Year: 1873

have shown great tmiftiness and aptitude IN
acquiring knowledge of the useful arts anu
in all branches of education. 1t Is the coh-
current testimony of all who have vlsited tne
Old Dominion with view to examine inVo
the condition of the colored people, tllat tney
manifest doftness and skill in the various
mechanical crafts which are at once hopeiui
aud surprising.


Yet, against all this there is an acknoWieugeu
hostility between the two races which Is V'u


barrassing in many instances, ana Is latii W
the highest success in any case fo'itio"i
troubles have made this more apparent III
Louisiana than elsewhere. But our reporH
show that, even there, the same causes "l'io"
have embittered the races against each otlier
have q tendency to bring to pass coIciii@


ton. Common safety demands that "il'e anu
black men shall work together to secure non,
est and stable government. Wheh Vhe ooioi1'
men eyince an enlightenment OF understand


ing and honesty OF purpose sufficient 70 on"Uio
them to stand shoulder to shoulder WIN tle
white men in the conduct of affairs, we are
encouraged TO hope that they will be touhd III
that position. This can only come Vhiousn


thorough teachings Conspicuous among tno
institutions established for the education Oh tho
colored people of the South is the Normal Scnooi
at Hampton, Virginia, the Commencement eA-


ercises of which were held last week. Here


are more than two hundred men and women,


delivered from bondage at great sacrifice ana


brought up to the obligations of human beings
learning TO earn their own living and to take
their places in well-Organized society," lhey
are taught sewing, cooking, printing, agncui-


ture. and the mechanic arts, and all the higher


branches of an academic education for which


they manifest aptitude. These people, pathetic
in their patient efforts to secure means to
make their own way in the world, are really
solving the Southern problem Doclle, tracta-
bic, and easily influenced by superior intelli-
gcnce. they may become the ready tools OF
bad men, both in and out Of politics. Edu-
Gated and shown how to consider for
themselves the questions which weigh
upon every intelligent citizen, they Will


become useful and wholesome elements


of the national life. That the people


of the South recognize this Is shown by the
treatment which institutions like tnat at
Hampton receive. Virginia has given the
HAMPTON School One-third of the College Land
scrip of the State; and at the exercises last


week were not few ex-robel officers who
warmly befriended the enterprise and testified


to its great value in determining the prosper


Gus future of the South. We must not expect


too much of a race which has just emerged
from chattehood; even that which has already
been accomplished is wonderful; and if our
own race, enlightened and refined by genera
tions of culture and learning, is nearly
as PATIENT with the negro reaching out
to the light as he is with his own difficulties,


we shall do we'll The work of enlightenment
was nobly begun. We need not, it seems,
contemplate apprehcnsivcly a war Of races


nor vast reinforcement of ignorance to the
voting strength of the Republic. The colored


people are hungry to learn, not only how to


work, but how to think for themselves. They


will soon have a considerable army Of skilled


men and women labOrers among them from


their own race. The educational institutions


of the South and Southwest arc doing great
things in their way and their patriotic found


ers and helpers shall receive great reward In
their abundant success. For in this broad
! enlightenment of the cOlOred people we dis


cern the hope of the South; nay more, it is


the hope OF the Republic.