The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-07-03
FAIRFIEl.D'S vINDICATION..

Our attention has been called to an
article in the associate Reformed
Presbyterian, headed "Thc Truth
about tho Frccdmen". III it, it is said
that i contributor to the P,'csbyteriqn
has been talking to Mrs. Richardson,
wife OF the Rev. Willard Richardson,
Principal of the Fairfield Colorcd In
stitute IL this place. There arc many
statements in the communication OF the
unknown contributor, which arc in
decd startling, and SO unfoundcd arc
they all, tlat VIC might dcnominatc
them sensational in the extreme.
Referring TO the adverse circum-
stances untlcr which sxmc % tho COL
orcd teachers arc compelled to do their
work, she is made TO say: "In fire.
fcSs, .HoorleSs hut, she has taught q
$choot Of eighty colored chiilrcn to
Tc"d, hocing only one doo& wih
4oh'ch to ito oH The tcaching.' When
asked why there were not more books,
she ~ piled: "Dccausc they lad no
money with which to buy them.
-lmong them "l, Nerc aras not Il pin or
d"ftoM or Il t0pc--their c3OthcS aocrc
held together acith MorNS.'
IN tho first place VIC do not believe
that Mrs. Richardson ever made such
statements either to that contributor
or 20 any Of his class or friends. We
do not believe il, lccautc VIC can say
0"thor1foticcly that her husband cn-
tcrtains very different opilions, and
has made statements Of Il widely dillrr-
cnt character. a few days before his
departure for his farm in Delaware.
Mr.. Richardson called upon us and
volunteered to reply to the article Of
Maggic Cbappcllc, which appeared in
TnE News AND HERALD some time
since. IN tho course Of the coMycrsn-
ton he said: "South Carolina, since
the Democrats harc been IN 3,ower,
has done even better by tho colorcd
race in the matter of education than
could have been reasonably expected"
"-1nd IN F"i'UeM Co"miv," he con-
tinucd, "fhcir educational ,1uciliticS
orc, under the circumstances, cqua1
to, II not superior, to those Of dnJ
other $ecF;o" 4fHc coHntyg, North or
SoHth. l WANT THE NORTHERN rEo-
PIE TO KNOW THESE FACTS" This is
the statement Of 4 Northern man, a
warm friend of the colorrh people,
and With almost unrivallcd o,'bortuni-
ties Of knowing the truth Of his obscr-
vatioms. Who can in the light of such
confessions give crcdcncc to The vajor-
ings Of the PycSdytcrion'S correspond
cnt. We do not believe it. because
they arc wholly and utterly false. We,
claim that we have right to spcat<,
not only as n private citizen with
facilities for information, but rs a
member of the County Board of En-
amincrs, whose duty it is to look after
and care tof' the educational interests
Of the county.
If there is within tho confines of
Fairfield county GONE FIEELEss AND
FLooRLEss HUT with but one book for
eighty colorcd children, wc have yet to
learn Of it. l there can be found in
all these regions ONE FAMILY of color
cd 1jeople, to say nothing of the fact
that il is asserted Of a school of eighty,
without "a pin or button or tape,
with their clothes held together with
thorns," wo will esteem it q favor if
Mrs. Richardson or that correspondent
or whoever may be the author of the
story, will give us directions, so that
we may be able 10 find the pl,ttc and
the people in question.
Fairfield county is now making
every effort through her Board Of Ex-
aminers, her efficient aud progressive
School Commissioner and the public
spirited Trustees elected in every
township, to educate and elevate ali
classes Of her citizens, irrespective of
color or party afliliation. This is all
that sensible and fair-mindcd mon can
expect or demand, and thc record of
her educational work is open for the
Inspection Of the public.
Slandrrers, back-bitcrs and fools are
not all dead yeti