Year: 1874

hands of the Rebels than myself, and


If can afford to do simple justice to
those who have been IN error, L do not
see why others should not do so who


have less cause than 1 for revengeful


feelings.


Instead of expressing, the Nation
should lift them up from the slough
I of despair and encourage them. 1t is
alike its duty and policy to do So
/ The iniquitous bill under cOnsidera-
I ton does not affect Davis, TOOmbs,
and the leaders of the South. 1t is,
/ in reality, a war upon the hundreds
/ of thousands of destitute widows and
/ orphans Of the South. With the ter
mination of the war, the Southern
1 people, as a class, were poor, but little
/ property of any description being left
I them. Since the war ended, in sever
/ al of the Southern States the ignorant
| colored officials and white adventur-
ers, particularly the latter, have


stolen everything that was portable,
everything that could be carried on
The public buildings of Charity, the
Orphan, Blind and Insane Asylums


are left, but the means for their sup


port are wanting. The buildings


would have been stolen but the
thieves could not put them IN bank


vault, or carry them in their Pock-


cts.


The land could not be carried


away, but has been rendered worthless


by taxation, which is SO high as to


amount to confiscation. 1t is with


the greatest difficulty that large class


IS Of people, once in affiuent eircum-


stancas. are enabled to provide the
'necessaries of life in the Southern
States. Nearly all the hope of the
rising generatior Is IN their Common
School System. Under this the col
ored people have equal educational
facilities with the whites, though they
don't pay one mill on the dollar of
the taxes which are collected for the J
support of the schools


The thousands of women in every
Southern State, who, though the /
widows of Rebels are III no wise re- ]
sponsible for the war are told 'fYour |
children shall not go to school unless |
you arc subjected to the humiliation /
of seeing them educated in classes
with the children of your former
slaves" The manhood Of the country |
ought to rise up against the petty /
persecution.


And the undoubted courage and /
generosity of President Grant, leads
me to believe that he will veto the
villainous measure if it is passed
The result of its passage win be that
the school system will be destroyed,
the war and race preiudices which
were being rapidly obliterated will be
revived, with unwonted fury, and
the present generation will not live to
see so favorable a condition of affairs
as exists at this time. A feeling of
loyalty which was growing
in the South viii die out and one of
hostility to the Government will take
its place. The mixed-school bill
might appropriately be terE,zt "a
Bill for the encouragement of not and
chaos in the Southern States and for
the humiliation of the widows and
the oppression of the orphans of the
South"


With my view of this question. 1
am glad to see that the Superinten-
dent of Public Instruction for Tell
nessee, has taken the initiatory step
for the abolition of the whole com
mon school system of the State, so
that if the bill should Pass the system
may be abolished without delay. In
.he fullest and most emphatic manner
possible wish to see Tennessee ex-
press the indignation and disgust of
her people at this palpable invasion
Of their rights in their purely domes-
sic relations.


If this abomination is submitted to
oy the people, it will only invite the
adoption of a 10th Amendment to the
depriving them Of other
tights, and after that some narrow
minded partisan and second class
awyer, who imagines himself states
nan, will propose a 18th Amendment
% the Constitution, provided the
people shall then have any rights to
Isurp. w. G.. BRowELoW.


Knoxville, June LIST, 1874.