Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1867-01-23

The American Freedmen's Union Commis-
sion, of which Chisf Jlstcs Chase is Pcesideat
and J. Miller Mckim Secretary, has is chief
office at 76 John street with branches In BDs-
ton, New York. Philsdel phia. B .l,inore, Chi
cego, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Detroit, San Fan
cisco and Mon,resl. The on ect is primarily
the relief, education and elevation of the
freedmen and in general TO aid the people of
the South 90 9Iihout distinction of c0lor,' to
improve their condition in respect to Industry
and morality NJ school or d-pDt of supplies
is 10 exclude any from its benefits because of
color.
The principal work of the Commission is the
encouragement and support OF schools. Tns
relief of pressing want where necessary, and
the means of temporary support. may be re-
qured ct first. But it Is a i-st principle with
Them that the freedman should supp ,rt him m-elf:
and the help sforded is never continued after
se.f-support is possible. In the work of edu-
cation the Com mission and lis branches have
engaged their chief eHJrts, and in this ave
employ ed all the means at their disposal. Dlr-
ing the past year they sustained seven hundred
and sixty teachers, who have taught above fry
thousand scholars, operating in every Suuthern
state except Texas. The first annual report
says
Phese schools are conducted in the interest
of no particular denomination, and are care
fully guarded from tcclesia>tic, control. But
they are none the less Christian because unec
cesiastical. The Bible is N ade the basis of
religious instruction which is tfJrdei to them
Religious exercises are msntaIn ed 10 them
and IN them all our efforts are tU render the sub
.cJs of our educ4tI q better fitted to be not
only citIzens of the republic, but children of
our Father who is in heaven"
Thee schools, although established for the
freedmen end their Children, open alike to
ali classes and If any class scorn their benz FL
because they are impartIally cff-red, those no
accept them will only b. come foremost in the
race Of life, shl- those who fall behind will
have only themselves to blame. This otf-r of
universal education is distlnctively the Amer-
can method of social security and adv. ement.
1t is carrying out the hest principles OF free
institutions. BY universal suffrage and uni
versai education we have transformed the vast
mass of raw material brought TO our shores
from Europe IN the shape of the trained sub.
ices and victims OF monarchy into enlightened
republican cltiZens W e know the .tfic icy of
that machinery, ard have conf ience in It's sui
fclency TO transform the very crude elements
of southern society, in due time, into body of
useful and patrioflc Citizens. Go on with your
scho Dis, and hasten their increase, untu they
cover all the earth once blghted by rebellion
The uncertain character of these benevolent
laborers is q highly commendabe feature. Il
is in accord nee with our common school sys-
tenn, and calculated to bring those econ true ed
communities. at the earliest period, INTO line
with tie organic d comm unites of The North,
which rave been moulded for two generations
under the combined influence of universal edu-
cation and universal suffrage. The religious
division which prevail among US to render It
i'm per itlye that sectarlan clntrol shall be
allowed among schools. Al the time tn gene
raj recognition OF Cnrstian morals as the ba-
sis OF tciety renders il easy for teachers and
managers TO incu:cate and impress sound prin
ciples and virtuous habits upon the whole ris-
ing gene, ,ation, without offending any prrju1ces
or subserving any sect,ran propsg .ndi-n. 10
this point of view i'm port
tance of this work cannot be exaggerated. Ia
successful accom- plIshment would, rather
will, put the southern states forward half cen-
tury in the march of civilization, and add i'm
measurably to the prosperity and power of the
whole county
The greatness of this work is almost over
whelming. Whit is half million of dollars
for the relief of ten millions of peoplep And
! what are seven or eight hundred teachers
Z. among so many? P" There Is room for ali
efforts OF all classes, and plenty of work for
| all.
There is no danger of too much being done.
| Neither Is there any reason To fear that good
| education p-rvAding the mass OF the people,
| however attained. will be obstacle hereafter
to the adoption of a common school system
which. by the necessity OF the Case, cannot ex-
! ist unless it is unsectarian. We advise, there
fore, that there be no jealousy between the
| non-sectaran commission and the sectarian
boards and committees, seeing there Is enoug b
| for a.! to do, an each bel ps the orber IN par,
towards the final result.-E0ening Post.