Part 2

There is an astounding ignorance in the North regarding the conditions and relations of the blacks and whites of the South. The North in full control of the National Government for many years, has had before it a vast and complicated problem in statesmanship. Instead of working at it intelligently, it has lost itself in a fog of political prejudice, and is not ready at this late day to take an honest look into the matter.

For the last fifteen years what have we known of the South, especially of the blacks? What steps have we taken to ascertain the actual truth regarding four millions of negroes whom we suddenly railroaded into our political system? When the General Government wished to obtain facts concerning the geological, botanical and mineral character of the Western territory, it sent out experts skilled in examining, testing, classifying and surveying. These men were kept in the field for years, and their reports fill a score of volumes, and now we know something about the plains and the mountains. For the intricate social questions of the South, that vast tract of unknown land, that section of the Dark Continent in America, we have neither expert or surveyor, or intelligent process of examination, though the demands for accuracy in social science are as imperative as in physical. Visiting statesmen have been there. But was a visiting statesman ever known to report a fact which hurt his party?

Northern men who are in the South for the purpose of getting office will not tell the truth, because it may bear against them. Southern men, as a rule, do not report the real facts, because they are prejudiced. Northern men who have become prosperous in business at the South, long since discovered that silence was golden, and their lips are sealed to the public. The testimony of the blacks is the most unreliable of all for reasons which will be given hereafter. The poor Northern men who have failed to make a fortune in the South have a grievance, and cannot be trusted. It is upon the newspaper correspondent that the North has relied mainly for information. But he is always under limitations. One of them (whom you all know by reputation) said to me—“We correspondents are not sent here to find out the actual truth, but to support the theories of the papers which send us. It won’t do for me to say in my letters that the nigger is to blame, when the editorial columns of my paper say the white men are in the wrong.” The newspaper makes its theory first, or it inherits a theory, and then sends out for facts to fit it. Does not every one know beforehand how every daily paper in this city will treat any given political event? The best sources of information regarding the blacks are his educators. These men, all of them from the North, know something about the negro. Though little enough as yet, Congress has never asked these teachers to tell what they know about him. Facts regarding the lives or the motives of men are not obvious. The newspaper correspondent cannot reach them in an hour, or even in a year. I have been personally familiar with a number of events in the South. I have never known one of these to be correctly reported. Has any lawyer of this city ever known one of his cases to be reported accurately in the daily press? Truth seems to be in a deep well everywhere. The _Herald_ says Edison’s light is a great success. The _Nation_ is doubtful about it. An electrician of rare skill tells me it is a humbug. If we cannot get at the truth about matters near at home, what shall be expected regarding matters in a distant section of the country?

The Republican believes what his newspaper tells him about the South, and the Democrat does not believe it. They never unite for investigation. The historian will say hereafter that the real outrage was in our criminal neglect to ascertain the truth. It is easy to see that it is supremely difficult to get at the facts about two races jostling together, like huge vessels thumping and pounding against each other in a rolling sea.

Last year the negro paper in Charleston, South Carolina, advocated the election of a Democratic mayor. The Republican papers had no use for that fact. It did not indicate the existence of outrages. It was rather in the line of what Tyndall calls the tragedy of science—a beautiful theory killed by an incontrovertible fact. For two years the Democratic party of Georgia has been so broken up that as many as six or seven independent Democratic tickets in local issues have been in the field in many counties, and the white candidate, who has captured a negro vote, sees to it with rifle and revolver that no other white opponent interferes with that black vote.

Facts like these occur by the hundred in Southern politics, but the Republican press ignore them. The Northern men who are educating the negro regard Captain Thompson, superintendent of public schools in South Carolina, as one of the most efficient men of the South in extending negro education; but the _Tribune_ calls him a bloody-shirt orator. The negro teacher is at present his best friend, and his evidence about the whites should be credible if not conclusive.

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AN ILLUSTRATED PRESS.

We have received two communications lately in regard to the importance of the Press in the education of the colored people—one from an esteemed friend in the West, urging that other institutions should follow the example of Hampton and Talladega in publishing papers. We are not sure that this is altogether desirable. There must be many favoring conditions to make it a success; otherwise there is a certainty of pecuniary loss and wasted effort. The other letter is from an English missionary in the West Indies, who thus states the case as to the value of periodical literature to supplement the influences of the church and the school:

“There remains, as a means of elevating and advancing the colored people, the Press. The periodical Press has been of untold service in promoting the civilization of the English and American white laborers. It has come into their homes, arousing them, week by week, with fresh power and stimulus. It has filled their homes with pictures of beauty, which delighted themselves and their children, and taught them, indirectly, (and therefore most effectually,) lessons of thrift, neatness and refinement. Every picture of a clean, neatly-dressed child, of a well-kept home, of a happy fireside group, etc., etc., carried its lesson and left its impress, suggesting imitation, and stimulating efforts for improvement.

