The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1870-03-08
Rapid Elevation of Negroes.

The following extract from a letter writ
ten by Miss B., the teacher of a school
for freedmen, is forwarded to the Mirror
as matter Of public interest
Macon is a city Of some l4,000 in
habitants, over 1000 of whom are color.
ed. Schools were opened here directly
after the war, and have been very pros
porous. The people are steadily improv-
ing and progressing. This is my fourth
year of labor here among them, and look.
ing back to the time first came came,
and remembering what they then were,
and contrasting it with what they
now are, feel to thank God that he ever
gave me place in SO noble a work. /
sometimes ask myself can it be possible
that these are the children, these the
people, found when first came? II
hardly seem credible, and et,under God,
it is the result of but little over four
years of freedom. 1t is indeed blessed
work, this that Christian benevolence has
caused to be done among these freed pee.
pie, for to this work of education, more
than to everything else, is this change
due. Aud those who at home give Of
their substance for its support, are help
ing in the good cause just as really as we
who are laboring in the field. But we
experience more of the privations and
discouragements, perhaps, than they do,
and we also know more of the JOY than
thcy,ior we can sec the changes produced
the results already apparent, while they
can only read Of them.
As people these freedmen still have
much to contend with, but God can and
will overrulc all opposing influences. He,
in his own good time, will right their
wrong. We have quito superior class
OF colored people here. Many of them,
sine" their emancipation, have bought
homes Of thciro own. Many buy the ground
and pnr up their little cottages themselves
and the neat, tasteful yards and gardens,
with flowers and shrubbcry, show an ad-
vancing state Of civilization. There are
alrcad, among them many who would be
respected in any community not under
color-prejudice, for they arc men and wo.
men worthy of respect.
The school work here has ever been
prosperous. We have toward six hun.
dred now in nir school, and there are
several small schools among themselves
Last year We had scholars in Latin, alge.
bra, geometry, &c. These are now sent
to the University in Atlanta. to be fitted
Tor teachers. For, just as soon as posi-
/ hot Il t,,t,
ting their own race. The people are
growing more >,lt-reliant, more indus.
triou aud rro,i'iemt every year"
W ,-lilNGro>, Feb. 22.-The follow iLg
letter j. published to-day:
DEPARTMENT OF TmK INTERIOR,
BOARD or INDIAN COMMISSIONERS.
WASHINGTON, u. c., Feb. -, 1870. J
DK,E SIR: At last the sckening de-
tails OF Colonel Bakers attack on the vii
lagc o.! the Piegans, III Montana, on the
22d Of January last, have been received.
OF the l73 killed, only fifteen were what
might be called fighting men, that is, men
between the ayes Of II and 81 years. Ten
were from 81 to 60 wears, and eight ad
ditional were over 60--in all, fifty-three
There were ninety women killed, 6fty-fve,
or over onc-half, of whom were over 40
years Of age, and the remaining thirty
five were between II and 40 years. Last
ly, there were fifty children under IL
years of age killed many of them were
in their parents arms. The whole village
had been suffering for over two months
past with smallpox, some half-dozen dy
ing daily. The above facts were reciev
ed to-day from Lieutenant W. ID. Pease,
Us. A., the agent Of the Blackfeet, and
is indorscd by General Sully, L. s. A.
With regards, faithfully yours,
VINCENT COLLYER, Secretary.
To FELIX r. BRrNor, Chairman, Pitts
bnrgh.