New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-07-25

school system tends 10 Dreak up tnis uono'ony' ~"
children Of different plantations coming together form
many new acqnaiDtances and gain much inteiigehce
which has hitherto been denied them.
The mental capacity Of the coored children s qni'e
different from that Of their Caucasian neighbours er
perceptve faculties greater they learn anything ny
rote or oral almost nuvey, they often learn 10 say
the alphabet before they distinguish one letter from
another they have natural fondness Tor musc' they
learn tunes without the slightest difficulty Whatever
il presented to the eye TO the ear they rave no UNI
Guilty in remembering but, beyond this they appear 10
be mentally deficient They have no natural taste Tor
mathematics or anything which requires patient inves
tcating thought they follow beaten path with alacrl
IT, but never venture on voyage OF discovery IL ho'
this as much as we could expect Of race which for
two centuries had been held In oppression where gnor
ance was a merit and knowledge crimef
In no city in the South has the experiment OF teach
ing this neglected succeeded SO well or been at
tempted on so large scale, as in this Here every co
ored child has all opportunity to attend school Huhd
reds are daily gathered in from the streets and aeys 10
partako of the first fruits Of freedom 1t Is not mercy
the novelty which attracts them-thcr parents are am
tious 10 have them learn and take pride in their
progress In the country many OF the adults are learn
inc TO read Many Of the teachers have evening schools
where the grown people of the plantations come ana
pend an honr or two every day when their aoors are
over In former times this was rather unsafe business
knew an old colorcd servant, near Vicksbnig, who
had learned to read by stealth taught by an Old eoored
woman from Kentacky lie told me how intensely
eager his people TO hear the news when Lincoln
was elected: how he would steal into his masters
house by night and get the newspaper read 1t to the
hands around the cabin fire, and replace it before
morning. They knew that the political events then
TRANSMITTING lad something to do with their status. and
tley wee anxious TO know their fate
TO get better idea of this work We will visit Of
the principal schools in this city the School Of Lib
crty.p The name is appropriate. for education and
freedom are one and nseparabe none but an ignorant
people can be held in bondage. The building is stu
ated near the center OF the city and was used rs
medical college till the breaking out Of the war. When
the Union flag again 1oated over this city, 1t was
opened and converted into schoolhouse. Little
change was made except 10 occupy the rooms with
seats and school furniture Tie library museum and
chemical apparatus still untouched tie dissecting
room is vacant and no longer 20 the students with
their knives and forcps py into the secrets OF nature
In each OF the rooms there are from 20 to 20 pupils
presenting a respectable appearance. their clothes
usually neat and clean their depoI nent orderly and
garity. They show a commendablo progress in learn
ing-;Loy answer questions readily and correctly In
geography, arithmetic spelling and the elementary
brarclos Tey pass in and gu! Of tue room quietly In
peri c, order and with military precision. AT the close
Of the session they are gathered into large lecture
room and unite In singing and other appropriate e1cr
cises.
To THE assembly ChiefJus,ce Chase in bis recent
n.f,. L. lfrk lnu1afl
nifty to honor with his presence and offer few words
q encourag cement and congr'nlation Perhaps during
his whole public life he never did an Get which more
truly showed the real greatness Of bis nature.
In the country parishes the number OF public schools
is rapidly increasing Abandoned buildings arc taken
for scloohouse. fitted up with desks. charts Sc. by
the Board OF Education for Freedmen. and the teacher
set to work la few hours afior school Is opened
every Child tic district knows the fact The princi'
pal difficulty have 10 encounter is The passive resist
apce made by the planters. Although compelled by
law 10 tolerate the schools they very careful not to
offer them any encouragement. and they evidently look
forward 10 the time when the military power will be re
moved from this state and the civil power tie thrown
again into their hands, Ba, tear not their opposi.
ton We need not their sympathy long the Federal
power Is maintained here by the bayonet. Our cause
has prospered too much. has taken too firm hold on
/ the public mind at the North among al who sincerely
desire the welfare Of the coored man. and ~ the South
among the colored people themselves. TO be speedily
abandoned The old Shareholders say that tic negro
will never be anything but useless yagabond-if they
had their own way they would make him We think
he can be made useful citizen. and intend To 10 IT,
After less than two years labor have 10 schools in
operation in this State 23O teachers and 1900 people
under Instruction. which includes H. OOo children. 1000
soldiers, and 600 other adults
With these results before do not apprehend n
failure We do not believe that this experiment is de
pendent merely the military 10 disappear
the State resumes its civil authority Should it take
place tomorrow, our labors would have been In
vain. We have already crowned our Efforts with
abundant youtions take steps backward.
To the educated coored people Of the North. wish
could soy one word. You have how your people
have been afflicted in the SOuta and yourselves unable
to assist them; and how at last, in manner least
pected BY all they have been set Nee But although
free they not enlightened; they;are still victims Of
ignorance and prejudice they still at the mercy Of
the white man in all their commercial and civil trans
actions and now for the first time you have an op-
portunity to do them good. They need you to give
them an education such will Fl, them for the ordinary
duties Of lite. You guide direct and sympsthze
with them, for they your own race and kin. Hero
you can exert a wider influence than you can
pect at the North, where the prejudice against color
is quite strong it is here. Here you do
good in a day than in a century there. Is not this
subject worthy Of your contemplation and appreciation
A Constitutional Question.
The ,o-Orieons Times says: "The cause,
parte Robert Mott and Alexander Walker, involving