Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1879-06-20
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
The Eaucatlon OF enc Negro.

The Education OF the Negro.
EDITORS APPEAL-In the battle of life it
is the disciplined brain and the purified heart
that win the nights of useful service in the
home, the workshop, the field, the counting
room, the State or the church. To achieve
for our people the purified affections, we must
make them able to study the law of God.
The civilization of man progresses IN exact
proportion to the familiarity of the masses
with the teachings of Jesus. Next, we must
instruct them how to take care of their
health. They must know how to eat, to
dress, how to work and rest, how to Geek ju-
diclous recreations, SO as to be ever ready for
their business engagements. 1t was said In
regard to the late French and German war,
that victory was on the eide OF the bayonets
that thought" 1t was the intellectual tram
ing of the Prussian that made him invInci-
BILE. So in the contest for wealth. 1t Is the
hand that Is guided by a well-disciplned
brain that gives value to everything 1t
touches. The State IN which forty nine out
Of fifty of the people can read and write, is
found TO possess at least FIVE times as much
property as the State in which only three
tourths OF the people are intelligent. Edu-
cation and morality then ara the very foun-
datIons of universal prosperity. Granting
this, it is the supEemest folly to neglect the
training of the coming multitude of
workiugmen. The negro, being the work
ern State be carefully drilled In the public
school to the highest culture of which ne is
capable. Especially, as he now has the right
of citizenship, he should be taught American
history. He should learn the suffering and
toll with which our liberties were secured.
He should be made acquainted with consti-
tutional law, with civil government, and also
with political economy. No man, white or
black, can put a wise and serviceable ballot
Ia the box who Is ignorant OF these questions.
Under a republican form OF government,
every citizen should be statesman. | know
that millions of white men vote who are ut
terry ignorant of all these subjects. To their
laundering votes we owe the elevation OF sell
fish men into power, and the consequent sup
port of long-hved tyrannies, such as the
liquor traffic and protective tariff. Now,
then, my southern brothers, as Providence
has placed the negro under your care, beg
of you to'mould him to skilful labor, to
reverent following of the teachings of Jesus,
and to a conscientious and intelligent eIer-
else of the right of voting. This il your
christian duty and privilege, and It's accept
ance will prove your POLITICAL salvation.
When | was in Memphis / took great pleas
ure in visiting the LeMoyne school, where
nearly two hundred colored youth are pre-
pairing for the wise performance OF the duties
OF life. have just been spending few days
at Southland normal college, for colored
fifty day scholars and forty boarders
connected with this school. These last have
the advantage OF beng In well-regulated
household, where whisky, snuff and tobacco
are excluded, and the most perfect cleanliness
and order are exacted. 1t Is chiefly sup
ported and conducted by Qlakers. OF course
the housekeeping is perfectly admirable. and
the moral and religious training is unsur-
passed. In such schools as these, | see hope
for the future of the south. l was formerly
a stakeholder, and during the war a southerA
sympathizsr. l see now that the overthrow
of slavery was one of the footsteps of Jesus
by which He was approaching the throne of
supreme power. We, southern christians,
opposed it because we did not understand
dis couusels. Nov, let Us be wiser and join
with Him In pouring light upon the dark
ness of the negro intellect by compulsory ed
ucatl0n. Also, let US remove temptation
from his pathway in life by prohibiting the
liquor traffic. Let US secure tor him and for
ourselves the full profits of agriculture by
abolishiDg a protective tariff and securing
free trade Let US not be so silly as to waste
our time In broodlng over past qusrrels. Let
Us look forward and wisely and persistently
work out the prosperity OF our native land.
MARY NJ. CLARDY.
should the Debt settlement be sun.
DOrteds
EDITORS APPEAI-While l have no de-
sire to engage, to any extent, in the discus
sion OF the fifty -aud-four settlement, yet the
unfair use which IS made of portion of a
letter written by me, and published in the
Nashville American of the seventeenth of
April, makes 1t proper aud necessary that
should write this letter. 4 paragraph from
that letter, in which tie indebtedness of the
State IS set forth, is published, separated
from Its context In such manner as to create
an erroneous impression. In that paragraph
stated that our State debt was, in round
numbers, twenty four million dollars, our
municipal debts eight million dollars, our
county debt four million dollars and our por-
Llon OF The national debt fifty million dollars.
Inns is very nearly correct statement of our
puoiic Indebtedness. This much is published
but the remarks which preceded and which
followed this statement of Indebtedness are
omitted. Now, 1t should be remembered
that the letter from which this extact
was taken was written in defense
Of the people of the State from the
lndlscrlminate, wholesale, and, as II
thought, unjust attacks made upon
them 0y certain leading journals in New
York city. My object was to show that, al
though the bonds of OR State were valid, |
having been issued by all of our governors
aimee tue days OF Newton Cannon, having |
been recognized by political parties, by ali !
the departments OF government, and having |
been again and again sanctioned by the peo-
pie, yet there were reasons why our creditors |
should not be harsh il dealing with us, and |
Why they should be liberal and generous in |
making settlement. And to sustain this |
view, gave the facts contained in the letter. |
10 the very sentence which follows this ex- |
tract, said: Under these circumstances, we |
think our creditors should be liberal ia deal |
ing with US, and not exact the last cent we |
owe, and net denounce US Unfortunately, |
because We desire to make what many of our |
citizens consider fair settlement" And lust |
before that had said: 81 was one of those !
who favored a higher rate of settlement |
than Etty and four, because | not only |
believed it 10 &c right, but because l |
believed that the people, upon full and fair |
discussion, would rahfy and approve it; |
bgt | must admit some of the best and |
trpest State credit men in the State differed |
with me IN opinion" My object certainly |
was not to show that the people Of Tennes- |
see were unable to comply with the very li6- |
eral terms offered In the bill which had |
passed the legislature. Because we are una
bic to pay the whole debt at six per cent. in
terest' was no reason why we could not pay
hall OF 1t at four per cent. interest. Because |
we had sustained such losses, and because
we had such heavy indebtedness was the
reason why thought we should rejoice to
save twelve million i1a buudrad fhouson1 4