Evening star., 1869-12-08
MIXED SCHOOLS.
Letter from Rev. seIla Martin.

Editor or tn .S1r:-You are always fair but
sometimes wrong. You are wrong in saying in
ycSteTCa : issue that the school question was
raised b. the National Executive-Committee I
never had = word either personally or officially
with n single one OF its members. except Prot.
Yashon on the subject until nv child was sent 70
the Franklin building, and with him I had no
more words than to say that my wife wished to
see Linn on the subject Of our child going to
school. You say the National Executive Com
nittee regard Washington as a poed battle
ground. Is il not a shame that there sbouid he
any battle to fight for equality before the Law in
city which has 1000 Republican majority? Is it
nor shame that this city should be a battle
ground to men of that committee some of whom
have for twenty-five years Iabored to advance
the principles which the Republican Marty
profesed to hold while others of them
the recognition of the Confederacy by foreign
Governments, knowing if they had begun by
recognition they would have ended BY interferercs
interference the North would not have with
broken to pieces. Is IL possible that those who
helped to save the nation are to be denied its
most common rights? With a school house op-
posite to you, must you send your child q mile
away? 1t is no answer to this question to saw
that white people have to do the same thing. II
Is unjust to both white and colored. 1 know
your reply will be, g. But the time has not vet
come The time for the oppressor to loose the
hold OF his victim never comes-with his consent.
Let me show you the rotten part of this whole
controversy. If were in England or France.
such question would be impossible; but, being
IN washington, you are enabled to saw, doubt
less with truth, that the great majority of the
colored people are opposed to my position. This
Is the heaviest condemnation of prescription, viz:
the prescribed are willing to accept it. Yours,
truly, SELLA MARTIN
Note.-The above communication from Mr..
Martin has been delayed for some DAYS BY the
pressure upon our columns. We had supposed
there was no doubt that the movement here for
mixed schools was initiated and pushed BY the
Colored Mems National Executive Committee as
test question: but it would seem we were mis-
taken in the suppostion that Mr.. Martin was
acting for the committee in this case. The de-
fecti Mr.. Martins position is that the question
is not one of equality, but one of law, of equity
BY law of Congress separate school systems for
white and colored have been made, and the
school funds apportiOned between them accord
ing to the census of pupils, cOlored and white;
and under this division of the funds colored
children cannot go into the white schools with
out depriving an equal number of white chill
dren of the means of education. Mr.. Martin
doubtless comedies this, as he does not deny it.
Obviously, then, his course, if he thinks there
is prescription in separate schools, is to move
for legislation for a readjustment of the school
funds, so that mixed schools can be carried on
without encroaching upon the funds of the
white schools.
But it seems to us that his admission that the
great mass Of the colored people here are op-
posed to mixed schools shows that there is no
prescription in the matter. The truth is, the
majority of the colOred people prefer, as a mat
ter OF self-respect, and as encouraging habitsO of
self-government and self-reliance, to have their
own school system, just as they have their sepa-
rate church organizations, Masonic lodges, BEN
eficial societies, &C., &c.