“Now, what periodicals are there in the whole wide world that will thus encourage, stimulate and arouse the colored people? Not one. I have not met with any English or American publication at all suited to their needs. It is a common remark of the people here, when asked to adopt some reform: ‘That will do for _white_ people; but it is not for we.’ And if the _British Workman_, or any similar paper, is placed in their hands, it but intensifies this feeling. The contrast between themselves and white people is constantly before them. Week after week they will see pictures of pleasant homes and scenes in home life, and in every case these are connected with the home of the _white_ man. If, by chance, some colored face is shown, it is as a curiosity, like a Modoc Indian, a Chinaman or a Zulu.

“What is urgently needed is something that will meet the needs of colored laborers, in periodical literature, as the needs of the white laboring classes are now met. I think that there should without delay be established in America some new periodical—or some periodical now established should be so modified in the manner of conducting it—that, pursuing the broad lines of humanity, would secure two things:

“1.—In the illustrations, the manhood of the colored man would receive recognition, and _his_ home, _his_ children, incidents of _his_ life, would appear from time to time, in such way as to convey to all colored people a feeling of emulation, a hope and inspiration, stimulating them to achieve better things for themselves.

“2.—In the letter-press, care would be taken to avoid those figures of speech which carry with them an implied degradation of the colored people. To illustrate, what is ‘foul’ would not be made synonymous with what is ‘black.’”

There is certainly sound reason in the above suggestions, and it would seem that good results might follow the proposed plan. Just how it is to be done is the question. The paying constituency of such a paper would probably be too small to make it a matter of mere business enterprise. Perhaps to some one the good to be accomplished may seem large enough and direct enough to warrant the needed outlay of thought, time and capital.

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ITEMS FROM THE FIELD.

RALEIGH, N. C.—Great religious interest is reported throughout the city. Our little church is sharing in the great blessing—church members are being revived and others are inquiring the way of life.

WOODBRIDGE, N. C.—During the last two weeks we have had a remarkable outpouring of the Spirit. On two afternoons we have had to suspend the school exercises on account of those weeping over their sins. Some little ones will not leave the house till they feel forgiven. Almost all are from the Band of Hope. The older ones look on in surprise at such a work among the children. Some have tried to stop their children from praying, but they could come to school and pray, or go out in the woods till they were converted, and then they couldn’t help it. We have a daily prayer-meeting in the school-house, in which all take part. Sometimes we have open meetings for the children. We have nightly revival meetings, in which the children are taking hold as far as it seems advisable.

_Later._—One Saturday, four came to tell us of sins forgiven. Since then, for three weeks, almost every day has brought one or more, till about thirty have believed, and several others are anxious. Most of these are children; a few are pretty small. To-day some of them have been praying, all their spare time, that they may be able to hold out to the end.

It is a time of struggle here. People are so poor as to hardly have enough to eat of the poorest fare, and clothing is pretty scarce. No capital in the place. They spin and weave their own garments, even to the thread.

MACON, GA.—Bro. B. arrived on the 23d of February, and we began our special meetings the next night. We had several extra prayer meetings the previous week, when much earnest prayer was offered for God’s blessing to come upon us. All things seemed to be in readiness, the brethren of the church are already quickened, and the meetings have been very encouraging from the start. The members have taken hold with commendable zeal, and seem to be thoroughly united. The meeting last night (March 3d) was almost a Pentecostal season. There are fifteen or twenty inquirers, of the most hopeful class of young men and women, and some intelligent middle-aged men. The work is quiet and deep, without noise or nonsense, and seems to be spreading every day.

SELMA, ALA.—When I last wrote, I think we were anticipating the week of prayer with hope of some awakening. We observed the days with very good attendance and very good results in quickening members, still the expected ingathering of souls has not been realized. Otherwise we think the church is in quite a flourishing condition. Since the week of prayer, we have sustained three or four cottage meetings every week, with good results, and with the Literary Society, sociables, ladies’ weekly and monthly meetings, and regular prayer meetings and teachers’ meetings, we have managed to keep quite busy.

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GENERAL NOTES.

The Indians.

