Huntsville gazette., 1884-02-16
The Condition of the Freedmen.
By EREDEaEcK DOUGLASS.

they would only need to visit the publlc
schools here in Washington, and witness
the qualifications of the colored teachers
and the aptitude of the colored pupils to
have their doubts and denials made ride
rlous. -Colored children, to the credit OF
the statesmen Of twenty years ago, have
commodious school houses, competent
teachers, and are pursuing the same course
Of study that white children pursue, ana
with almost equal snccess.
With respect to the moral progress OF the
lately enslaved class am sorry to speak
in somewhat lower tone. But the same
rule of judgment should be applied here as
elsewhere They are in this respect, IS
well as others. the legitimate results OF
their an.ecedents The sense of right and
the voice of conscience had little chance
of cultivation in the relation OF master and
slave. Conduct in that relation was guld-
ed by force and fear. Mutual interest and
common welfare were excluded from that
relation. It's cornerstone was composed
| of the: blood cemented fragments OF the
moral constitution of human nature. Each
psrty to it found himself impelled to do
that which was mot to the advantage OF the
other. They were mutual enemies on the
same territory, and in daily unfriendly con-
tact. In his notes on Virginia, Mr.. Jetfer
son says, 1.-The whole commerce between
master and slave is g perpetual exercise OF
the most boisterous passions, the most un-
limited despotism On the one part, and de-
grading submission on the other. In such
a state of society the moral sense was blunt
ed. aud the voice of conscience suppressed.
The attributes Of manly character such as
liberty now demands, had no chance OF de-
yelopment. The master forced what lie
could and all he could from the slave, and
the slave in turn stole all he could from the
master. his only restraint being the fear of
detection and punishment. He was bern
into society organized to defraud him OF
the results of his labor, and he naturally
enough thought it no robbery to obtain by
steal.h-the only way open to him-a part
Of what was forced from him under the
hard conditions Of the lash. / do not pre-
tend to deny that there was ever generous
slave holder or honest slave, for | know
the contraro, but aqually know that the
system made tyrants OF one class and
thieves of the )ther.
As to social relations, the system was
even more destructive and deadly. Its vic
TINS were herded together like horses,
sheep, and swine, without the restraints OF
moral instruction or decency. The master
WIS InuU6 InrtDvyr-prsrs~--yy
ton to his slaves. Marriage did not exist
the family was abolished. The young had
no reputation to gain. and the old had
none TO lose.
Let it be remembered in respect to the
morals of these people that streams are not
easily diverted from well-worn channels;
that the moral character form d u iar the
conditions thus feebly described is ot cas-
ily or speedily reformed Ther Is Tot
ionly much to learn. but much to uuletri !.
1t is sad to thii k Of the multitude who on
ly dropped out Of slavery to drop into
prisons and chain-ga for the crimes for
which they are punished seldom rise high
er than the stealing of pig or pair of
shoes; but it is consoling to think that the
fact is not due to liberty. but to slavery
and that the evil will dis,p pear as these
people recede from the system in which
they were born.
From what has been now said it must not
seem that | have conceded that there has
been no improvement in the manners and
morals Of the freedmen since emancipation.
l do not admit any such thing, for in nor
ais, as in mental power, according to my
knowledge, obtained from many sources of
information, there is visible and growing
Improvement both as to honesty and chas-
tity What was once done among these
people not only with impunity, but with
mirthful boasting, and without apparent
sense Of wrong or shame, does not now es
cape the rebuke and reprobation of large
and growing class of their own color.
There is everywhere among them dawn-
society into which freedom has brought
them, and they aie gradually adjusting
themselves to the requirements Of higher
civilization. Churches, preachers, teach
ers, Sunday y-schools night schools. day
schools, singing schools, and other schools,
societies for mutual aid, debating societies,
libraries, and literary clubs, lawyers, doc
tors, editors and newspapers. have sprung
up and have multiplied with wonderful
rapidity These come not from immortal
| ity. Sin is death to such effort. They
show an upward tendency which may well
invite patient ard benevolent effort in their
behalf, and justify Mr.. Slater in his mag
nifcent donation to the cause Of their ele-
walton.
1t is noticeable, too, that the old camp
meeting emotional religion is subsiding
among them, and that thought is taking the