Year: 1868

We receive many letters asking our opinion
upon the proprety of aiding with Northern
money those Southern colleges which, like
Washington College, Va, are under the charge
of prominent leaders of the Rebellion. 1t is
objected that the officers Of these institutions
will labor to inculcate those political ideas
which justify the Rebellion and condemn the
course of loyal men in maintaining the Union.
1t is inferred that we are bound not to aid
with Northern money the work of prOpagatin
tho principles against which we have
40 long labored and so hardly fought.
We freely concede that, as between two
Southern institutions seeking relief, we should
strongly prefer that which would blend sound
political instruction with the sciences, the
classics, and the mathematics. We concede,
also, that the people of the Northern States
have acted wisely in directing their first atten-
ton to the educational wants of the freedmen,
whose claims were least equivocal and most
urgent. Finally, we fully recognize the fact
that any bounty we may disburse to Southern
colleges, with a view of conciliating the polltl-
cal friendship of the present generation
of actors in Southern history, is capital
thrown away. They will accept our
greenbacks but not our friendship.
Nevertheless, there are strong reasons
for aiding Southern colleges, Notwithstanding
their officers may have been prominently en-
gagged in the Rebellion. Many OF those officers
surrendered with their arms all desire to renew
or keep alive the principles or questions on
which they have been defeated. Gen. Lee
doubtless believed that Slavery was right, but
he cannot but teach that it can never be
restored He believed Virginia had the right
to secede but it is safe to assume that he will
teach that Virginia was Overwhelmingly de-
feated in the attempt to assert that right, and
that henceforth practically, Virginia is
member of consolidated government in which
State will not be allowed to secede
In teaching the history of the Southern war
he may teach that the Rebel arms trlumphed
in some battles in which we claimed to be VIC
torous, or that the Rebel officers displayed
noble personal qualities of heroism and endur-
ance but such teaching will also be found In
many of our own histories and schools. 1t Will
do no harm. The great substantial facts OF
the war cannot be blotted out-that Slavery
and Secession went down, and Freedom and
Union survived.


Let us trust in the self corrective power OF
Education, by however perverted channels 1t
may be dIffused. The human mind prefers
light to darkness, and truth to error, by an in
stinct which not all the present generation of
Southern leaders can control. 1t is impossible
to educate a race wrongly if you educate them
enough, OF TO hold generation in darkness on
any one point if they are furnished with light
on all Others. By the time the present gene
ration of Southern youth shall enter upon pub
lie life, the equality of all races at the South
will have been for years an accepted fact, and
political promotion will depend as surely on
the recognition of this equality as it for
merly depended on adhesion to Slavery.
The interest of the politician will
blot out the lessons in aristocracy he
may have learned at Washington College, and
the incipient Cicero who now wins his tutors
applause by clothing in immature rhetoric the
sentiments of Lee, or Forrest, or Yancey, will
soon learn that those opinions belong to the
past and will win his maturer hOnOrs by
consulting the rights and wishes of voters a
large portion of whom are colOred, and by
demonstrating the identity of interest between
the races in a manner that Thaddeus Stevens
would admire. Even should the pupils of to-
day retain their political views upon these
questions, they will have passed into history,
and wholly new ones will engage the attention
of the people.


Let us therefore cast our bread upon the
waters, and freely aid in every way within our
power in educating the South. We may safely
rest assured that neither we who remotely
give nor they who Immediately .disburse or
enjoy our bounty can long control the political
opinions of the youth who may be benefited
thereby Long after these differences of political
opinion shall have passed away, the imperish-
able blessings which flow from wider diffusion
of education will remain to bear witness of
the enlightened wisdom of the giver, and we
may hope will be acknowledged by the intelli-
gent gratitude of many of the receivers.