—The House Committee on Indian Affairs has agreed to a bill which proposes to place all that part of the Indian Territory not set apart to, and occupied by, the Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, and Seminole Indians, under the jurisdiction of the United States District Court for the District of Kansas, held at Fort Scott, in respect to the crimes of murder, manslaughter, arson, rape, burglary and robbery. The exemptions, above stated, are placed by the bill under United States District Court for Arkansas. The bill further extends the provisions of the laws of the respective States wherein are located Indian reservations to the reservations themselves.

—A bill is now pending before the Indian Committee of the House, upon which Governor Pound, a member of the committee and an enthusiastic student of the Indian question, has made a favorable report, providing for a number of Indian schools similar to that at Carlisle; and it was in this connection that a visit of inspection was recently made by Secretary Schurz, several members of the House Committee on Indian Affairs, and two members of the Board of Indian Commissioners. Besides the general advantages to result directly from education of Indian youths, it is represented in support of the measure that the presence of a number of children from each tribe at schools in the East will be a most efficient guarantee of good behavior on the part of the tribes.

It would seem, judging from the meagre opportunities for inspection offered by a single visit to Carlisle, that the movement promises to be an effectual aid, if not ultimately one of the chief instruments, in settling the vexed Indian problem. If, however, only a part of that which is expected is actually realized, still it will have been a very profitable venture, both for the Indians and for the Government.—_N. Y. Tribune._

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Africa.

Extract from a letter received by the London Missionary Society:

—“Food continues cheap and plentiful; the market is a great blessing—it fluctuates frequently, but the cause can generally be seen; a recent rise in prices was caused by the sudden arrival of several caravans of ivory from Manyuema. We are doing a little better with the garden just now. One of our new men formerly worked in an Arab’s garden, and under his advice and care we have onions now coming up, and some of the seeds from Cape Colony are showing signs of life. We have a good plot of sweet potatoes. The vegetable called nyumbo—mentioned by Livingstone as being very wholesome—is now procurable in the market; we find them very good and much like potatoes; in shape and size they are like good-sized long radishes with blunt tails; in colour and texture like English potatoes, but stringy outside. Good beef is not procurable. Fish, fowls, and goat’s flesh are plentiful; also eggs and butter.

“Having a good supply of sugar we have tried preserving, and succeeded very well with lemon marmalade and jam of bananas and guavas. Mr. Hutley has acquired the art of bread-making, and we occasionally have an excellent loaf. We both find the maize meal wholesome; it is capable of being made into a variety of puddings. If I were asked of what I am in want in the shape of food, I would say, first, cabbages; second, rhubarb: and lo, only to-day, Mr. Hutley tells me that some Savoy cabbage seeds are showing signs of life! So we may yet, with care, obtain several of the English vegetables, which beat anything in this country, with all its luxuriance.

“Wheat planting begins in a few days, at which we shall also have a try. I think it probable we shall be able to procure ‘whole-wheat meal’ from Unyanyembe in the season at a reasonable price. Men who know the roads in the forest go to Unyanyembe in eight days; this seems to us very near.”

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THE FREEDMEN.

REV. JOS. E. ROY, D. D.,

FIELD SUPERINTENDENT, ATLANTA, GA.

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VIRGINIA.

A large Ingathering.

MISS M. A. ANDRUS, CARRSVILLE.

Reading in the “Missionary” of the work done in the South, it came into my mind to tell you of a work of grace here. Nearly all of our Sabbath-school are converted. From sixty to seventy have been baptized and received into this church, and since the 1st of September the pastor has baptized 150. I have never before labored in a Sabbath-school where I have felt so manifestly the Spirit accompanying the word. It seemed to sink deep into the hearts and take root there, and a harvest of souls is the result. The pastor thinks the converts were more intelligent than usual, and he imputed it to the instruction they had received in the Sabbath-school. My method of instruction is, to expound the Scriptures verse by verse, as read by each scholar, making special application to each one individually, and so each one feels as if he had a portion.

Sabbath before last, I had the blest privilege of seeing forty-three of the converts all seated together in the front seats, and it was to me an affecting sight. All ages were represented there from the little child to the man of grey hairs.

I spoke to them of the joy it gave me to see them occupying such a position, and of the joy to the angels of God over them, for if there is joy in heaven among the angels over one sinner that repenteth, how much more joy over such a number as I saw before me.

I read to them, “A charge to those who have just joined the Church,” sent to me a few days before by Samuel B. Schieffelin of New York, which seemed providentially to have come at that time. They all listened with profound attention and seemed much interested, and I trust a good and lasting impression was made upon them.

After the reading, I presented each one with a copy of the _Charge_, as it was in little book form, with which they seemed to be much gratified.

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NORTH CAROLINA.

