The Oxford falcon. [volume] (Oxford, Miss.) 1865-18??, 1866-06-14
written for The Falcon.l
TIE Education Of the Freedmen



situations, is a work Of difficulty, and
the movers should count the cost of
the undertaking before they commit
themselves. Very rarely has a great
people been made to pass through 30
sudden, and mighty a revolution as
that which the Southern people have
recently experienced;-a revolution
which has resulted in the overthrow of
their long established Institution Of do
mestic servitude. It was believed by
The wisest, and most judiciOus, and can
did of our writer's TO be founded not
only in the reason. and fitness, and
nature of things. but upon the sanction
of Sacred Scripture itself. Educated
in this way to believe as we did; that
it was right and brought to this conG
Clusion by arguments that seemed TO
Us irrefutable, and by logic that seemed
to Us irresistible, It was regarded as
but brutun1 ftlin1en, when the Slaves
Of the South were proclaimed free, by
a paper edict of the President Of the
United States. Nor Is it 10 be doubted
that the author OF that proclamation
himself felt. at that time, that it amount4
ed TO lille more. And yet we have
survived to witness its sudden, and en-
tire abolition, and II is no matter now,
what our private convictions are of the
moral right, or wrong, the justice. or
injustice Of the result, we are In Gods
Providence brought to the point where
we are forced to accept it as an accom-.
plished fact, and to acquiesce in The
circumstances by which we are SUR
rounded. We may add, that with a
characteristic readiness of adaptation
to The condition of things around them,
which they have always shown, The
mass Of the Southern people haze ac'
] guiesced, and are now addressing them.
e selves to the duties, and the fulfill
r ment Of the responsibilities growing
i out Of the new relations thus establish
r ed between themselves and the colored
i race. True, there may be lingering
il residumn of reluctance in some heart!
i to accept the status, heart-burning or
y account of the wrong done to the limo
cent holder, which engenderi
a bitterness not confined TO the perpe
/ traitors, but which extends even to the
g freedman himself. But in the msjoti
) ty of the people of the South, there
e seems to be kindly feeling cherished
10 towards the colored men in his new es
ID tate, which prompt them to extend L
% him a helping hand. That the TIM
10 has arrived when some measure
d. should be adopted BY the Souther
,s people themselves to provide the ways
p and means of educating the freedmen
a. is conclusion to which we have bee
led by the following considerations
Id !. This people are now thrown uE
IS on their own resources in a state {
N freedom, for which they are to d eel
8. tam extent unprepared.
~ 2 They consider us, their forme
s. owners, TO be notO as we have GlOG,
been, their M tural guardians, and the
49, best friends.
as 8. Il is our interest, as we'll as OIL
nd duty, to diffuse the blessings of educa
he ton as widely as possible among q
classes of people in our country.
~ A. If it ever was good policy
"a keep them ignOran: it certainly is !
KS longer 50, but the very reverse.
ise s. The right of suffrage will, in q
IN probability be given to this people
some future day.
- s. Ignorant vote rs are the cur
-. Of our country.
a. 2. If zoe do not teach them sor
oue else will, and whoever thus ben
- fits them will win en- influence ov
them which wi II control their votes.
laS 8. If Ds perform this service tn
NO we shall secure their identiRcati
with us in promoting all our inter ei
ans So much for policy and sntsrest-t
least elevated form of the argume
"a Let us look at the subject IN its mo
ich bearings.
ap, !. The church is the light Of /
ef- world : II rs therefore bound to il
In inmate the surrounding region. The
ing is no speCiat injunction TO enlishl
the white race only. bat we are
m. preach the gospel 10 evsyy creatuy
IoOl search the scripture" is comms
gro not addressed to our race only, bat
ven manklud. God "commandeth all y
..a everywhere to repent" We are
airs questioDably responsible to God for {
e q