Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1881-01-13

1 able to educate these four mllllpfI
people that were turned loose ag
us. AS l have already statedh-
ring the period Of slavery it VET !,
our policy to educate them; las
incompatible, as We thought, h I
the relation existing between thvc :.
races. Now that they are citizeKe
all agree that it is our policy toy.
cate them. As they are citizenet 7
us make them the best citizense
can. I am glad to see that y
show a strong disposition to doe
rything in their power for the e!A
ton of their childran. Il
SCHOOLS FOR THE SOUTH.
Then l say the provision Of e
bill that gives for ten years at bt
the advantage to the States vile
there is most illiteracy is just d |
a wise provision, and l thaaktc
Senators from New England andle
other wealthier States for the see
of justice they exhibit in coming =
ward and showing a willingness-o
aid in the education Of these reos
We all agree that it is important ht
they be educated. You will ace
with me that we il the Soutfn
States are not now able to edpte
them, and our own children. dey
were set free as necessity of he
Union. You so regarded it. hen
it is proper that the Union shqld
come forward, and with IFS vastre-
sources aid in their education, al !
am glad to see movement made aat
looks in that direction.
l confess l have better horesfor
the race for the future than | lad
when emancipation took place. ley
have shown capacity to received
ucation, and disposition to eleate
themselves that is exceedingly gati-
Tying, not only to me, but to ePry
right-thinking Southern man; I'D l
wish you to understand that we Jar
Dor no hostility TO the race Trthe
South. There are many reasons shy
we should not, no good reasons yby
we should. They were raised With
us; they played with us as childan.
Under the slavery syatemss the lelt-
tions were kind. When the warssame
on it was supposed by many thasSSey
would Use in insurrection and soon
disband our armies. They at NO time
ever behaved with reloyaity 70 us,
or with more propriety--rs.r7 t The
:,-..'....--,.rlas, ,it---'-F2 ~
you very unwisely gave them the
ballot, they have exercised the rights
Of freemen with moderation that
probably no other race would have
done. Therefore, I say itsis cur du-
ty in the South especially, and l think
yours in the North as well, to en-
courage them, and, as they are'- now
,itizens, to elevate them and make
them the..best citizens possible.
THE CAUSE OF ILL1TERAcY.
But, as l stated a while ago, have
given you reason why there irsuch
vast prepondersnce Of illiteracy
now in our section. 1t is not only
due to the fact that we did not have
the common school systems in th'
Southern States prior to emancipation
but that the four millions Of freed
men were added TO our population 81
citizens there without education
Then we must appeal to you not only
now but in the future 10 be libera
towards the South in aiding in tn
education of these people. l know
there have been complaints that the.
may have been cheated in sone IN
stances at the ballot box. lgnoranc
NAV be cheated anywhere. Dodotles
Senators, you have seen the more ig
norant clasa cheated in your ow
States. If you would guard agains
this effectually in the future, educat
them; teach them to know thei
rights, and, knowing them, they vii
maintain them.
1t is necessary TO educate them
furthermore, for the reason that the
do not now understand, as ignoranc
does not anywhere understand, tn
theory and form and spirit of gu
Government. Education will enabl
them to understand it. We mus
teach them what is the nature Of th
Government, what are the principle
of the Constitution Of the Unite
, States, and, now that we all agre
that it is to be perpetual in future
we must teach them to love the Ur
ion and to be ready to stand by an
defend it, and believe the senator
from New England will agree wit
me when say we must teac}: ther
also that the Union is Union
States, and. that we must rot destr3
the States. When the States al
destroyed there is no longer the Ur
ion OF our fathers. AS the Union
to be indissoluble, the States whic
form The Union, and without whic
it cannot be maintained, Eust forevs