The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-05-28

its affairs.
With no very definite policy marked out in
the original act, without a specific appropria-
ton to meet the expenses of the department,
with wholly untried subordinates in this new
sphere of public duty, with crowds of refugees
and freedmen at many points demanding re-
lief-with the whole machinery to deyise, ar
range and set in motion, it is marvel, not
that scores of mistakes have been made, but
that hundreds instead have not been commit
ted. Hence the narrowness of the criticism
which carps at possible minor errors in carry
ing forward work of such magnitude and
difficulty, and hence the Satanic malevolence of
those who are seeking to weaken this barrier
and defense of the freedmen against their
baked and disappointed masters.
The fitness of General Howard for this po-
sition is shown in his executive and general
abilities, in his never failing sense of justice,
in his remarkable calmness, candor and pa
tience, and his solid determination to do right,
toward all parties-the government, the freed
men, and their former masters.
LIZ CIC ilCCuhiCh, do ID Aistoe@i1 oAAS ueSihAO VI
Gen. Howard has become a household word,
scarcely less sacred and endeared than that of
Abraham Lincoln.
1t was my good fortune to accompany the
General and one of his aids in tour of OBJ
servation among the negro quarters and col
ored schools of Washington, 1t was exceed
ingly gratifying to notice with what readiness
these people received every suggestion touch
ing matters of cleanliness and ventilation,
health and employment; and how eagerly the
children in the schools caught at every word
of kindness and encouragement which he ut
tered. In all his intercourse with them, there
appeared nothing of military bearing and Off
cial authority, but the simple, straightforward,
practical intercourse most beftting a man Of
business and christian citizen.
The appreciation of General Howard,
found to be not confined to those having i'm
mediate relations with him in the Bureau, or
his companions in the hard fought campaigns
of the war. A bitter enemy of the Bureau,
man who had lost many slaves by the rebel
Hon- and a fierce denouncer of CONGRESS. whom
met in Norfolk, was compelled to acknowl-
edge that Howard was "a fair man and meant
to do right"
To remove such an officer from his post, or
to allow him to withdraw from it, at the pres
ent crisis, is evidence of consummate folly on
the part Of government, or of cruel hostility
toward its humane and generous manage
ment. Indications of determination to
thwart the purposes of President Lin
coin and Congress in establishing the Blu
reau, have been for long time apparent
as witness the efforts to hinder its operations
and defeat all measures adopted to strength
en- it. OF this, however, we may be very sure,
that General Howard will be found true to his
duties, and without stain in the administra-
ton of his Office. And should he be displac-
ed, for his fidelity to God and the eolored peo-
pie, his native State is ready at any moment
togive him such welcome as he has earned by
his eminent services, and such place in Con-
gress, or elsewhere, as will enable him to work
most efficiently toward securing in the recon-
structed government, the rights of every citi-
zen.
THE COLORED SCHOOLS.
The schools for freedmen and their children
are not sustained by the government, and the
Bureau has only the incidental duty toward
them, of guarding them against destruction,
and protecting the teachers in their work.
How much they require such protection may
no Iyy,o1 from, fha mn
Gently occurring, in which the buildings in
which they were kept have been burned. The
fires at Petersburg occurred while was there.
1t was a sorrowful sight to look in the morn
ing upon the still burning ruins of one of their
large school rooms and their costly "New AZ
rican church"-and to hear the lamentations
of the poor sufferers, as they crowded all the
space around, and looked upon each other
with fearful eyes. "AH ace's church burnt up;;"
"Ihe devil is uery mad;;" "The good Lord will
help u.s." and many such expressions, revealed
their mingled sorrow and trust "Good citi-
zens" of course deprecated this wanton des-
truction, and charged it upon the fre,nen,
promising to aid them in rebuilding their lost
houses. But the .tSreme,, or other malicious
parties, know very well whose buildings they
can destroy with least risk of exposure and
punishment
With honorable exceptions, the masses of
white people, higher and lower-old masters
and "poor trash" look with disgust upon as'nig-
ger" learning to read, and the yankees" who
stoop to teach them. Among the selfsacrifc-
ing laborers in this interesting field, 1 met
quite a number from our own State. Mr. G..
r. Merrill recently from Bangor, gentleman
of education and culture has charge of the
Butler school at Hampton, near Fortress Mon
roe, with seven assistants and nearly seven
hundred pupils. The building erected by Gen.
Butler is very large, and in the form of cross.
The head-master occupies platform in the
center, from which he easily surveys the en-
tire operations of the school, and regulates the
whole with system of bell strokes; thus Sc
curing great regularity and order in the gener-
al movements of classes. Three of bis assis-
tants are also ladies from Maine,-Mrs. Shaw,
Mrs. Maines, and Miss Russell. The mansion
OF Ex-Presdent Tyler is now occupied as a
boarding house for the teachers of these
schools; though it was understood that Mrs
Tyler, now doubtless "repentant and lovaln is
TO have the house restored to her presently.
At Richmond, Miss Howe of skowhegan. a
niece of Ex-Governor Coburn, has the HIGHEST
leadership in the large colored school Of tbat
city, numbering six or seven hundred pupils
one was complimented by the Superintend-
eht there, as the most energetic and efficient
'eacher within his knowledge. Miss Gaylord,
one OF her assistants, is from the same town.
In Washington, the ''first class" teacher, in
the NeU YorkschooL-so denominated because
sustained mainly by the New York Society,"
Is MISS Julia A. Lord of North Yarmouth, who
Is well known as teacher in her own State,
and is throwing all her enthusiasm and tact into
her labors here, with fine success. Her indi.