Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1875-02-12


Some seven years since gentleman (whcse
name we are not at liberty to give, then
living in this county, bought a farm IN
Vircinia. and moved thither with his family,
In roIitics here he was an old Wing, and re
nained much in the same position as DIR.
Wheeler. never quite Republican, and at
the beginning Of the war was so cold, back
ward. and sympathizing with Southern
rights, that the boys one night nailed flag
to the top Of his house and showed HIM
some other indignities. He went to Virgin
ia in the hope and purpose 20 better his
fortune, and equally in the hope and pnr-
pose to build up as he could Christian lnsii-
tutions and social privileges. All went
well with him until Just after the recent
election, when, simply for voting the Re
publican ticket. be and his family were
socially ostraeised, and made to feel, as one
of their acouaintances remarked, that ''it a
man voted with the negro, he Is regarded
as no better than a negro We are per
mit.ed to publish extracts from a private
letter from this gentleman to friend at
home. which she'd curious light on the
equality of races at the South, and the pre-
yalent feeling there
For seven years. whenever there has been
SUNDAY School here, | have been teacher
ofa class Of Young men. Over 30 different
ones have been my pupils. Thrice | have
been urged to accept the place OF Superln-
tendent and thrice | have refused, thinking
| could accomplish the greater good as
teacher. And 60 constant was ! there with
big load. that it became standing pro
verb. no matter what the weather, the
Rs will be there And more than one
has been heard to say. that no one did
more 10 keep up the school in every way
than we have done During last Fall, We
had become more interested than ever,
prayer-moeting was started and held once
in two weeks in connection with the school
and Mr.. r and myself had agreed on a
prayer-neet!n- at my house Tor every SAB
hath evening to begin on the evening OF the
very sabbath when our trouble broke out. On
the preceding Sabbath there was the small
est attendance in my Sunday School class,
only four present. and ! feared, though
Dravinp more than ever for better success,
my labors were not appreciated, and | said
torho four. you had better secure another
teacher as my class Is dwirdhng. Ihei
made no renly until the next sabbath "hen
the Superintendent was about to open the
school, one of the four came TO me and sad
he wished to speak to me outdoors. He
led ne some ways from the hoSse and sitting
down upon log, he said Mr.. Bingham,
a L.. ra+ tod IN 20 la
election" Taken entirely by surprise, sup
posipr everybody for seven years had known
my political views, answered rather terse-
~, =" Ii is none OF your business can You
prav 10 Jesus to bless your scho0! and have
your mind on politics on Gods holy sun
DAY -
lie said ia man votes with the niggar
we regard him as 10 better than the
Niger.
Alta glance / could see that somebody
was behind this young man, and that IN
norcut and simple hearted as he had al
ways appeared to me he was pressed into
thi. service BY those with longer heads
and deeper-seated hatred to everything
that is - Yankee Il has always been the
hardest work for the leading member of
that church to call upon me to take any
part in school or prayer meeting. lie l. q
man who loves to control, and having lost
an arm in the war and all his slaves,
his bitterness aEains: the Yankee is beyond
control In prayer-meeung where there
are no more than four or five, who ever take
part in prayer II would be noticed II ac
passed any OF the four or five by. Last year
almost to the election he was absent teaca-
ing and was only occasionally present n
our Sabbath School, but when present wa
sure 10 come into my class, being the largest
class in the school and was almost sure t.
bring out some offensive remark. At one
time in the class when We were talking about
man being possessed with the devil, entirely
uncalled tor he remarked - IN the war |
believe the Yankees were all instigatcd by
the devil This man is husband u the
offensive young. mans sister. Another
sister, q maiden lady, is the leading female
teacher in the school, and she Is the one
who six years ago said 81 didn't believe
Yankee could be 2 Christian bat do
believe E. is one" This lady has apparent
ly been very friendly TO US But to return,
when the young man had made the remark
about niger, 1 waited not 10 hear more
from him but vent directly into the schoo.
and said to the superintendent that | must
leave the scnool and take my family also.
The young man followed me IN and replied
10 me. ''we're glad TO hear You say 50 Mr..
B. Mr.. r., Nermonter rose and sad II
that was their way he should leave too, and
took his children too.
We have had SabbU;h School and
prayer meeting at our house ever since, and
We think cur children obtain more good
than before