done in Tennessee and maryland.
The colored people pay Sl25O rem, for it..
They allowed them to have it free to worship
in. The whites do all they can to hinder the
education Of their former slaves. They charge
exhorbtant prices for the bosfd Of teachers,
and in some cases turn away their hired help
il they dare to send their children to the Yam
kee school, but others say it is a good thing
to teach them, that 1t ought to have been
done before, and give us encouragement as
teachers by sending us articles for our COM
fort. Some think it an interference by the
North for us to come here to teach. and they
promise to teach them themselves, and think
the time will come whea they can have their
own way about it. They dislike the Freed
mems Bureau, but acknowledge that their
agent here is doing a good work.
Company H, 30lh U. s. colored regiment,
is quartered here but the citizens are trying
to get them removed, because they fear they
will make the blacks insolent. They are not
placed here because they are needed, but be-
cause it is a central point from which they
can protect all the operations OF the Bureau
in the several counties about the sound. Sat
urday night the company was called out to
arrest eleven white men and one black man
at disorderly house. The men arrested were
boatmen, and not citizens of the place who
are all very peaceable and quiet. The sol
diers assist in promoting order in the place
till the people can unite upon some plan oil
government for themselves.
A post Office has just been established here,
and the United States tax collector has ar
rived and opened an Office. When he posted
up his notices the people looked at them in
sullen silence. heard one man say it was
hard to be whipped and then help pay for it,
that it was unjust to assess the taxes accord.
ing to the valuation of the property in 1860,
as it is not now worth half as much.
Most people are glad to get green backs"
here but there lie select class who take moth
ing but specie, and the U. s. Collector says
he shall ask them TO pay their tax in specie.
The schools for Freedmen prosper at Nor
folk, Elizabeth City, Roanoke Island Ind
Newbern. We have pupils from Roanoke
and Newbern who can read and write we'll
and study geography. Colored children can
learn, and they are very orderly and patient
in application. Truly yours,
A. b. CoRLIss, Teacher of Freedmen.