Washington, D. C. Many millions of dollars passed through his hands, but
not a cent was ever missing, through fraud or carelessness. In his daily
life he set an example of purity and benevolence. He adopted four orphan
children into his family, and treated them with the kindness of a
father. His character inspired general respect; and when he died, in
1842, the newspapers of the city made honorable mention of him. The
directors of the bank passed a resolution expressive of their high
appreciation of his services, and his coffin was followed to the grave
by a very large procession of citizens of all classes and complexions.
Not long after, when the Honorable John Quincy Adams was speaking in
Congress on the subject of voting, he said: "The late William Costin,
though he was not white, was as much respected as any man in the
District; and the large concourse of citizens that attended his remains
to the grave--as well white as black--was an evidence of the manner in
which he was estimated by the citizens of Washington. Now, why should
such a man as that be excluded from the elective franchise, when you
admit the vilest individuals of the white race to exercise it?"
* * * * *
Strain every nerve, wrestle with every power God and nature have put
into your hands, for your place among the races of this Western
world.--WENDELL PHILLIPS.
EDUCATION OF CHILDREN.
BY L. MARIA CHILD.
People of all colors and conditions love their offspring; but very few
consider sufficiently how much the future character and happiness of
their children depend on their own daily language and habits. It does
very little good to teach children to be honest if the person who
teaches them is not scrupulous about taking other people's property or
using it without leave. It does very little good to tell them they ought
to be modest, if they are accustomed to hear their elders use unclean
words or tell indecent stories. Primers and catechisms may teach them to
reverence God, but the lesson will lose half its effect if they
habitually hear their parents curse and swear. Some two hundred years
ago a very learned astronomer named Sir Isaac Newton lived in England.
He was so devout that he always took off his hat when the name of God
was mentioned. By that act of reverence he taught a religious lesson to
every child who witnessed it. Young souls are fed by what they see and
hear, just as their bodies are fed with daily food. No parents who knew
what they were doing would give their little ones poisonous food, that
would produce fevers, ulcers, and death. It is of far more consequence
not to poison their souls; for the body passes away, but the soul is
immortal.
When a traveller pointed to a stunted and crooked tree and asked what
made it grow so, a child replied, "I suppose somebody trod on it when
it was little." It is hard for children born in Slavery to grow up
spiritually straight and healthy, because they are trodden on when they
are little. Being constantly treated unjustly, they cannot learn to be
just. Their parents have no power to protect them from evil influences.
They cannot prevent their continually seeing cruel and indecent actions,
and hearing profane and dirty words. Heretofore, you could not educate
your children, either morally or intellectually. But now that you are
freemen, responsibility rests upon you. You will be answerable before
God for the influence you exert over the young souls intrusted to your
care. You may be too ignorant to teach them much of book-learning, and
you may be too poor to spend much money for their education, but you can
set them a pure and good example by your conduct and conversation. This
you should try your utmost to do, and should pray to the Heavenly Father
to help you; for it is a very solemn duty, this rearing of young souls
for eternity. That you yourselves have had a stunted growth, from being
trodden upon when you were little, will doubtless make you more careful
not to tread upon them.
It is necessary that children should be made obedient to their elders,
because they are not old enough to know what is good for themselves; but
obedience should always be obtained by the gentlest means possible.
Violence excites anger and hatred, without doing any good to
counterbalance the evil. When it is necessary to punish a child, it
should be done in such a calm and reasonable manner as to convince him
that you do it for his good, and not because you are in a rage.
Slaves, all the world over, are generally much addicted to lying. The
reason is, that if they have done any mischief by carelessness or
accident, they dare not tell the truth about it for fear of a cruel
flogging. Violent and tyrannical treatment always produces that effect.
Wherever children are abused, whether they are white or black, they
become very cunning and deceitful; for when the weak are tortured by the
strong, they have no other way to save themselves from suffering. Such
treatment does not cure faults; it only makes people lie to conceal
their faults. If a child does anything wrong, and confesses it frankly,
his punishment ought to be slight, in order to encourage him in habits
of truthfulness, which is one of the noblest attributes of manhood. If
he commits the same fault a second time, even if he confesses it, he
ought not to be let off so easily, because it is necessary to teach him
that confession, though a very good thing, will not supply the place of
repentance. When children are naughty, it is better to deprive them of
some pleasant thing that they want to eat or drink or do, than it is to
kick and cuff them. It is better to attract them toward what is right
than to drive them from what is wrong. Thus if a boy is lazy, it is
wiser to promise him reward in proportion to his industry, than it is to
cuff and scold him, which will only make him shirk work as soon as you
are out of sight. Whereas, if you tell him, "You shall have six cents if
you dig one bushel of potatoes, and six cents more if you dig two," he
will have a motive that will stimulate him when you are not looking
after him. If he is too lazy to be stimulated by such offers, he must be
told that he who digs no potatoes must have none to eat.
