Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1867-01-24

Address 10 the People OF Delaware.
The title of THE DELAWARE Association roa
THE MORAL IMPROVEMENT AND EpuctrioS Of
THE CoLoREp People of the State, sufficiently
indicates its object. 1t has originated in clear
and profound convictions OF imperative duty,
and confidently relies upon the sympathy and
support of oil who desire TO promote the eieva-
ton, happiness and virtue Of their fellow men,
and the true prosperity of the State. 1t takes no
part In other questions that occupy public attcn-
ton, but stands upon its own merits NJ an enter
prise of practical beneyolencc. We not iii
form you that this large class Of Our population
are wholly excluded from the benefits ol oilr sya
tenn Of public education, although not exempt
from taxation, IN some shape. for the public
schools. While legislation thus closes against
them The avenues Of knowledge and improve
ment, ii has visited In tllcr ease the crimes and
oiicnses which naturally flow from ignorance and
degradation with excessive and cruel penalties.
Persistence in such glaring injustice must be at
tended to with grave responsibility, for in the
Providence of u righteous God, every wrong
brings sooner or later its retrbuton.
The attention recently awakened in behalf OF
this people, has led to expensive and energetic
measures In our Southern States many thou
sands are now receiving elementary instruction,
and these efforts have not only been highly sue
ccssful In promoting the immediate object, but
have contributed greatly to change the public SEN
timcnt. But while this work has been going on
with marked success and growing favor nj the
South, very little has been done in our own
State; nothing in fact commensurate with the
need. The associations that have been formed
elsewhere have their eyes fixed upon the vast
masses of the freed people in the planting States,
and although they would probably respond kind
~ and literally to any application that might be
made, it is felt that the work should properly be
inaugurated and directed by ourselves.
State organization will secure more accurate
acquaintance with the field Of operations, closer
and more thorough inspection of the schools,
more effective and judioious expenditure of
means. noble example has been given us of
well directed and successful effort in our sister
and contiguous State of Maryland. In the space
of little more than two years. the Baltimore As
ISOLATION has established about eighty schools,
under II very well-arrangcd and thorough system
OF Instruction. Applications are now being made
to them for the opening Of schools by citizens and
large landholders in counties where there existed
short time since the greatest prejudice and OPP
opposition. A fair proportion of the expense has
been borne by the colored people themselves a
small weekly payment being made by the pupils.
We expect to find equal readiness among those
resident in our own State. But u considerable
outlay especially ut the commencement, will be
unavoidable. The Association should have ut its
llSTOSlI income pt Ipss tItnu finn l,n, al
dollars. For adequate means we now appeal to
our fellow-citizcns, especially to those favored
with wealth. We hope and believe that well con-
Quoted schools will do much to improve the NOR
arls as well as to inform the minds Of long de-
pressed class, that their influence will be einin-
emily favorable to sobriety, integrity, industry
and Christian principles, and we submit that il is
wiser as well as humane TO prevent or diminish
crime, than to rely wholly for its repression upon
the brand and the scourge.
May we not hope that the following consderl-
tions will commend themselves to your Judge
ment, and secure for this effort your sympathy
and cooperation:
/. The manifest equity of no longer excluding
my class of our community from those adv M
tages of knowledge and mental culture upon
"'i'Nh wv pee po hSh u NdluC. ~ tilusc WHO
doubt their capacity for Improvement we say
Give them at any rate an opportunity.
!. The rescue of large numbers Of the young
from Incidence, proiligacy and vice to which they
are now so much exposed.
3. The general, social improvement which may
be expected to attend the moral elevation OF the
immediate subjects Of our labors for an niu-
ence cilanates from every class to raise or de-
press the standard Of intelligence and good con-
duct.
| 1. The certain benefits to productive industry,
benefits that will be felt in many pursuits and in
many ways. The instructed, siillful and well
conditioned laborcr is u far more valuable menu
Der of the Commonwealth than the ignorant,
stolid and thriftless.
| .. The satisfaction of doing something to re-
dress a great wrong, and 70 pay debt long over
| due to the poor and defenseess.
WILMINGTON, January u, 1867
| Signed,
ALFRED LEE,
WILLIAM s. HII.lEs,
HANSON ROBINSON,
Il. Q. SEwALL,
s. NJ. HARRINGTON,
THOMAS KIMnER,
WM. X. BULLOCK, MD.
| Executive Committee.