Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1867-02-23

incapacitated for any considerable amount Of
mental cxcrtion. That distinguished travel
lcr and discoverer, Albert Baker (who, lett
be borne in mind, belongs to- the Exeter Hal
school of cmancipationists,) speaking of the
negro, says that the negro grows PHYSICAL,
but dwarfs intellectually, so that his best days
mentally are those of his childhood and thu,
as his physical development increases his NOR
u! aud intellectual powers decrease. These
observations of one who devoted several wear.
to the study Of the African character in it,
native country, aud with mind prcdisposed
to Judge favorably, have been amply confirmed
by our own experience; still the negro Is ca
pablc OF some intellectual training, and in ius,
the proportion that these powers are developed
IN just the same ratio will his usefulness be-
'nc' cascd. lie may be taught to read und
wrlte to cnumeratc- lie possesses the
property OF imitativcncss, SO that he can ac
4u're many of the skilled arts Teach hin,
these, and you have made the first and main
step towards arousing him from his Incidence
and sloth. He will then begin to realize the
moral, social and physical advantages OF c,n
slant, energetic effort, instead of being driven
to unwilling labor by the pressure of want and
hunger, and will then become conservative
rather than q destructive element of society.
But how is this education to be given and by
whom Not by those vagabond adventures
both male aud female, who, incapable and in.
disposed to attempt gaining an honest livcli.
hood Mt home, flock MS birds of prey seeking a
carton to obtain prccarious Subsistence, by
pander'ng to the worst appctitcs and passions
OF degraded and semi barbarous race, and
who, having no motive other than personal ny
grhndizcncnt or notoriety, care nothing for the
interest or welfare OF those for whom thcy pro
less such deep devotion. That among thos,
so-called missionaries from, the Northern States,
VINO arc sent nndcr the auspices of the Freed
man bureau, or come voluntarily, to devote
their very valuable time and intellect tu the
nmel'nration and Improvement of their beloved
protrgc, the negro, there may bc some honest
useful and harmless ones, We will not under
t'ke to deny; unfortunately. however, W,
have not seen or heard Of any such The only
fruits that we have been able to discover from,
the instruction of these puritanical hypocritcs,
Is increased dissatisfaction, impudencc and
wortacssncss on the part of those they came,
to Improve, without even the ponr cu,npcnsa
tinn OF knowledge of the a!pllahrt or n con.
r"ption Of the rudinents of Webstcr's Univcr
sal Yankee Spelling Book. That this is not
true in every instance we fan would hope.
but there can be no question us to its being the
general rule, with. we fear, hardly the neccs.
sary exceptions to prove the rule.
/ The Influence then of these would be mar.
fyrs to the cause of philanthropy being so del
ctcrlous, how shall we best set about counter,
acting 1t 10 this we reply, first, by teach.
ing the freedmen in our employment our
selves; and secondly, by establishing. when,
ever and wherever practicable, schools for
them under the supervision Of our own people
let every employer encourage the freedmen
IN his service to learn, and let him devote -
norton of his time to teaching them. We
have still IN great measure the confidence OF
our former slaves, and if we put forth very
little effort to iustrnct and educate them, VIC
will more than regain our former hold upon
their affections. Let Us, By dealing Justly and
literally with them. elevate and encourage
their moral scnsbiltics. and by showing IN
interest in their welfare, both temporal and
spiritual, secure that influence over them
which will enable us to make them both a safe
and useful class in tho community Ard let
us also organize, wherever practicable, schools
where they may obtain Mt least such instruc,
ton as will fit them for the ordinary avoca-
tions of life
That the negro ought to be educated is we
think beyond dispute; that he will be taught
ny somebody and in some way, is, We think.
equally evident; it remains for us then to see
that he receives that which will be most ben
ehcial both to him and ourselves; and the
sooner and more earnestly we set about this
work, the better for the prosperity of ourselves
and our State. = The Farmer, Richmond, Va
Last of. the Confederacy.
There were sold in this city on Saturday at
public auction, says the g Lynchburg Virgin.
ian,' on account Of the United States, a 10!
of hospital or field strctchcrs the property OF
the late Confcderacy They were purchased
by a commission merchant at sixteen cents
apiece, and will be converted tic cloth into