The moral education which you are all the time giving your children, by
what they hear you say and see you do, is of more consequence to them
than reading and writing and ciphering. But the education they get at
school is also very important; and it will be wise and kind in you to
buy such books as they need, and encourage them in every way to become
good scholars, as well as good men. By so doing you will not only
benefit them, but you will help all your race. Every colored man or
woman who is virtuous and intelligent takes away something of prejudice
against colored men and women in general; and it likewise encourages all
their brethren and sisters, by showing what colored people are capable
of doing.
The system of Slavery was all penalty and no attraction; in other words,
it punished men if they did _not_ do, but it did not reward them for
_doing_. In the management of your children you should do exactly the
opposite of this. You should appeal to their manhood, not to their
fears. After emancipation in the West Indies, planters who had been
violent slaveholders, if they saw a freedman leaning on his hoe, would
say, "Work, you black rascal, or I'll flog you"; and the freedman would
lean all the longer on his hoe. Planters of a more wise and moderate
character, if they saw the emancipated laborers idling away their time,
would say, "We expect better things of free men"; and that appeal to
their manhood made the hoes fly fast.
Old men and women have been treated with neglect and contempt in
Slavery, because they were no longer able to work for the profit of
their masters. But respect and tenderness are peculiarly due to the
aged. They have done much and suffered much. They are no longer able to
help themselves; and we should help them, as they helped us in the
feebleness of our infancy, and as we may again need to be helped in the
feebleness of age. Any want of kindness or civility toward the old
ought to be very seriously rebuked in children; and affectionate
attentions should be spoken of as praiseworthy.
Slavery in every way fosters violence. Slave-children, being in the
habit of seeing a great deal of beating, early form the habit of kicking
and banging each other when they are angry, and of abusing poor helpless
animals intrusted to their care. On all such occasions parents should
say to them: "Those are the ways of Slavery. We expect better things of
free children."
* * * * *
AN HONORABLE RECORD.
In 1837 the colored population in Philadelphia numbered eighteen
thousand seven hundred and sixty-eight. Many of them were poor and
ignorant, and some of them were vicious; as would be the case with any
people under such discouraging influences. But, notwithstanding they
were excluded by prejudice from all the most profitable branches of
industry, they had acquired property valued at one million three hundred
and fifty thousand dollars; five hundred and fifty thousand was in real
estate, and eight hundred thousand was personal property. They had built
sixteen churches, valued at one hundred and fourteen thousand dollars,
for the support of which they annually paid over six thousand dollars.
The pauper tax they paid was more than enough to support all the colored
paupers in the city. They had eighty benevolent societies, and during
that year they had expended fourteen thousand one hundred and
seventy-two dollars for the relief of the sick and the helpless. A
number of them who had been slaves had paid, in the course of that year,
seventy thousand seven hundred and thirty-three dollars to purchase
their own freedom, or that of their relatives.
THANK GOD FOR LITTLE CHILDREN.
BY FRANCES E. W. HARPER.
Thank God for little children!
Bright flowers by earth's wayside,--
The dancing, joyous life-boats
Upon life's stormy tide.
Thank God for little children!
When our skies are cold and gray,
They come as sunshine to our hearts,
And charm our cares away.
I almost think the angels,
Who tend life's garden fair,
Drop down the sweet wild blossoms
That bloom around us here.
It seems a breath of heaven
"Round many a cradle lies,"
And every little baby
Brings a message from the skies.
The humblest home, with children,
Is rich in precious gems;
Better than wealth of monarchs,
Or golden diadems.
Dear mothers, guard these jewels
As sacred offerings meet,--
A wealth of household treasures,
To lay at Jesus' feet.
SAM AND ANDY.
BY HARRIET BEECHER STOWE.
