Year: 1866

to the Supreme Court of the United States





Education of the Negroes.


A great many of our people find
amusement and joke in the efforts OF
the Northern missionary teachers and
preachers, male and female, to educate
the negroes of the South but they
should be considering the subject much
more seriously. These negroes must and
viii be taught and it ought to be seri-
Gus question with every patriotic South
ern man, what kind of education they
shall receive. What they are now receiv-
ing, so far as our information extends, is
but poorly adapted to make them con-
tented, peaceable and law abiding mem
bers of society. Unless the books, pa
pers and pamphlets printed for their
benefit, with which the Northern press
groans, are very much misrepresented
to US by those whe have read them,
1--WE have seen but one, they sedulously
ineulcate not alone distrust of, but a
contempt for the white population of
the South. Some of them, it is repre-
sented to us, are filled with vile asper-
sions on the Southern race, who are re-
presented to be Goddess, lazy, dissolute
and vicious people, surely destined to
end their days in rags and beggaTy as
the menials of the blacks--a people
deserving no other sentiment than pity
for their ignorance and helplessness.


We shall be glad to be informed that
the spirit of the oral instructions which
the negroes receive in much better, but
we fear it is not The same minds
which control the psmphleteering agen-
cy, no doubt, direct the course and
temper of the public instruction in the
schools. The whole emanates from
New Englaiid-is conceived in preiua
dice and long standing snimosity
against the South and carried out in
practical ignorance of the situation and
a reckless disregard of everything be.
yond the visionary theories which pos
sess that section.


TO show that this missionary work
has its active and important political
bearings, a friend has handed US a copy
of the Right Way" a paper published
in Boston, and which boasts of circu-
lating 5000 copies gratuitously This
paper, in its leading editorial, (March
Sd, boldly advises the negroes in South
Carolina and Mississippi to make a
coup detat-take the government of
those States out of the hands of the
whites, and, as a majority, organize a
government of their own. The follow
ing paragraph from this article contains
the gist of the accommodation:


"There is one aspect of affairs which
demands the most serious thought.
The governments of these States are
not recognized by the United States,
except in Texas, which has still pro-
visional government by military au-
thority. They are governments formed
by portion of the people without any
valid authorization. In two of the
States, they are governments of a
minority of the citizens, by which,
,Dithom a particle Of right from any source,
this minority attempts TO hold in sub,
lection the majority. If this delay
above spoken of is protracted, will this
majority, conscious of their RIGHT and
MIGHT, continue to submit patiently to
oppression2 VIII they not, as they
have a right, and ought to do, assemble
in primary meeting, choose delegates
TO Convention, and form a republican
government of the majority If the
minority attempt to prevent this by
force, will not the majority resist
Ought they not to resist2 In the con-
test that ensues, both parties may apply
to the United States TO fulfill the qua
ranty against domestic violence In
behalf of which party must the qua
ranty be exercised? As both govern
ments stand alike in respect TO national
authorization, must not the United
States recognize and support the gov.
ernment of the majority Of the citizens
rather than that of the miHOrihf"


Here is deliberate attempt to incite
insurrection and civil war-a war OF
races in which the instigAtor thinks the
blacks can insure safety and victory in
the two States alluded to, by reason of
their supposed numerical superiority.


Now what but most unalloyed mis-
chief can come Of such teaching as this
20 an ignorant and credUlOus people
impressed with the idea that these are
counsels of very sincere, disinterested
and very wise iriends-learned, wealthy
and almost omnipotent The good
hand Of God alone can prevent the
negroes from becoming insolent and
oyerbearing under such inculcations 10
A degree fatally inconsistent with pub
lie order, and even unto serious 1T.
tempts 10 oyerturn its very founda-
uons.


But il will be said there is no remedy
The Southern people can neither pro
| tect themselves nor the blacks from
such evil counsels, so long as a domi
napt North insists upon volunteering
them They must drive out to their le-
climate conclusions, and wisdom be
1 learned alone by disastrous experience
/ We do not pretend 10 say that the
South Is able at present or will per.
hans be. at any future time, 10 arrest
such seditious teachings; but what We
nav do is this: we may and should
take a hand in this business of instruct
/ ing NEGROES, and at least diminish the
! DANCER As the msiority-the CONTROL
! iug race, upon whom the negroes must
depend for employment and subsist-
ence, no mere outside adventures
should be able long 10 wrest from the
/ southern whites a controlling influence
with the black race.


We should, therefore, in the spirit o
A wise and timely forecast bestr our
selves 10 estsblish schools for them
I take an active interest in their weltari
prove ourselves still their best friend:
and provide them with salutsry and
/ iudicious instruction. The ohurohei
should take leading part in this bust


ness In the name of common sense


what is the use in sending hundreds o


thousands 70 heathen countries, when


field so imperativsly demanding im


mediate attention as this Is open beier'


them. We believe the Southerl


churches are making sad mistake u


30 quietly giving way 10 enissAFisa Q