Journal of freedom. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1865-186?, 1865-10-07
common ChooIg-communication from Rev.
c. M. Wiley.
To His Erceuemev. " y. Holden, Provisional

To His ExceUencys " ". Holden, FT0rtst0H0t
GoUernor of NORTH Carolina
SIR: It Gems to me to be due to the Importance
| of the subject and to the relations which / have
borne to il, that I should make to you q statement
of the history of the Common Schools of the State
during the late civil war. and of their condition at
the restoration ofpeace. 1t was known t at ! was
Superintendent for the State when hostilities com
menced, and that I was continued in this position
during the war.
With my views Of duty ( could not resign the
office wtichI held when the so called o dinance of
Secession was passed: nor could | refuse to act when
re elected by SUI ceeding Legislatures during the
progress of the attempted resolution have ever
regarded our CommoR School system rs the great
est temporal interest of our people; | had long Ia
bored with an honest purpose and ardent heart TO
promote their efficiency, and when the war com
menced they were in a NEST hopeful conditiO and
fall of encouraging promise for the future.
As q friend TO moral .rogress / could not but
dread the effects of civil war. whatever its objects;
and when the recent CONFUSION came upon US /
be ieved it to be the duty Of those engaged in pro
noting the rel gious aud educational interests of
the community to stand Arm in their places and
to labor W til greater Zeal and diligence than ever.
Nv views on this subject are clearly shown IN tn
records of the past land / ann thank al to be able
to say that by word and action, under the pressure
of every trial, and in the face of high example To
the contrary. / was enabled to m lintain the prsn>
ciple that no military or other necessities of a
people can justify the suspension OF their moral
agencies.
1t was perfectly cleMr to my mind that the clos
ing of the Schools of the State would but add t.
and aggravate the evils al Ways incident to " r;
and | te { sure that if my part of the resources OF
the Literary Fund W re once diverted from their
proper use and their original purpose, the whole
Fund would soon be WASTED never again to be re
placed.
With these convictions and witnessing with pro
{ und interest the Il settled condition of public
opinion on every subject, and the dlst osition OF
many to cut loose from every fixed habit and prin
ciple of the past, ! believed that God had placed
me in my position 60 watch over an def nd the iA
terests of a gre. { moral agency affecting the char
acter and welfare Of he whole State nor did !
have TO wait an hour to witness the dangers threat
-eninG the institution, and the neces iy of meeting
and repell ng them At the first shock Of the rscent
politieal earthquake I naturally turned to an Tns,i
tuition dear As u child to me. from past .laborS
cares a6d prayers IN ps behalf AZ well AZ from Ms
intrinsic importance land like every other w"rk OF
the past ii seemed TO reel and to be ready to fall
into instant and total ruin.
T = ae ais pecuriiry resources seemed esscnti%a
t, the saccatsfu' p osecu'i u Ut the military entry
crises Of the s1u0Iry. Msny others r.gtriins - j,
var as likely 10 re e short dnrati az, ~eTe -. su
p.uting all he 4unctirns Of civil organis - DUR
he exise On Of h7s'ilities. W i = arlt'pe- y I not Il > Il :
i aaeytia; Glars ciaAtped tnat TIE III rs ard e -cheis
ut y system 40 sxte sya were most needed IN tie ~
mics Of the CJn1ederacy.
To these zen diff uIties 3risi g from sh,r sights =.
but honest, earnest and general convictions a. &"
public ex uedieney, there were theirs nf A more i IA
GUS aud dangerous character, fItVIFg th l. "'i :.
u os ly, in an i,veterate buf 20 reai~t t"s'ri I
q pu,ar Iighis aDd pr ,gr sas, q Il 1"v ava Il u
ii inc Confusion. Sbacg =, passions AID anptt al a.
c.ssitits # tie times "a york out its r g'nal purpas
eS
It was ALI ged that the S>bcols would iisV" - p
suspS d d r"r want Of books, --that their rrVenntS
were needed to buY bread for those whose q a d rI+
wants were more pressing tb an their ne"'a-tnat
T. Gnon Schools were "a Offspring nf N rtbet.
ienatIcisLi, that the children were ncodet Il 'ab1r l.
the fe ds aud shops, and that they could not pnrsur
their studies IL advantage in q time of sach general
excit IA NJ
Ii is perfectly apparent that the G ,mmon School
SYSTEM JAS q mere machine, without a g,idiag hand,
could not have surmouuted any one O. these obstacles
and it 10 equally clear to all conversant with the past
that it's Interests lad TO be watched with ceaseless
vigilance. AID defended at the sane time, at macy
., ints. Never Ia its history did it SO much need "
friend who would attach himself wholly to its later
ests. and make it lis special mission during the pass
ing revolution to nurse and defend II. l felt that
Providence had tievotved this great task on me aud
whatever have BEEN Ray failiugs OF Judgment, an
sure tnat / have stood mt my post during all the' Iorg
night of Storm through which We passed, With straiu-
ing eyes and q atesdtass heart.
E.riyIt Ct rts were made to answer ali objections to
the txfsteucc and success Of Common Schools Ito ex-
pose tie fatal decisions 10 regard to the rel tive i'm
~portarlce Of moral AID ShystcaI ag7ncies--to prove
that q suspension of the Schools during the war, an
the appropTi4 alton of their resources TO otner enoS
won't Id be utterly disastrous-to cd<rect popular pre-
iudjces, to dlfuse eouud sediment, 20 unite In COM
NOR. tf,rts the friends Of moral ProgrtSs, 70 nFinR
their bint ibGuencS to bear on the right points' 10
rem owe real difficulties, such as the want OF trxt
boo rs, to impress right views on subordinate omcers
in Regard to. the great principles atstske and 10 en-
courl age them to persevering efforts, and to e1ercise
an III Huence for good, AMI by legitimate means, on tne
highler political authorities
It is unnecessary to detail the special efforts III
any of these directions; the records of some are am
ple a nd will pass into history. while others are best
known to Him in whose eye the actor ever felt
hims elf to be.
III 9 result is, that during four years If trials ur,
exam pied in history, f trials which have taxed to
their utmost the energies of the people, which ha C
axhausted the available resources of the cou try,
and which have Exercised a retarding If not a
bllehting hfusnce n ne ry every other lniereS'
Of society, the most sensitive instltutioa Of the
! State maintained q healthy existence. and seemed
| but the mo Q established from the ordeal though
which it passed
IA severe moral batie was fought and won ant
it was 6na " and firmly decided as a pri clple NJ
mose to be questioned that the Literary Find wal
to be- continued IN the old and safe investments
the proceeds were always to be directed TO hi
original purpose, and that the schools being a
important in war as we;ll as in peace wer
to be kept open as long as theEe were child on t
be taught a0d teachers to instruc& them.
For obvialIyE re- sons the averages length Of til