New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1871-12-07

"auo shls ooaru, In the management OF tnelr
schools, independent of the local authorities
and II so, has the District Legislature made
any provisions interfering with or modifying
that condition? We think it has been fully
shown that they are independent, and that the
local Legislature has not, nor has it even man
iiested any intention TO pass an act looking in
that direction.
CHARLES KING,
Treasurer Of Board of Trustees of the School
TOR Cotorea Children in the cities of Washing
ton and Georgetown.
THE COLORED SCHOOL MONEY.
Prominent Colored Men TN Council-what
| they Expect and Demand.
From the Daily Republican, ID instant
The position assumed by the Auditor in re-
latlon as to how the moneys appropriated for the
support OF colored schools in the cities of Wash
ington aud Georgetown shall be disbursed is ere.
atlng considerable feeling among the colOred
| people OF the District, and the leading cOlored
men have taken the matter in hand, regarding
| IT, as they say, not question affecting the
| board OF trustees alone, but the entire colored
community. In order to have the subject fully
discussed, and unity of action on matter
Oh such vital importance to them, a meetin z
was called last night at the residence of John
and X streets. The meeting was called to
| order by Mr.. Brooks, who stated that from in
| formation received and appearance generally
there was likely to be protracted fight over
! the school question, arising mainly from the
| refusal of a subordinate local officer to comply
with law of Congress and as the question
OF educating his children laid near his heart
ne was ready and willing to enter the contest,
and hoped that every man who had drop OF
black blood Ia his veins was of the same opin-
ION. lie thought that when the colored school
men so magnanmously refused to accept the
mixed school issue, in the Congressional cam
paign, in order not to jeopardize the success of
General Chapman, that there would be an end
to the encroachments on the rights of colored
SCHOOLS, and he was sorry to say that it was
reserved tor man whom the colored people
had honored and elevated into office under the
old corporation to strike the first blow at their
school privileges.
The chairman stated the first business in
order would be the election of a permanent
president.
On motion Of William H. Smith, Mr. John
ii. Brooks, of the Sixth district, was declared
the unanimous choice for president.
On motion of Andrew Freeman, Mr.. Aaron
Russell, of the Fourteenth District, was de-
cared secretary
On motion OF Thomas Martin, of the Fifth
District, committee of five, consisting Of the
following gentlemen, were appointed to make
arrangements for general mass meeting of the
coored citizens of Washington and George.
town: Thomas Martin, Fifth District Archy
Lewis, Fourth District John Ii. Brooks, Sixth
District; John +. Clark, Seventh District;
George w. Hatton, Fifteenth District.
On motion of Aaron Russell, Hon. John A.
Gray, Hon. Adolphus Hall, Hon. James A.
Handy, John +. Cook, Esq, and William FL.
Smith, were appointed committee to wait
upon Congress, if necessary, to protect the
educational interests of the colored people of
Washington.
Mr.. Henry johnson, being present by invi-
tatlon, was asked for his views on the subject,
| and stated that he was glad to see that the
eolored men of Washington were alive to their
best interests, and from information received
| he was satisfied that his Excellency Governor
| Cooke and General Chapman would see that
justice was done the colored people of Wash
| ngton and Georgetown in their school matters
| The question was, who was the recognized head
| in District matters, the Auditor or Governor?
The former not only declared his purpose to
ignore law of Congress, but sets aside the
expressed declaration of the latter, and mutt
| lates laws for the purpose Of carrying his
| point, as is evidenced in his weak apology for
the course pursued by him.
| MIR. johnson stated that Mr.. King had in.
formed him that in presenting his authority to
the Auditor from the Board to receive ali
| moneys due the coored schools, that officer
| treated him with gross incivility, and declared
it to be his purpose to make the niggers"
know their place, and threatened to keep the
| colored schools out of the money due them
until October next, unless the Legislature
made other provisions The speaker said he
| could only attribute the Auditors hostility tn
disappointed ambition-he, the Auditor. after
| failing to be appointed Superintendent of White
Schools, was equally unfortunate in not having
his superior qualification for that position re-
| cognized by the Trustees of Colored Schools.
Mr.: VIM IL. Smith said it was question in
his mind whether there was any power in the
land to protect the rights of colored people il
as we see In the District of Columbia, a sub
ordinate can override Congress and the Gov
ernor, trampling at the same time the most ga
cred rights OF large portion of the citizens
under foot at pleasure. In his opinion il was
time to say, halt While he was opposed to
separate schools, yet he maintained that if we
were to have them he was in favor of their be-
ing controlled BY colored men.
A general conversation ensued as to the best
mode of procedure, but no definite plan of &C.
ton was agreed upon for the present, thew pce-
ferring to hear from Governor Cooke, in whose
integrity and fairness all expressed their con.
fidencs.
Letters from prominent colored men in va
risus sections of the country were presented, in
which the writer's inquired about the colored
schools of Washington, stating they had learn.
ed through that great lever of plblis opinion
thspress, of the trouble concerning them, and
that they were of the opinion that Of all places
in the country Washington should be the place
where the rights of the black man would be re-
spected. and urged upon and besought the COL
orsd men to stand up for their rights, saying,
in the event of failure in Washington, God
save the poor negro South.