The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-10-19

beaten with whips for having instructive
literature in his possession which white
men might incontinently read. These pre-
cautions were taken against popular intslli-
gence without regard to color or race. But
all this time, and by the same order of
arrangement, the opulent class at the South,
the rich slaveholding class, the aristocraoy, |
took care of their own education in a manner
to suit themselves. The wealthy people had
schools. Some educated their children abroad, |
in England or on the continent of Europe. |
Many sent their sons to our Northern colleges; |
Harvard used to be disfavored with their visi- |
tations. But there was no lack of schooling |
at home for those who would pay for it. Free
private schools were scarce at the South, but |
costly private schools were plenty. Common
schools were hard to find; but colleges, semi
naries, institutes, and academies were in abun-
dance. 1t has been stated that the South,
which more than neglected its public schools,
maintained these costly superior schools more
generously than the Northern people did
theirs; for the reason that they wanted schools
for superior and wealthy class, while we
wanted schools for the people. Virginia had
421 private schools and colleges literally en-
dowed, to 327 in Massachusetts,. Alabama
opposed her 213 to Connectiouts 202. Ala
bama laid no tax on these highclass schools,
but made no appropriation for common
schools Rhode Island educated on the cheap
free system 25, $40 pupils; South Carolina, with
but South Carolina had AO high-priced 'col-
leges' for the aristocraoy, all untaxed, while
Rhode Island could count but 50. The South
ern gentry were largely cultivated, accom-
plished people, They had the best Of teachers,
professors, tutors, and governesses. Some OF
them had fine private libraries. Their tables
were covered with elegant literature. Cultiva-
ton was one of their marks of distinction.
They used it for political influence and
social prestige. 1t was badge and luxury.
Between the educated and the uneducated
classes of the South there was this great gull
fixed. The slaveholding caste were the edu-
Gated; the n-slaveholding classes, white or
black, were the illiterate; and because these
last were so numerous and might be so for
midable, the aristocracy played them off against
each other, for its own advantage, making the
whites despise the blacks, and the blacks hate
the whites. In this view of the case, it is
plainly a mistake to devote ourselves eXclu-
sively, or even disproportionately, to the ne
groes Important as education is for them, fol
the whites it is even more important. The
blacks though illiterate, have had their intelli-
gence quickened and turned in the right direc-
tion by the experience Of the war. They are
eager to learn, and they have an instinct that
teaches them what they should learn. They
are ready to receive liberal instruction in libe
raj ideas. Their former masters have little or
no influence over their minds; the white peo-
pie ABOUT Ll6m LUey nave D6eu COIlpellou W
| distrust; what the Yankee tells them they be-
lieve, and not much else. They need educa-
| ton less for their general enlightenment in
national opinions and loyalty than for their
personal advantage and social improvement.
| The uneducated whites need education for this
| too, but they need it for great deal more
| than this. Their intelligence is clouded by
malignity as much as by ignorance. Their
| minds are set against the light. instruction
| must do for them the work of opening eyes
| that are blind, and furnishing q new set Of
| against their friends and are still persuaded
| that their ruin is due to the triumph of a
| power which was in arms fortheir deliverance
| Northern education is as unpalatable to them
| as it ever was, because it means Northern
| ideas and civilization, The efforts of our
| educational societies scarcely touch these
| people. Until recently they burned our school
| houses, broke up the classes, insulted and
| drove away the teachers. Then and there they
availed themselves of the benefits supplied by
the Freedman's Aid Associations, but their
numbers were inconsiderable, and up to this
time are not large. The better portion of them
are gradually finding out what is going on,
and are trying to secure for themselves share
of the advantages which the blacks are SO
eagerly appropriating. But the great work
among them remains uninterrupted as yet-on
any large scale. This must be looked after
The intelligence, and consequently, as we be-
ueVeS Ino BOOu-Wll OF LneSe people, Is OF VaSl
social and political Importance. They are as
well worth saving as the negroes are; as an
element in society they are perplexity, 6
trouble, and danger, as the negroes are not
Education would elevate them as individuals
and improve them as citizens it would also
tend to heal the ancient feud between them
and the negroes, and would give the requisite
balance to the two elements in society. The
education of both races is necessary to create
a strong middle class, able to establish repub-
lican institutions on popular basis.
TIE Consequences of Negro Ascsndancy
in the South.
From The N. Y. Herald.
We begin to realize the evils in this country
which all other countries have experienced
where the colored or inferior race have ac
quired power. Instructions, conflicts between
the races, revolutions, and decline in material