The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-05-02
Nsw Yorl Tract sOoietr.

Two Of the officers Of this Society address
our people last Sabbath, In regard TO their
work generally, and. especially in regard to
the Freedmen. l had previously heard that
this Society, that had always been the supple
tool Of the Shareholders until the rebellion,
was now doing something for race it had
always treated with contempt; and 1 went to
one of the meetings to hear what they were
DOING and learn whether the leopard had re-
ally changed his spots. A 35&tM
The speaker said their Society was the first
to open school for the Freedmen in Wash
inoton. who had previously been neglected;
and the impression given to the audience was
that then had begun this work. This was in
1859. He did not tell us that in other places
schools for the freedmen had long been in op-
Grafton, before the managers OF the New York
Tract Society had made up their minds
what course would be popular. in
| He told us that the Lord had taken the ques-
ton OF slavery out of the hands Of "the polili-
cians," and settled it "in His own time and
way.s He did not remind us that the Lord
had given US nearly century in which we
might have sbolished slavery ourselves,
pedcedbiy, though the blood Of the whipped
and scourged, and violated, and murdered
slaves was constantly crying for vengeance.
Nor did he tell us that the New York Tract
Society had always, and persistently refused
to utter one single word against this huge sin
and crime, but had carefully erpunged eUery
line which condemned it from their publica-
tions, lest the men-stealers of the South
should be displeased. If he had told us this,
| we might have understood ,ohy God took the
work into His own hands. tat ss'l
| He then told us that the capacity and char
acter of the colored race were in great danger
| Of being over estimated. This was surpris-
Ing stassment. knew, indeed, that here and
there person, in his love for despised race,
might overrate them. Bat the prejudice of
the great mass Of our people against color is
SO notorious, owing to the fact that the New
1 York Tract Society, American Sunday School
Union, and other institutions controlling the
public sentiment of the country, have, at the
slaveholders' bidding, refused to recognize
them as anything but brutes, that did not
suppose any one would have brass enough to
ten us that there was real danger that now we
should think too highly Of them. One would
suppose that he would have waited, at least,
until they could ride in street cars in our
cities, and have the privilege Of voting.
! In regard TO the schools, he did admit that
colored children had proved that they could
learn as fast. and as well as white children.
But he added that this was only in the "pri-
mary studies; and that, sin the higher
branches" 1t would probably be otherwisel
i he then stated that, though there were
many exceptions, @as a race" they were liars
and thieves. as race, "they would not tell
the truth; and they would steal "a lsFA Y
He said also that a great deal had been said
about their religious character. and that
there were many among them now 'strying to
| do as the white folks do" But th:.t their re-
ligion, generally, is hedthenisns, "and must all
be unlearned.v M $3.50
4 That there is dishonesty, and superstition
among the Freedmen, no one will deny. A
race that has been in bondage two hundred
years cannot be expected at once to have a
very clear idea of the rights of property, the
enormity of petty offences, or OF religion in
its highest developments among the educat-
ed classes. No body of men in this country
has more persistently refused to do anything
to lift them out of this condition, than the
managers of the New York Tract Society.
And now, in order to justify their previous
course. to go about the country reviling and
traducing them, is exhibiting shamelessness
which even we who had watched their course
for many years, could not have believed PCS
sible.
Twill only add that the original National So.
ciety is the american Tract Society of Boston
mot ofNewYork. 1t has been Iaboring exten-
sivelyin the army, and among the Freedmen,
from the first. It's managers are such men as
DR.. Kirk, who did not wait until after the re-
{ bellion, before they found out that there were
slaves In this country who ought to be Freed
men. And if any anti-slavery man wishes to
contribute to either, he will be likely to give
i it to those who wish to elevate the colored
people, rather than to those who still add to
their former injustice aud wrong that Of justi-
Tying and encouraging a wicked prejudice
i ~s"-A'S '.o'u' 81 ID.