The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, 1868-07-29
ORIGINAL.
For tho Southern Enterprise.

by The fnescagvs oi Ex Gov. Orr and Gov.
Scott, and will be one of the most IMPORT
ant and delicate questions the present Leg
islature will have to deal with, il will not
be inappropriate to publish the remarks of
B. 0. Duncan, of Newberry, in Convention,
against the adoption Of the 10th Section,
which contains the very Objectionable fea.
tcre, 1t will bs seen that Mr.. Dancnn's
views correspond entirely wah those of the
Tx Governor, and also with shose Of Gov:
SeotA It Is also known .hst some Of the
most Intelligent colored members Of the
Convention who voted for this Section are
now strongly opposed to it, and advocate
separate schools.-EDuoRs ENriRPRrsr
Nr. Presioemt-I regret exceedingly at
this late stage Of our proceedings, to be
compelled 10 detain the Convention by n
prolonged discussion Of any question. But
sinee-the Committee on Education persists
in urging this section, l must beg your in.
diligence while enter Into discussion of
the question somewhat on its merits.
The subject of Education is, under the
peculiar condition Of our State. probably
l The most important one We have had to
consider in this body. Its importance to
our people individually, and as a whole
cannot be overlooked by any Intelligent
man. Our success as q party, and our sue
GEES as people, depends entirely upon cur
being able 10 educate the masses OF the pco
pie. or this, no one is more convinced
than am, aud no one is m0rc earnest in
L. Il al, 4
man, and child in our State educated, " ith.
out regard To the complexion of their skins
iu this view of the subject, know that
an sustained by the Intelligence, aud 1irtue,
uud Christian feeling OF the State. Where
thsre is opposition, it comes from prejudice
and ignorance. Th5 feeling Of opposition
to the education Of the cvlosed people was
strong at the close OF the war, it is true !;
+ but it is now rapidly dy ing out among sensi
- ble men indeed among educated Christi.
ans it is already entirely dead. l Iced
only reter, as proof Of this assertion, to the
actions Of the Conventions, Conferences, 60.
} OF the different denominations Of the State.
Tie Baptist State Convention, which met
at Anderson last August, unanimously
adopted resolutions introduced by DR.. Pur.
man. President OF Furman University, warm
ly urging the education Of the colored peo-
, pie in Sunday Schools, and in every way
practicable and expressing regret that the
a poverty Of the denomination would not
: allow 1t to take more active steps The
. resolutions provide that coiored Theological
Students, or ministers applying for instruc-
tiod to the South-rn Theological Seminary,
r at Greenville, shall receive such instrdc.
tons of the Professors. That Baptist Con.
a vention Was presided over by DIR. Winkler,
:. of this city, and was cunTposed Of the iutGl.
a ligence aud learning Of the denomination
throughout the State, Measures Of like
character have bs.n adopted by similar
bodies 10 the State and all over the State
. you find the intelligent, edpcal ed minister's,
= founding Sunday Schools for colored
y children, aud urging the necessity Of their
education. You fnd 10 many localitsis
strong objections, IL is true but it must he
n remembered that the majority OF our white
/, people are wocfully ignorant, and that
many Of the religious teachers are not able
|. to read the Bible correctly. My assertion
!. applies only to the Intelligent, and there |
contend that am right The earnest de-
sire to educate all the people, is general
among them. Their prcjudiccs have been
y overcome by intelligence, and this is the
" only way prejudices can be overcome. And
- | now take the position that the only way
ee the prejudiees Of race existing among our
people can be overcome, is by educating
" them. Let us then not begin wrong in
(" this all important matter. Let us not be.
gin at the top Of the huuse 20 build down
e wards. But let US lay the founG a. ion
II Alright, and we may build on it with conf
e dence that all will come out right. Let us
U not begin where we ought to end II we
;, begin by educating the masses, we end by
u overcoming their prejuhces. But II We
u begin hy attempting to overcome their
= prejudices by force, and educating them at
o Ter wards, ! am convinced that the whols
plan will resnlt in failure.
Now, what is likely to be the resNlt Of
" retaining this Section, and thereby opening
s the public schools TO alli Simply, that
- they would be attended only by the coiorcd
" children. II the attempt is made TO enforce
n mixture in this way, | have no idea that
fifty white children in the State would a.
II tend the public schools The freedmen 8
Il schools are now, Il mistake not, open to
= all and yet | believe not one white pupil
\ in the State attends them. The result would
v be exactly the same with our public schools.
9 This is a state of affairs that we should GER.
!, taiDIy desire to avoid. In the first place
!. the poor white children would be deprived
v | Of any chance OF education. They would
. continue ignorant, and degraded, and
: prejudiced. The whites who have means
. would send their children to private schools
e but the poor whites would be as heretofore,
r unable to do go. You would also have the
o strange condition Of affairs. Of the whites
. paying probably nine. tenths Of the expenses
8 Of Institutions, which, by their organization
a they would regard themselves rs shut out
. from using. This would be q continual
i barrier In Che way Of peaoeable and friendly
e relations existing between the two races all
q over the country. IL would, fear, have n
' most injurious eft, ct on the ratification OF
Z this Constitution, and 60 for towards coun.
/ teracting the good impressions made by our
moderation thus lar.