The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1866-12-20

/ the feld.hands This is no new thing. IL Is
an old custom, Hut prejudice has not dc
stroyed IL. and the colored parents will cling
| TO the plantations aud sympathiEe with the
employers, who thus manifest regard for
their offspring.
So, il even the most selfish reasons alone
may impel some TO the discharge Of their du.
tics, multitudes on the other hand viii stea-
dily pursue path alike approved ofby their
own Judgment as proper, becoming, and well
pleasing 20 God
Now, need any light minded person
pause moment 20 consult the theory
Of the dignity Of this work. In the
condesccnding mission Of the Son Of God,
he embraced every child Of this benighted
race Apostles were their instructors. The
nobly good have ever been their friends. In.
Vulnerable examples are everywhere found
IN the South of true sympathy with, and la
Dor for their improvement, among whom are
many of the most eminent dignitaTies of the
church, statesmen Of most exalted worth,
and women of impcrishable fame, | have
known the confederate soldier whose back
| was never seen by his battle-foo on many
bloody fields, with true manlncss accept the
post Of teacher of a Juvenile African school
And why not Why should any person
seeking employment hesitate, II justly com.
pensated TO perform the work Are not the
first class merchants always gratitied TO wait
ON them az their counters, and bankers 10
receive their deposites The most skillful
physicians do not hesitate 10 administer to
them in their sickness. Tho legal profession
accept their fees and manage their business
and the clergy of all churches minister to
their spiritual necessities. ! again repeat it
the work will be done " we do il we'll ii
not, let us forever hold our censures in 81.
lence, aud allow those who will 20 toll NJ.
trammellcd. While dcplore the coming
Sonth ot an indiscriminatc mass of foreign
teachers, il may not be amiss to remind
some whose preiudiccS are still In the asecn-
dant, that many hundreds Of the best teach.
ers In the South, for fifty years past, were of
Northern birth and education--and none
were truer, in the late crisis, to the interests
of the South. True, some who have been
South engaged in colorod schools recently
have greatly damaged themselves aud the
cause; yet IL would he well to remember the
truth hidden In the adage that zone swallow
cannot make u summer" by their fruits
We shall know them"
The past is your best guarantee for the fu-
ture attention to the welfare of the young
African the motives f religion win require
you TO bostow. Hundreds Of thousands of
them have been taught in the Sabbath
f0f0Nbls, anu HtItalttl NllNi lbIill VI fnhtiu
tion, as we'll as the inculcatlOn of religious
principles in the hearts Of the young in day
schools, aud elsewhere, will still remain "A
christian obligation,
We have expended unknown treasures In
gold, as well as the incalculablc tolls of many
weary years in bringing the people up from
the gloom land guilt of the Fetch forest
idolatry serpent worship, and the obeah SUI
perstition of their native lands, 20 their pre-
sent elementary attninments IN the religion
of Christ, aud the alteration of the true God.
There is now great danger Of their relapsing
into those hoathcnish barbarisms,
But if christian people will address Them
selves TO the task of teaching the children,
the evil may be arrested.
In the southwest is said to be found a
stratum of soft. and seemingly worthless
substance which may be quarried with
knife and carved and shaped TO forms of
grace aud beauty with its slender blade,
but after exposure TO the sun and air II
becomes as firm as marble, and mOcks the
edge of the instrument to which Il owes its
shape and attractivenoss
50 the hearts of this sad and peculiar race,
taken while yet unpetriied by vice and sin,
and formed upon model Of elevated charac-
ter, may become the firm, well established
christian disciples ofFiper years.
Thus has il ever boon found by our godiy
fathers who died In the good work of their
Contamination, and loft behind them the
clear proofs that, "a Christ died for them, so
are they capable of honoring him with their
affections and their faith. This work de-
mands the utmost patience and forbearance.
But IL has its great rewards. As time adj
vances and the freedmen have an opportuni'
ty to manifest their gratitude, and their use.
fuiness to society as cheerful lab0rers, new
t.. 10. he.
win not be wanting for its performance,
The whole experiment may prove failure.
The race may be oxtinguished. But let II
never be thought for "a moment that we
caused IL TO fail, or pushed the negro, In an
CRY haste, out Of the land Of his birth
The means at command by General Wood,
Assistant Commissioner of Freedmen etc,
enable him TO offer the payment Of portion
of the rent of school rooms, IA set forth in
the order above referred TO, which will be of
great importance in many cases, and, in ad-
dtion, the transportation of teachers will be
paid from their homes 10 the place of teach.
ing. Agencies for the supply Of teachers,
where they might record their names, could
easily be established in our chief cities to ia
cilitate tho enterprise. Applications for
teachers now lay on my desk, from old and
worthy citizens of our State, which am un.
ably to supply.
The suggestions Of the gentleman referred
to above are so appropriate, that quote
them here. lie says:
4" II is not only right that the laborors
should bear the expense Of educating their |
but TO do so would exercise. an ele- |
waiting and improving influence ON them |
Planters could make the necessary arrange |
ments therefor, snch as employing teachers,
providing school houses, etc. and, by an |
agreement with their labOrers, deduct the
expense from their wages, whatever the
form Of contract used II Is respectfully sug.
gested that where the number Of children on
4 plantation warrants the employment Of
teacher, q plantation school be established
and when the number Of children on a single
plantation il not sufficient 10 Justify this ar
several neighboring planters
mite 10 establish and maintain q school for
he instruction Of their colored laborers"
beg leave further 10 suggest that the
highest interests Of all concerned will justi.
v, nay require, that all school commission =
rs, "bOards Of trustees" and managers Of
,ublic schools" should take charge Of the
0l0red schools. superintend their manage ,
nent, and zee to IL that the money paid into
be school fund from taxes paid by the
reedmen. and such other funds a. the
riends abroad may contribute, are faithfully
appropriated for the tuition Of their children.
Such boards Of supervision constitute the /
roper agents 20 receive and appropriate the
1nds the United States Government may. i,
rofu tina IN ffrne at auarf Tar fha efrnuorf i