A beautiful slave in Kentucky, named Eliza, had a very handsome little
boy. One day she overheard her master making a bargain with a
slave-trader by the name of Haley to sell them both. She made her escape
that night, taking her child with her. Her mistress, who was much
attached to her, and did not want to have her sold, was glad when she
heard that Eliza was gone; but her master, who was afraid the trader
would think he had helped her off after he had taken the money for her,
ordered the horses Bill and Jerry to be brought, and two of his slaves,
called Sam and Andy, to go with the slave-trader in pursuit of the
fugitive. The way they contrived how _not_ to overtake Eliza is thus
told in "Uncle Tom's Cabin":--
"'Sam! Halloo, Sam!' said Andy. 'Mas'r wants you to cotch Bill and
Jerry.'
"'High! what's afoot now?' said Sam.
"'Why I s'pose you don't know that Lizy's cut stick, and clared out,
with her young un?'
"'You teach your granny!' replied Sam, with infinite contempt; 'knowed
it a heap sooner than _you_ did. This nigger a'n't so green, now.'
"'Wal, anyhow, Mas'r wants Bill and Jerry geared right up; and you and
I's to go with Mas'r Haley, to look arter her,' said Andy.
"Sam, who had just been contriving how he could make himself of
importance on the plantation, exclaimed: 'Good, now! dat's de time o'
day! It's Sam dat's called for in dese yere times. _He_'s de nigger.
Mas'r'll see what Sam can do!'
"'Ah, you'd better think twice,' said Andy; 'for Missis don't want her
cotched, and she'll be in yer wool.'
"'High! how you know dat?' said Sam, opening his eyes.
"'Heard her say so, my own self, dis blessed mornin', when I bring in
Mas'r's shaving-water. She sent me to see why Lizy didn't come to dress
her; and when I telled her she was off, she jes ris up, and ses she,
"The Lord be praised!" Mas'r he seemed rael mad; and ses he, "Wife, you
talk like a fool." But, Lor! she'll bring him to. I knows well enough
how that'll be. It's allers best to stand Missis's side the fence, now I
tell yer,' said Andy.
"Sam scratched his woolly pate, and gave a hitch to his pantaloons, as
he had a habit of doing when his mind was perplexed. 'Der a'n't never no
sayin' 'bout no kind o' thing in dis yere world,' said he at last. 'Now
I'd a said sartin that Missis would a scoured the varsal world after
Lizy.'
"'So she would,' said Andy; 'but can't ye see through a ladder, ye black
nigger? Missis don't want dis yer Mas'r Haley to get Lizy's boy; dat's
de go. And I 'specs you'd better be making tracks for dem
hosses,--mighty sudden too,--for I hearn Missis 'quirin' arter yer; so
you've stood foolin' long enough.'
"Sam, upon this, began to bestir himself in earnest, and after a while
appeared, bearing down gloriously towards the house, with Bill and Jerry
in a full canter. Adroitly throwing himself off before they had any
idea of stopping, he brought them up alongside the horse-post like a
tornado. Haley's horse, which was a skittish young colt, winced and
bounced, and pulled hard at his halter.
"'Ho! ho!' said Sam, 'skeery, ar ye?' and his black face lighted up with
a curious, mischievous gleam. 'I'll fix ye now,' said he.
"There was a large beech-tree overshadowing the place, and the small,
sharp, triangular beech-nuts lay scattered thickly on the ground. Sam
stroked and patted the colt, and while pretending to adjust the saddle,
he slipped under it a sharp little nut, in such a manner that the least
weight brought upon the saddle would annoy the nervous animal, without
leaving any perceptible wound.
"'Dar, me fix 'em,' said he, rolling his eyes with an approving grin.
"At this moment Mrs. Shelby appeared on the balcony and beckoned to him.
'Why have you been loitering so, Sam?' said she. 'I sent Andy to tell
you to hurry.'
"'Bress you, Missis, hosses won't be cotched all in a minit. They done
clared out down to the south pasture, and everywhar,' said Sam.
"'Well, Sam,' replied his mistress, 'you are to go with Mr. Haley to
show him the road, and help him. Be careful of the horses, Sam. You know
Jerry was a little lame last week. _Don't ride them too fast._' She
spoke the last words in a low voice, and with strong emphasis.
"'Let dis chile alone for dat,' said Sam, rolling up his eyes with a
look full of meaning. 'Yes, Missis, I'll look out for de hosses.'
"Sam returned to his stand under the beech-tree, and said to Andy, 'Now,
Andy, I wouldn't be 't all surprised if dat ar gen'lman's crittur should
gib a fling, by and by, when he comes to be a gettin' up. You know,
Andy, critturs _will_ do such things'; and Sam poked Andy in the side,
in a highly suggestive manner.
"'High!' exclaimed Andy, with an air that showed he understood
instantly.
