American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1865-11-08
The Freedmen,

In the Tribune of a recent date. we
read an account of the action of the
Presbyterian Synod, which met in Lynch
burg, Va, short time ago. The action
of this body is one of the most hopeful
signs yet visible fRom that quarter
Without grumble they address them
selves to the new order of things and
declare it the duty of the church, at
once to commence the work of enEght-
ening the Freedmen of the State and
preparing them for higher civil and So
ciat position. Mr.. Fitzpatrick, who had
been Captain in the Rebel army, spoke
eloquently in their behalf "They were
brought to this country by us, said the
speaker. "They have been our playmates
in childhood, have been reared among us,
waited upon us at our freside, have nurs-
ed us in sickness as we have them"
Universal testimony show that
(taking them altogether and making due
allowance for their ignorance and circum-
stances of peculiar temptation in which
they have been placed) they are behaving
themselves as well as could be expected
of human nature generally. And now
as philan thropists, as christians, can we
cruelty detest them II Judge Watson,
in the course Of his remarks said "The
question was not whether: these people
arc to be educated or not but by phom
BE assured that they will be taught; the
responsibility Of determining by ,ehom
and what depends upon us. Nlissiona-
ries have been sent, and will be sent 3
x Again, the negro will exercise
important civil rights. Without refer
ling to the question Of suffrage, they will
be witnesses in our civil Courts, and you
can't prevent it if you would
Negroes will sue and he sued, and if so
the Legislature will be bound to admit
their testimony. This time is not far
off" "They" (the negros) are directly
innocent.o of the troubles we suffer lie.
US ask ourselves, would we be better in
their condition? and then strive to bear
patiently with them in their faults. Let
us treat them with kindness"
Rev. NJ Anderson said, ''If the minis
ter will only let them see that he loves
them, that he wishes from his heart, to
do them good, they will often at least pre-
fer them to one of their own color He
was preaching to very large colorcd pop,
ulation, and his interest in them was the
man thing to bind him there. But if
we have an organization in which they
can take no part, they will not come
His fixed purpose was to go for
ward and labor for the salvation of this
warm hearted race.
DR.. Smith, of the Union Theological
Seminary, said that 'durihg the revolu-
ton in Greece, a Ladies Sewing Society
applied to John Randolph, of Roanoke,
for aid to the cause The Greeks he
exclaimed, ARE at your doors, referring to
the negroes. There were, to his mind,
remarkable Providences in our case con
nected with this subject Virginia and
North Carolina had sent number of Mis-
sionaries to foreign lands. Under Prov
idence, nearly all had returned Did it
not seem as though voice from Heaven
were saying, 'Go back and preach to the
heathen in your own land p"
Space fails US to refer further to the
proceedings of this body, To US, itseems
to be the first solid movement of import
ance in that section, and is indeed en-
couraging. When Southern diyines arc
taking the matter of the education and
convertion of the negro in hand, aud
Southern Statesmen are liberating them
from their long enslavement and prepar-