Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1867-10-11
The New Voters of the Southern
statAa


The colored men of the southern states
are about to become voters naturally
there is a good deal Of discussion OF
their character-for the most part we
notice by men who know nothing about
them, evolve their negro out Of the
depths of initet CONSEQUENCES.
The southern negroes cailnO- help but
be an ignorant class. They and their
ancestors for generations have been
carefully kept in ignorance; to teach
a black child 10 read was four years ago
a state prison offence in South Carolina
and other southern states to argJe that
they ought to be taught was enough TO
secure ones expulsion from the south
ern states. Every incenuYe to know
ledge was taken away from the blacks
and the white masters, like many En-
glish sqWires, held that the only way to
treat their dependents was to keep them
IN the most abiect and st1lid ignorance.
It is doubtful if the mass Of the SOUTH
ern negroes are much more ignorant
than the lower class Of English peas
autry. The negroes speak in a barbar-
Gus and uninteiligible jargOn or dialect,
but it is not more uncOuth or less in
Ineligible than the speech Of the En-
glish peasant. The field negroes have
some strange suDerstitiOns, some repul-
sive habits and customs btlt these we
believe could be matched, for the most
part by equally strange and repulsivs
customs atfona the agriculturl laborsrs
Of England
But 1t does not bg1efit any one bsshoW
that they are no worse than othet8. The
interesting question is, what are they
in themselves2 what qualities axe they,
developing what traits appear promi-
nently in them now that the strong
light bE freedom is brought to bear Up-
on them.
We have before US the last teb6rt OF
the Superintendent of Schools fof
Freedmen, from which We draw a few
facts which viii interest the candid in
quiref: 1t is plain, in the first place,
Jhat the blasks show STRONG desires
for knowledge. Thefe wbEe in the south
ern states, on the 30th of June, uiidet
the general charge Of the Freedmen's
Bureau, 1880 day and night schools,
I ,l26 Sunday schools, III Az d&4 and
night pupils, and S0,647 Sunday School
scholars. These figures tell, perhaps, a
vague story but in six months the
number of day and night schools had
increased by $50, contaii1ihg 65T t6achers
and 30, IA scholars; the whole nttmbe
of schools increased IN siZ moIitbs by
l,503, with 1868 scholars; aid of the
schools l,056 were supported wholly o.
in part by the freedmen 30I of the
school buildings owned by them-whO,
until about 1865, could not own even
we're COlOred-Of a class, that is to say,
o " hose members, Until within three
years, the knowledge of reading was
counted a capital crime
There are in the southern states now
q normal schools, with 1851 b1pils
there are 25 indlastzial EsobB5ls-,- afsdl- t1Ge
report tells us that the average attend
ance in ali the schools is 't1eatly 70 per
cent. Of the enrolment which shows
now eager the people are to avail them
selves of the means to acquire know
ledge.
We learn also from the report, that
temperance societies are established
among the blacks and Ehat these as
sociatiOns have a large membership,
and are Tedeeming may from misuse
Of spirituous liquors. The grown men
and women study at night and there
is cry for "a spelling book in every
house." Il want to know what is on
he ticket myself" said a black man
who was busy with a primer.
They have shown, in their loyal
leagues considerable talent for Orgdni-
zatiCn. They show also thrift as traders:
and they have developed remarl1ab BILE
power OF adapting themselves to the
new state of liberty have appreciated
the advantages of some and the dfsad-
Tanbages of other modes Of labor; and
on all hands, everywhere, show the
jealous regard for their liberties.
Finally, they save money. There are
now twenty saving banks for freedmen,
and no doubt numbers of them deposit
their savings in other banks. These
twenty savings banks have now on de-
pOsit over haif million dollars they
have received, first and last, over two
millions; and large numbers Of freed
men have become settled in life, going
into business or buying hCmesteads,
with the money they have been in
1uced to save; and very many more
have been taught the habits of economy
and thrift by this institution.
With such qualities developed among
he blacks during he brief time which
has elapsed since they became free, no
candid man needs to despair of their
Improvement; and unprejudiced mind
viii object to their admission to the
franchise on the score of danger to the
general interest. 1t may continue TO be
dogma with ignorant party politicians
chat negroes ought not TO vote; but
when men like Wade Hampton, OF
South Carolina, openly and distinctly
urge their states, as a matter Of policy,
to give the blacks the vote, we need not
listen TO the evil prophecies of northern
reactiOnaTy politicians who denOunce
ruin to the country from the adoption
ofthe policy of equal rights and general
suffrage.--N. Y. Post.