Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-11-30

having returned, after twelve wears, to
rcyisithis friends, and when addressing .
congregation OF col0red people at Mobile
about the people of Africa, IN order to
illustrate The character of their language,
repeated the Lords prayer in Yorubau.
z group OF negroes 10 the back part of
the house broke out into shout of de-
hght, whichsya mistaken for religious
enthusiasm by the preacher, till, at the
close OF his discourse they cams thr0ng-
pg towards him and addressed him n
fheir African tongue They told him
they, were part of the company carried off
from the Wanderer, and described how
they were first seized instheir own coun-
ny, sold and put on board the slave ships,
They were traders in Yorubs, IN good cir
eumstances and with connections OF high
standing Their party were on trading
tour to some towns west of Abeckuta,
when, at ar exposed point ON their road
q party of slave-huniing Dahomeys rushed
on them from an ambush, seized them
and bore them off to town
upon the coast near Porto Novo, where
the Wanderer was lying off the shore to
-SSSAfc suNi1. D1dgC buO W al tuCJ udNc
gathered into small community, retain
ing their language andkeeping themselves
separate from the other blacks about
them They have become Christians, are
thrifty and enterprising and are very
eager TO be sent bSck to their native
country, that they may meet their fami-
hes again and be useful to their people.
The question now arises whether the
former laws, relating 20 the restoration of
fecsptured slaves applies to these native
Africans. The late Secretary of the In
terror hesitated as to the power given him
under the laws of Congress, and the new
Secretary, Mr. Delano, win probably APP
preciate the same difficulty. Hence Con-
gress may be called upon 10 decide this
question, and even wider questions, as to
the demands of many enterprising freed
men of the South, who are eager to re-
turn to their native land for the purpose
Of spreading American civilization among
the blacks in Africa. IL estlr r.e Id
The West Point Academy-Ineffi-
cheney of the American Common
Schools.
The annual report of Sen. Schriver,
Inspector of the United States Military
Academy, which has just been published,
has called forth some sharp comments
from the friends of the South. Gen. 1
Schriver was 10th to state that many of
the candidates rejected at the last exami-
nation were from the South without Civ
ing at the same time what seemed to be
satisfactory explanation of the cause of
Al. e. r
the country. He said that education had
been greatly deranged by the late war,
and the candidates could not be expected
to compete with those who had enjoyed
Uninterrupted educational advantages. On
the other hand, loyal Southerners think
the best reason was the incapacity of
those selected, and, in view of tue pride
once taken by the people of the States IN
the grade of their representatives at West
Point, they think it is rather an unkind
cut from the War Department. In his
report Gen. Schriver says, concerning the
superficial system of education
s"The results of the late examination
have, with greater force than ever before,
directed the attention of the Academic
authorities to the utterly superficial sys-
tenn of education seemingly prevalent
throughout the country. 1t is no longer
unusual or surprising to find candidates,
rejected at West Point for deficiency in
the primary branches of common
school education, possessed of diplomas
from reputable seats of learning, attest
ing their proficiency in many kinds of
knowledge. Though therequirements for
admission are certainly not beyond the
capacity of an ordinary pupil of the
common schools old enough to receive
cadet appointment, it is doubtful whether
a 1.-THE of the vacancies at the Academy
could be filled without the one years
preparation for examination provided for
by law"
Tie subject of that paragraph was
suggested by some of the evidences of
Proficiency furnished graduates of New
York institutions, although there is no
doubt that it applies with equal force to
candidates from other parts of the
oOuntrv .-...