Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1869-12-01
Onr Washington Letter.

D
MrssRs. EplroRs The national capital Whleh
is seldom without It's sensation, is Just now 80 IN
tcnscly excited over two questions That tue ap-
proachng session of Congress, aud the important
measures that will come before it, scarcely receive
a passing comment
The first of these is the constantly recurring
and never disposed Of color question, which, Ike
the ghost of Banquo, obtrudcs itself at every
turn, and
will not down, though biddcn."
One after the other all the rights claimed for or
by the colored people in the District OF Columbia,
hnve been recognized, conceded and secured I'M
til SO far ms all the substantial rights and priv-
lcges of citizenship are concerned, there ~ iitor.
ally "nO distinction on account Oi race or color.
The colorod man was long since invested with the
rirht of voting and being voted for, and there is
to-day due proportion OF colorcd men holding
Office In all the various branches of the city g0y-
crumont In the courts c0l0rcd advocates prac-
tico before the bar and oolored jurymen sit in the
iury-b0x Their educational rights wcrc also
acknowledged, and just and equitable
distribution OF the school fund made so that there
are now flty-iour coored schools in the city, sup
ported at the public expense, precisely as the
white schools are beside, several large and excel
lent colorcd schools supported by Northern Asso-
citations These c0lOred schools are equally well
provided with as comfortable and wc-iurnishcd
school rooms and with as competent teachers as
the white schools This arrangement, which was
originally the choice of the cOored people and
regarded by them as the most conducive 90 their
own interests has heretofore worked successfully
and satisfactory 90 all parties At the recent
'' National Convention OF cll1rcd men, however,
10 was resolved that this separation OF che schools
must be broken down. ln pursuance of this res
oIutilu, and us au entering wedge 100 this difec-
ton, the Rev. j. Scla Martin, pastor OF one OF
the cllorcd churches here, procured from Mr..
kaebuu rYl,rpl fuputltYr I the lartI Trustees
of public schools, an order of admission for his
daughter into the New franklin school
(wEltcl The teacher, Mis- Noycs, refused tori
ce,e her MS pupil, boa which decision She was
sustained hy the -ub-blard of trustees for the dis
trict in which the school is located Mr.. Martin
appealed 20 the Mayor Mr. Bowen, who sided
entirely with Mr.. Martin, aud although possess
ing mo- possible authority or jurisdiction in the
matter, Doe assumed o. direct the teacher 90 re-
ceyc the girl and place her in the clns-as with the
white children ucreup1n the sub-blard of truss
tees and Mr. Richards superintendent OF public
schools applied to the city attorney for bis opinion
as Co the Law governing the case, and ln the mean
time directed che teacher 10 trca, the child kindly
and respectfully as visitor, but not 20 instruct
her as pupil
Thi. controversy as tomixcd or separate schools
for the two races, has not particle of political
feeling in 10 -1 far MS the opposition is concerned
Mr. Brown, the chairman Of the sub-boord of
trustees, is an old Massachusetts, aboliti0nist,
and both be and Mr. Richards the snperiuteud-
ent of public schools, are Incorporating raai-
Gals, and have been prominent champions Of the
rights Of the cllored people Every republican
paper in the district has been earnest and OUT
spoken against the attempt 90 mix the schools,
and have not, during the days in which il has
been the topic OF conversation here, heard SIM
gle white person, and but few colorcd persons,
speak in favor of it, There is no plea of necessity
Tho Nal,
received their full proportion of the school fund,
and % receive col0red children into the white
schools is 10 rob the white children of their lust
proportion of the fund
Since the republicans have had the admnistrn-
ton of the city government. great progress has
been made in building up the common school svs-
TEN of the city, but vet much remains % BE- ac-
compished. The Catholics and Lutherans have
their own schools, and popular private schools
abound In every section of the CITY such have
been the prejudices that the common school sys-
tenn has encountered, that out of 10000 white
school children in the city. only 900 attend the
public schools lin the present state off ponular
sentiment here upon the subject. the school 81.
is forced 10 bear the additional unDopularity of
5aired schools and classes, il will breakdown. and
the white schools. by the withdrawal M tbe willie
scholars. will become cllored schools only.
IL may be difficult for you i'm Vermont IN ar
recty understand that Ii is not a proiudire or
%
mixef schools here but N short rssi'Ience Il,
Washington. or any other CITY where the c,lorej
element Constituted a fourth If III. ,,,-,,t-t;,,.
would s,on convince Won That tbe i,yer,,,o ~
ciconliness morality and pnod breeIi,,, r+7 .ta
part off tbe colored children genernliS f. nj
canal 10 the AVERAGE of those virtues m ,b, ,,rt
"a the white cbiI7r., An r.rs,4 -, ~
the moral and Intellectual training ~ 5is cbii
dren with careful hand and a ieaiousevc p,i,,bt
well hesitate about forcing them into tbe eose a..
soeiation oil the school ~ will tho ,,,,,;.,,,
rnhble of the c,lored children
Ii might reasonably he snpnosed that will,
this prebonderanee of hubble Sentiment o,r,iast
it. there was little danger but n must r. re.
membered THAT the colored votes bere b,td III,
balance of mower. and dis movement M, ,t'a;r
part Is melted and encouraged bv white p,liti-
clans who are thus biddin, or their snpnnrt
In the sunday morning papers nj ycster,la,,
the announcement is made Thai Nayor li,wen M
stopped % the incredible meanness of erderipg
the city treasurer not 10 nav Miss Noyes her seia
~ as teacher on the l,r,ind that the law rs,iys
all teachers 10 hold certificates of Examination
Miss Moves, although an old and popular teach
err was assigned b the school since the last an
nual examination and hence does not vet hold n
certificate.
The other subject that is engros-inu the atten-
ton of the people here is the project Tor Grand
National Industrial Exposition, or Worlds Fair,
].
seems now to be regarded as a certainty and a
success Several months ago Mr. f. s. Leon. "A
French gentleman from New Orleans. came here
and broached the subject to some of the promi-
nent and wealthy men Of the District, aud So fan
succeeded in intusing into them part Of his own
enthusiasm, that several preliminary meetings
were held, and some committees appointed. -
Shortly after, Mr.. Leon died suddenly in New
York, and his grand project seemed ~ have e1-
pired with him Recently, however, as an Offset
TO the st. Louis scheme of the removal of the
Capitol, the project was revived, and a combined
movement made 10y all the prominent bushes.
men and property owners of the city. The sue
cess of their Efforts has astonished themselves As
the result Of two enthusiastic meetings, and one
week work, over one million dollars has already
been secured. The city stands pledged to take
five hundred thousand dollars Of the stock, and
over the same amount had some DAYS ago been
subscribed by private citizens, in sums of from
$1,000 10 100000 each. President Grants name
appears upon the list for $1,000 At the nat
meeting the shares were reduced from $50 TO $40
each 80 that the poorer classes could participate
in the grand enterprise. The subscription com
mittees are now actively at work, and they report
that their subscription lists are so rapidly filling
up that they will soon foot up two million dollars.
from this city alone Congress will probably aid
fta tagf d an.. 4 Il. .