Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1866-05-23
Education of the Negro.

| to be questioned. bis position as freeman,
creature of.his own violation, no longer Sub
iect to our own, demands it. He will be but
useless and troublesome member of society
in his present state of ignorance. That ig.
norance was harmless, perhaps beneficial
while he was a slave, and while his life and
conduct was controlled by another and su-
perier intellect and morality. But it must
be the source of manifold and multiform
evil, now that the ignorant man is master of
himself.
The necessity of educating the negro being
considered, it becomes matter of vital in
terest to US who is to be his teacher. lie is
countryman of our own achild of our own
soil and climate; he thrives here in such
manner as to seem an indigenous product of
the South his home and his associations are
here /; he understands the peculiar culture of
the region, and is himself, so peculiarly adap-
ted to that culture, that in many sections he
alone can carry it on without mortal injury
to health. Here, without doubt, he is destn-
ed to live, bis lot s cast with ours for good
and ill past connections enable US to under
stand better than any body else his character
and wants; and though extraneous influences
have lately introduced some sucpicion between
ourselves and him, that suspicion has already
almost past away, and he is again resuming
Just and natural confidence in his old friends.
1t is plain that we. are formed to be his pro-
tecting ally it is plain that our interests and
his are identical he begins to recognize that
fact and to see that after all, our affection for
and sympathy with him, are of more genu-
inc and permanent character than he can else
where obtain.
Such being the ties between US, it is evil
dent that we alone ought to undertake the
negro's education. 1t will be both for bis ad
vantage and our own that we should do so.
We shall teach him better because we know
him better than his Northern school-masters;
and we shall give his mind just chat sort of
training, and Just that sort Of direction which
the present relations of the races demand.
Yankee lessons serve but to fill his mind with
pernicious ideas and to make him ambitious
beyond his capacity and sphere; our lessons
will render him useful, contented, and tru-
ly intelligent man.
We must not leave this work to Others. 1t
is foolish to be blind to the progress of events,
and to shut our eyes to the fact that the once
humble aod unrehscting slave is now q man
with aspirations and awakened hopes. These
aspirations and these hopes tbs within our
power to control within proper limits, if we
surround him with the conservative influences
Of Southern ught.-Columbia Carolinian.
New ENGLANDERs PocKETING SLAVES
Hon. Isaac Davis, of Worcester, Mass, some
ten years ago, sat one day at an Abolition
meeting, in that fiery little town. The speak
ers were earnest in denouncing the sin OF Sla-
very, of making merchandise of men, and OF
receiving the gain of such trade these prac-
tices were an abhorrence 10 them. Alr. Da-
Wis arose. He told over by name the men
who were present, aud who were directors and
stockholders in certain bank in town, and
read them letter from lawyer in Charles
ton, S. c., who had recovered Judgment
there for a sum Of money due to the bank.
The letter went on to state that they had seiz'
ed, inexecution upon this judgment, the slaves
ss the 5gneut ebtog. and they iwereLtwo
families of slaves-then advertised for sale to
pay the Judgment Of the bank. These drec-
tors and stockholders were thus, to the extent
of their interest in the bank, the owners OF
the slaves; the ncgroes were to be sold ct
their ORDER and the proceeds would be paid
over to them. He then pleaded with them
to come forward aud give up carh bis share Of
the claim, that some, atlcas,, of these nQ19oes
might not be cold that, at least, one Gmily
might be saved from separation. But, true
to the old Massachusetts instinct, when these
disagreeable questions came up, and these
beautiful sentiments could not be INDUCED
in without affecting their pockets, the meet
ing suJsided.