Facts About the Taught and the Teachers.

MRS. ALFRED CONNET, McLEANSVILLE.

We have been here seventeen months. During this time I have refrained from expressing myself in regard to the negroes and our work among them. Every day we are more and more convinced of their deep degradation; in fact, it is entirely beyond anything we had imagined.

They seem to be guilty of the whole category of sins, but, perhaps, their untruthfulness is most prominent. We cannot have a self-reporting system in school, but there are some noble exceptions to the general rule.

The most pitiable objects are those women who have families, but never had husbands. One such woman last fall told me that she was going to gather “shoemake” (shumac) leaves that week, and get her a pair of shoes. Saturday afternoon, she stopped on her way home from the store. “Well, Aunty, did you get your shoes?” “No; Mr. F. showed me so much purty caliker that I bought me a dress.” She already had about a dozen calico dresses. “But what will you do for shoes?” “I don’t know; but I prays to the good Lord to keep me from getting sick when I get my feet wet.” I guess He heard her, for she is well. In contrast with this, the woman who washes for us saves up her wages and buys just what she and her child really need.

The women have not made as much advancement as the men; but there is good reason for this. They have gone to the field as regularly as the men, and have had their cooking and housework to do; and, in addition to this, they have borne a child every year or two. When they come to church they have these small children to care for. They were pleased when they learned that the “new minister” was glad to see them and their babies. It is hard to hold their attention, they are so tired, and have so much to think about what they shall eat and wear. We wish we could do them more good; but we must turn our energies principally to the young.

Sin and temptation beset the young girls on every side, and, alas! too many of them yield. One asked me in regard to that terrible, nameless crime. I told her that the life of the child was just as sacred before birth as after birth. She said that the crime was quite common here. Mr. C. has since preached against it.

Faith in God is very strong in some of them. One dear Aunty, who has a very large family, and much to do, said: “When I feels so tired, I just ask the Lord to give me strength to finish this washing, or whatever I am doing, and he does it.” Her husband is our Sunday-school Superintendent, and their children are the best educated of any in the neighborhood. This family belongs to three races—white, black and red—the latter predominating.

Some of the people seemed to get the idea that we were so anxious for their children to attend school that they could dictate to us, and they encouraged their children to rebel against necessary government. One girl who ran away from school wrote a note acknowledging her wrong and asking forgiveness; of course she was gladly received back. Seven young men and two girls are doing their own cooking so that they can remain longer. Five others are paying board.

We have some very dull scholars. We have some bright ones. One young man, fourteen months ago, did not know his letters. Now he reads in National Third Reader and United States history, has commenced grammar and geography, and is in fractions in arithmetic. One pupil, who is a minister, is over thirty years of age. Three other scholars are twenty-nine. Nearly all the larger ones are teachers, or are preparing to teach. I think they will do much good for their people.

I may be mistaken, but it seems to me that the negro does not investigate or reason much, but acts according to his feelings. Even the babies do not tear up their playthings to see what is inside of them.

They are full of signs and superstitious notions. Our little girl, Addie, showed a very small hen’s egg to some little girls. One of them said: “My mother never allows us to take one into the house, it is bad luck; but it is good luck to throw it over the house, and we always do that.”

Mr. C. and I both teach six hours per day. Sometimes after school we take the carriage and go to see some sick person. Last week we went three miles to see one poor sick woman, who has lost the use of one eye and is nearly blind in the other. She is a great sufferer, but said, “My many afflictions and tribulations bring me near the Lord, and I am so proud to see you all.” Last Saturday we went four miles to see an old man who is probably on his death-bed. He was sixty-three years a slave, is a Christian, has united with the church since we came, and said that if he never met us here on earth again, he hoped to in heaven. We sent him some food suitable for him.

We see so much destitution that we can’t help giving until we feel it. We do almost entirely without butter, and frequently without sugar. We live very plainly, but contentedly. One man told in church how much good it did him, when Mr. C. visited him last summer, and assured him that his child was not past recovery. It was a long ride of fourteen miles on horseback under a burning Southern sun; but it greatly encouraged these humble Christians. They are so ignorant that when they get sick, they think somebody has poisoned them. They do not seem to have any confidence in each other. One young woman, who spent five years with Miss Douglass, assured me that she would not take medicine from a colored doctor, if he was ever so well educated—“Because I am afraid he might be mad at me and poison me.” It seems discouraging when years of good training fail to eradicate such silly notions.

We are in a Ku Klux neighborhood, twenty white families within a mile of us; but only three of these have ever made us a social call.

Our children have no associates. I am glad that there are six of them and not just one or two.