Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1865-09-05
The Southern Opposition to Educating the
Blacks

We are often told, especially by slAveholders,
that masters have much more care and solicitude
for the well being and the Intellectual moral and
religious improvement Of the African, than any
ant-slavery men, and that if the negro is left on.
tirely to them and the states in which they have
the sole political power, he will be taken excellent
care Of. The previous conduct of these slave
holders has not, however, led to the belief that
they were SO devoted to the well being of the
African as would have been inferred from their
professions. 1t was not surprising that the slave
holder should refuse to allow bis chatte!s to be
taught to read or educated in any respect, as
learning is insuuectionary, and men who can read
are quite aptiaftev little, to get some knowl-
edge of their rights. Educated slaves were re.
markably uncertain articles OF property, and there
fore intelligence was not reckoned as an accom-
plishment in a slave.
But when the slave is emancpated one would
suppose this southern hostility to educating the
coored children would die out, and the late mas
ter would be as ready to aid his former chatte in
cutvating his intellect, as any mere anti-savery
mudsiIl. The contrary, we are compelled TO state,
is nevertheless the fact Congress has been
making sundry attempts to frame some legislation
by which the colored children Of the District of
Columbia could receive the benefit Of the school
fund raised from the taxation of colored property
holders. But the Common Council Of Washing
ton managed to defeat this legislation by one
trick and another, until the last Congress attempts
ed to settle the question by enacting that
"'lhe municipal authorities Of Washington and
Georgetown shall set apart from the school fund
such proportionate part thereof as the oolored
children between ;he ages OF six and seventeen
years bear to the whole number thereof"
This was exploits but the Common Council
of Washington were equal to the emery ncy,
They dropped the school fund, raised no money
under that head--but increased the other taxes
and supported the white schools out of the gene
raj taxation. They thus syaded the law, and re-
fused to allow the ooored children to be educated
in separate schools, by taxes raised from the
, property owned by colored residents in the city.
This shows the spirit which those recently slave
holders, and educated under the influence Of
slavery, exhibit in the care of the free people Of
l color, aud gives an example Of what may be eI'
pected of these ex-slNehoders,-"t the governing
/ race at the South, into whose hands all potca
j. power is to be re,urnsd,- their future legisls
ton respecting the freedmen.
II The Washington Chronicle, in commenting
= upon this course Of the city authorities Of Wash
n ngton makes the following pertinent suggestions
y We are strongly inclined to suspect that the,
+ forgot, in the midst OF their gee, that Con
j. gress possessed the lego constitutional power to
make rioters of oolored men 10 this District. The,
must have left out Of their calculations The fac
Is that Congress would naturally indignant at Thu
10 piece Of chicinery. be very strongly induced Il
~ put the power 10 right their own wrongs in tn
Y hands OF the ooored men themselves, by givinI
them right to voice in tie election Of the mel
- who are to make a tax levy, as well as to asgi
It's proportions to different interests. If strong
- or argument could be brought to the attention
the neat Congress for granting the Right Of SUI
y. lrage to the Blacks Of this District, than the ttu
history this little transaction affords, we Wis
some one would call our attention TO it.