"'Yes, you see, Andy, Missis wants to make time,' said Sam; 'dat ar's
cl'ar to der most or'nary 'bserver. I jis make a little for her. Now,
you see, get all dese yere hosses loose, caperin' permiscus round dis
yere lot, and down to de wood dar, and I 'spec Mas'r won't be off in a
hurry.'
"Andy grinned.
"'You see, Andy,' said Sam, 'if any such thing should happen as that
Mas'r Haley's hoss _should_ begin to act contrary, and cut up, you and I
jist lets go of _our'n_ to help him! O yes, we'll _help_ him!' And Sam
and Andy laid their heads back on their shoulders, and broke into a low,
immoderate laugh, snapping their fingers, and flourishing their heels
with exquisite delight.
"While they were enjoying themselves in this style, Haley appeared on
the verandah. Some cups of very good coffee had somewhat mollified him,
and he came out smiling and talking in tolerably restored humor. Sam and
Andy clawed for their torn hats, and flew to the horse-posts to be ready
to 'help Mas'r.' The brim of Sam's hat was all unbraided, and the
slivers of the palm-leaf started apart in every direction, giving it a
blazing air of freedom and defiance. The brim had gone entirely from
Andy's hat; but he thumped the crown on his head, and looked about well
pleased, as if to ask, 'Who says I haven't got a hat?'
"'Well, boys,' said Haley, 'be alive now. We must lose no time.'
"'Not a bit of him, Mas'r,' said Sam, putting Haley's rein into his
hand and holding his stirrup, while Andy was untying the other two
horses.
"The instant Haley touched the saddle the mettlesome creature bounded
from the earth with a sudden spring, that threw his master sprawling
some feet off, on the dry, soft turf. With frantic ejaculations Sam made
a dive at the reins, but only succeeded in brushing the torn slivers of
his hat into the horse's eyes, which by no means tended to allay the
confusion of his nerves. With two or three contemptuous snorts he upset
Sam, flourished his heels vigorously in the air, and pranced away toward
the lower end of the lawn. He was followed by Bill and Jerry, whom Andy
had not failed to let loose, according to contract, speeding them off
with various direful cries. And now there was a scene of great
confusion. Sam and Andy ran and shouted; dogs ran barking here and
there; Mike, Mose, Mandy, Fanny, and all the smaller specimens on the
place, raced, whooped, shouted, and clapped their hands with outrageous
zeal. Haley's fleet horse entered into the spirit of the scene with
great gusto. He raced round the lawn, which was half a mile in extent,
and seemed to take a mischievous delight in letting his pursuers come
within a hand's breadth of him, and then whisking off again with a start
and a snort.
"Sam's torn hat was seen everywhere. If there seemed to be the least
chance that a horse could be caught, down he bore upon him full tilt,
shouting, 'Now for it! Cotch him! cotch him!' in a way that set them all
to racing again.
"Haley ran up and down, stamped, cursed, and swore. The master in vain
tried to give some directions from the balcony, and the mistress looked
from her chamber window and laughed. She had some suspicion that Sam was
the cause of all this confusion.
"At last, about twelve o'clock, Sam appeared, mounted on Jerry, leading
Haley's horse, reeking with sweat, but with flashing eyes and dilated
nostrils, showing that the spirit of freedom had not yet entirely
subsided.
"'He's cotched!' exclaimed Sam, triumphantly. 'If it hadn't been for me
they might a bust themselves, all on 'em; but I cotched him.'
"'_You!_' growled Haley. 'If it hadn't been for _you_, this never would
have happened.'
"'Bress us, Mas'r!' exclaimed Sam; 'when it's me that's been a racin'
and chasin' till the swet jist pours off me.'
"'Well, well!' said Haley, 'you've lost me near three hours with your
cursed nonsense. Now let's be off, and have no more fooling.'
"'Why, Mas'r,' said Sam, in a deprecating tone, 'I do believe you mean
to kill us all clar,--hosses and all. Here we are all jist ready to drop
down, and the critturs all in a reek o' sweat. Sure Mas'r won't think of
startin' now till arter dinner. Mas'r's hoss wants rubben down. See how
he's splashed hisself!--and Jerry limps, too. Don't think Missis would
be willing to have us start dis yere way, no how. Bress you, Mas'r, we
can ketch up, if we stop. Lizy nebber was no great of a walker.'
