Semi-weekly Louisianian. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1871-1872, 1871-11-16


children in the late slqveholding
portions ofthe United States has ever
met with an opposition as strong
and powerful as lay in the ability
of its opponents to exert. In some
portions Of the country this oppo-
sition has allied itself with the ass
ASSN and incendiary; aud with the
knife and torch, tar and feathers,
and kindred diaboIic;l instrument
alities it has succeeded in intimid-
ating those who are ready and viii
ling 10 aid in educating a class
whose continued ignorance may yet
prove q curse to the whole nation
in IN hour of dire extremity.
In the District of Columbia a
strong prevailing negotiating senti-
ment has been pandered to in the
matter of the schooling Of colored
children, and no effort has been spa
red to discourage the friends of the
education of colored persons. Find
ing that neither mob violence nor
unlawful measures could be brought
to bear to deter the colored people
Of this District from awaiting them
selves of the school privileges provi-
ded for them by Congress, resort
was had to bubbles on the part of
those in authority inimical to color
edpeople, to deprive colored schools
Of the means of paying their teach
ers, and Of furnishing the necessary
appliances for school purposes. Mo-
ney, however, was forthcoming from
private sources, and our schools
went on until the Republican party
succeeded in getting control, when
no further trouble was experienced
in securing a legal share Of the
school fund for the support of col
ored schools.
We had hoped that all opposition
to the education of the colored chill,
dren in our midst had outgrown
itself, and that the white people
here had come to accept the situa-
ton. We were the more easily LED
to this hope by the assurance o.
Governor Cooke that there should
be no discrimination between color
ed and white schools, but, by 9
letter to Acting Governor Stanton
which we publish elsewhere, it vii
be seen that there is still an opposi
ton to colored schools, and a dis
elimination against them by which
they are seriously inconUenienced.
We can but feel that the with
holding Of money belonging to col
ored schools is born of a desire t.
cripple those schools, and also tc
pander to the prejudices of the old
citizen and pro-slayery class of oui
population. We feel that the col
ored people of tie District of Co
lumbia are not yet safely settled
down in the full enjoyment Of their
rights. Men, claiming to be Re-
publican in politics, and in favor Of
equal and exact justice to all men
obtaining possession of positions
under the District government use
those positions and the power
gained by them for the purpose Of
thwarting the very measures tina.
make the Republican party strong
throughout the nation, the full en-
forcement of which is the black
mans only hope for q thorough
amelioration of his sad condition.
Conservatism is rapidly gaining as-
tendency in the District of Columbia
this BODIES no good to the black man.
In local politics our professedly Re-
publican daily journals advise the
ignoring of party lines, and, and we
find places of great influence touch
ing questions directly concerning
the black man being filled by men
in whose bosoms live an ill-disguised
enmity to black men and their
highest interest.
Our colored schools must 90 on,
and no prejudice against colored
people on the part of District Off
Gals will be allowed to impede the
progress of our race in the pathway
of knowledge. The school privilege
was extended to colored people by
the laws of the United States and
we have recourse to the Congress Of
the nation in case those laws are
disregarded.
Ne,c National Era.