The Indianapolis leader. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1879-1890, 1880-11-13
Written for the Leader:
SELF.EDUCATION
OF the Slaves Of Louisiana.
In Three Parts-By Paul Gaston. A. M.
(coNoLvsIoS.
PART III.
OF the Slaves of Louisiana.

In New Orleans the same state of thing
existed, but as the number of free blacks
who had educational privileges was greater
it naturally followed that the difficulty Of
keeping the slaves in ignorance was propo
tionatsly enhanced, for notwithstanding the
social disparity, intelligent free colored men
elevation of their race. In such cases
they would locate their schools in obscure
alleys, where only one or two pupils
at most, were allowed to enter at the same
time, and these localities we're changed every
three or four weeks, in order to avoid suspl-
cion, and whenever their nocturnal studies
were closed they would separate in the same
cautious manner.
Money was not the object, aim or reward
that induced these men to assume these fear
full risks, but they were pursued from an in
nate love of danger, thirst for knowledge,
an instructive benevolence and the natural
habits of secrecy and vigilance engendered
by slavery.
These clandestine efforts of the bondsmen
to secure even a slight share of education,
as fore-shadowed in part second, were even-
tually destined, not only to be broken up,
but many of its leaders and supporters were
doomed to martyrdom for the heinious of.
tense of ofimpsrting light, truth and knowl.
edge to their brethern in bondage.
One of the Safeguards which the slave
holder was ever careful to throw around
himself and family, consisted of number
of trained servants or spies, whose exemp-
ton from field labor depended upon their
faithful detection and exposure of every
word, action and incident trsnsplring on the
plantation.
''Aristocracy," with its twin sister "arro-
gance," are confined to neither race, color
or condition, and hence. these human chat
tells, who lived, moved and fourished only
in their masters smile, and who might at a
moments notice, be reduced TO the most
grinding oppression, not only answered the
ends Of their education by copying the vices,
prejudices and cruelties of their owners,
but oftenimproved upon the original to such
an extent as TO utterly disown their progen-
itors, because they were offs darker hue
than themselves, and thereby aiding in the
inhuman process of perpetrating the internal
institution, and consigning their own flesh
and blood to the gloomy dungeons of men,
tai ignorance, misery and degradation.
In the year 1918, during the progress of
the war with Great Britain, it became evil
dent to the planters in the parish of Iber-
-ille that an unusual commotion existed
among the slave population in that psrtic-
ular locality, and as the parish bordered on
the Gulf of Mexico, near the anchorage of
the British fee, fears were entertained that
the slaves were in secret league with the
enemy, which might at any moment result
in general stampede from the Elysan fields
of slavery, and an alliance with the invaders,
or in bloody massacre of the whites.
In view ofthis threatening state OF things,
the most stringent preventive mearures
were at once inaugurated, and hundreds of
slaves under mere suspicion of being in pos
session of the secret, were put to the
torture, without eliciting any dis
closures con6rmatory of the
fears Of the now agitated and alarmed
planters.
In that portion of the parish nearest the
Mississippi river, there lived an extremely
wealthy French planter, named Ardroise de
Bourville, who was owner of over four hun
dred slaves, among whom was one of supe-
rior energy and intelligence, named Cyriile
He was fearless, active and persevering
maa, yet of q humane and docile tempera-
ment. As reward tor his faithfulness in
the management of the plantation, Cyrille
had been permitted to unite himself to the
favorite house-maid of Madame de Bourville,
whose name was Eulalie, and who was the
ackno xledged daughter of NJ de Bourville
by enc Of his slaves.
Cyrille having been pupil in the "noc.
turnsl schools" alread mentioned, had OBJ
tanned thereby, just suf6ciency of the for
hidden fruit to create an intense thirst for
more, and every moment he could rest from
labor, was diligently applied to the attain
ment of this earnestly desired result.
In due time, believing himself qualified
to become teacher of his fellow slaves. he
took q few of the most trustwo orthy into his
confidence, and twice or thrice In each week
they regularly met on small Island in the
midst of one of the great cypress swamps,
which abound in the lower parishes of Loui-
siana.
This Island consisted of about an acre of
solid earth in the midst of this desert bog.
and was about three miles from the masters
mansion. The means Of access was by q
submerged causeway Of two large logs laid
lengthways, and was about quarter of a
mile in length, the dark color Of the water
usual to these swamps rendered the cause
way invisible and consequently, only known
to the scholars"
And thus these ostracised miniatures of
the Deity, who is "no respecter of persons -
were compelled BY the DEGREES of American
law, to "feer' their way through miasmic
bog, swarming with deadly reptiles, for the
sole purpose of appeasing their longing thirst
at this rude fountain of knowledge.
Cyrille, as we have said. was permitted to
call the beautiful ere lie Ellalie, his wife.
and in order to satisfy her enquiries WHY he
so regularly absented himself from her So
ciety twice or thrice every week, he was.
at length, compelled to disclose the cause
and with some mIsgivings, take her into his
confidence and admit her into the league.
Then on each and every "school night" af-
ter Madame had retired, they would steal
from the Mansion" traverse the three miles
to the invisible causeway, when the devoted
husband would take the frail girl in his
arms and bear her safely to their wild re
treat. Where, if they were first across the
Morsss, they would build fire, which
served the double purpose of lighting their
"rural academy" and driving away the
swarming musquitos. Finally drawing forth
their "Childs First Primers" each dusky
pupil would again, and again. pore over its
soiled pages until the ave sma hours" bade
them prepare to depart on their homeward
journey, to their unrequited toll, and often
"a y. IL r.