National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1882-04-15
EpucArlno THE FREEDMEN.
A letter from n Former slave 20 the Noble
Renefactor. John +. slater.

Benefaetor. John r. slater.
Theophilc T. Allan, n member Of the Louisiana
Legislature from Iberville Parish, now in this city,
has written q letter to John +. Slater ESQ., Of Nor
wch, Conn, in which he says:
My whole heart went out to you In thankfuness
on reading In THE NATIONAL REPUBLICAN, Of your
great tboughtfuness and generosity IN your de-
freedmen Of he s soutb Nav VIC God bless YOU y, viii
be the prayer OF over four millions of freedmen
~ the South. As one Of those born and raised
slave, in the State Of neutrality-suspicious. so
until emancipation--I have endeayored, to the
best OF my ability, TO educate and III myself LOT
such position as would best aid my people, ana ~
has been to my siucere regret TO see the pubic
neglect of their education in many OF the best
southern States. Take Louisiana, my native state
ana rc.idence, and whore am planting on TWO
sugar plantations in Iberville Parish. | am a
member of the committee ON ways aud means OF
the state Legislature Of which l have been
member for many years. Sir
THE FUTURE EDUCATION
of the freedmen In Louisiana Is sad indeed I'm
der The constitution of 1879 the assessment Is six
mills on the dollar, which Is divided ~ follows /:
Three &c mills for interest on the state de9t OF
government, mill for the support Of the levees
Of the State and one mill to educate the children
this upon an assessment IN 1880 of Sl0OOO,OOQ
My dear sir with the crcvasses in the leyees win
the finest sugar, cotton, aud rice lands IN the
known world under water, with the great losses
that our whole people are suffering " VIII be q
fearful struggle for them To give bread and meat
to their children therefore the collection of State
taxes In the overlooked sections will be mcagre II
not wholly suspended. Sir IL the educational
nind Of fNrner years was inadequate, when not
devastated by these floods,
WHAT IN THE NAME OF GOD
will become of thcir education now2 Tho colored
Southern university, OF which | am member Of
the State board of trustees is closed for the want Of
necessary means forts support. Your beneiicencc
throws a ray hope TO MS. Kind sir, | nm dele
gated by the cuorcd people OF Louisiana, the
planters of lberville Parish, The banks, merchants,
and business men of New Orleans, to appeal to the
Government and TO the Christians and humnni-
arinns Of the North to come to our aid In this
hour foU deepest nflliciiOn, TO build the lcv,es
of the Mississippi River. Sir we, the ne !rocS of
the South for two centuries past labOred TO &C:
cumunte wealth for our masters In the field
and hlrm, and when the blue cloud coming from
our heaven were marching southwark to
ACCOMPLISH OUR EMANCIPATION
we did not re.enact the scenes Of st. Domingo, but
cared for the wives and children of our masters,
aud when our Northern friends reached us we
were kind and cared for both. We nursed the
known to us. The nion-lovng people gave us
liberty and the right to vote, aud atmany ballot
box of the South many of us fell dead with the
names of our Northern friends printed in our
hands Every year since the war our labor has
increased the cotton sugar, rice, and general
crops of the South. We produce two-thirds of the
cotton nearly all the rice, and four
iilths of the sugar of the Nation. In
behalf of our people l desire to express the
unbounded gratitude they will feel for your munf
cence, aud that through all future time the name
of John f. Slater will hold s'crcd place in the
hearts of n people whose every sentiment will be
one of gratitude to you.