"The mistress, who, greatly to her amusement, overheard this
conversation from the verandah, now came forward and courteously urged
Mr. Haley to stay to dinner, saying that the cook should bring it on the
table immediately. All things considered, the slave-trader concluded it
was best to do so. As he moved toward the parlor, Sam rolled his eyes
after him with unutterable meaning, and gravely led the horses to the
stable.
"When he had fairly got beyond the shelter of the barn, and fastened
the horse to a post, he exclaimed, 'Did you see him, Andy? _Did_ yer see
him? O Lor', if it warn't as good as a meetin', now, to see him a
dancin' and a kickin', and swarin' at us! Didn't I hear him? Swar away,
ole fellow! says I to myself. Will you have yer hoss now, or wait till
you cotch him? says I.' And Sam and Andy leaned up against the barn, and
laughed to their hearts' content.
"'Yer oughter seen how mad he looked when I brought the hoss up. Lor',
he'd a killed me if he durs' to; and there I was a standin' as innercent
and humble.'
"'Lor', I seed you,' said Andy. 'A'n't you an old hoss, Sam?'
"'Rather 'specs I am,' said Sam. 'Did you see Missus up stars at the
winder? I seed her laughin'.'
"'I'm sure I was racin' so I didn't see nothin,' said Andy.
"'Wal, yer see, I'se 'quired a habit o' bobservation,' said Sam. 'It's a
very 'portant habit, Andy; and I 'commend yer to be cultivatin' it, now
yer young. Bobservation makes all de difference in niggers. Didn't I see
what Missis wanted, though she never let on? Dat ar's bobservation,
Andy. I 'specs it's what yer may call a faculty. Faculties is different
in different peoples; but cultivation of 'em goes a great way.'
"'I guess if I hadn't helped your bobservation dis mornin', yer wouldn't
have seen yer way so smart,' said Andy.
"'You's a promisin' chile, Andy, der a'n't no manner o' doubt,' said
Sam. 'I think lots of yer, Andy; and I don't feel no ways ashamed to
take idees from yer. Let's go up to the house now, Andy. I'll be boun'
Missis'll give us an uncommon good bite dis yere time.'"
"The mistress had promised that dinner should be brought on the table in
a hurry, and she had given the orders in Haley's hearing. But the
servants all seemed to have an impression that Missis would not be
disobliged by delay. Aunt Chloe, the cook, went on with her operations
in a very leisurely manner. Then it was wonderful what a number of
accidents happened. One upset the butter; another tumbled down with the
water, and had to go to the spring for more; another spilled the gravy;
then Aunt Chloe set about making new gravy, watching it and stirring it
with the greatest precision. If reminded that the orders were to hurry,
she answered shortly that she 'warn't a going to have raw gravy on the
table, to help nobody's catchin's.'
"From time to time there was giggling in the kitchen, when news was
brought that 'Mas'r Haley was mighty oneasy, and that he couldn't set in
his cheer no ways, but was a walkin' and stalkin' to the winders and
through the porch.'
"'Sarves him right!' said Aunt Chloe. 'He'll git wus nor oneasy, one of
these days, if he don't mend his ways.'
"At last the dinner was sent in, and the mistress smiled and chatted,
and did all she could to make the time pass imperceptibly.
"At two o'clock, Sam and Andy brought the horses up to the posts,
apparently greatly refreshed and invigorated by the scamper of the
morning. As Haley prepared to mount, he said, 'Your master don't keep no
dogs, I s'pose?'
"'Heaps on 'em,' said Sam, triumphantly. 'Thar's Bruno,--he's a roarer;
and besides that, 'bout every nigger of us keeps a pup o' some natur' or
uther.'
"'But does your master keep any dogs for tracking out niggers?' said
Haley.
"Sam knew very well what he meant, but he kept on a look of desperate
simplicity. 'Wal,' said he, 'our dogs all smells round considerable
sharp. I 'spect they's the _kind_, though they ha'n't never had no
_practice_. They's far dogs at most anything though, if you'd get 'em
started.' He whistled to Bruno, a great lumbering Newfoundland dog, who
came pitching tumultuously toward them.
"'You go hang!' exclaimed Haley, mounting his horse. 'Come, tumble up,
now.'
"Sam tumbled up accordingly, contriving to tickle Andy as he did so.
This made Andy split out into a laugh, greatly to Haley's indignation,
who made a cut at him with his riding-whip. 'I'se 'stonished at yer,
Andy,' said Sam, with awful gravity. 'This yere's a seris bisness, Andy.
Yer mustn't be a makin' game. This yere a'n't no way to help Mas'r.'