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[[marginalia]] B. K Ross [[/marginalia]]

DOUGLASS' MONTHLY.

"OPEN THY MOUTH FOR THE DUMB, IN THE CAUSE OF ALL SUCH AS ARE APPOINTED TO DESTRUCTION ; OPEN THY MOUTH, JUDGE RIGHTEOUSLY, AND PLEAD THE CAUSE OF THE POOR AND NEEDY.'—Proverbs xxxi. 8, 9.

VOLUME V. }
NUMBER II.}
ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, JULY, 1862.
{PRICE—
{ONE DOLLAR PER ANNUM

CONTENTS OF THE PRESENT NUMBER.

DOUGLASS' MONTHLY

CLOSING SCHOOLS FOR CONTRABANDS IN NORTH CAROLINA.

We have seldom witnessed an outpouring of indignation so general, so well grounded, and so healthy as followed Governor Stanley's virtual prohibition of these schools. Nothing connected with the advance of the army in the south was more gratifying to the genuine friends of the Union, than the upspringing in its wake of these little nurseries of moral and intellectual knowledge. If it could be said that if we in some instances restored the slave to his master, it could also be said we had opened to many slaves the gates of knowledge, which slave law had effectually barred during the darkness and despair of two centuries. And if we were not abolishing slavery, we were at least doing that which must in the end make slavery impossible. While teaching slaves to read co'd not well be opposed at the north even by ordinary pro-slavery men, such teachings was a valuable anti-slavery admission which could not fail to strengthen the government with moral and religious people all over the country, who desire to see the rebellion, and its cause buried deep in the same grave. Astonishment, and indignation from the President downward, therefore greeted the disbanding of the schools in North Carolina. It was an edict of tyranny, better fitted to the dark ages, than to this age of light, more becoming a cruel despot than an enlightened republican ruler. So men thought and so they spoke.

But after all, their sentiments reveal their ignorance of the character of slavery, and show that they, less than Governor Stanley understood the demands of the slave system.—- Air is not more necessary to the lungs of a healthy man, than is ignorance to the peace of slavery. Governor Stanley, born in a slave State, probably a slaveholder, certainly an early champion of slavery, saw at once that fire in a magazine might be tolerated about as safely as reading and writing among slaves. Knowing slavery as he does, and how sensitive it is to the least breath of Liberty, it is not at all to be wondered at, that he favored shutting up the schools for colored people, the giving them oral religious instruction as a substitute for reading and writing, the searching of vessels bound north to prevent the freed men from getting away from their rebel masters, the promptly sending off the brother
of the author of the "Impending Crisis" Mr H. H. Helper from his native State by the first steamer, permitting the capture of a slave woman by one Bray, her pretended owner.—- If Stanley was sent to conciliate the slaveholding rebels, we admit that his course is perfectly consistent with the usual ideas of conciliation on this subject, which has been from the first to make the Federal Government the bitter and unrelenting enemy of the slaves, and the vigilant ally of the slave masters. In reading what purports to be Governor Stanley's explanation of his course on this subject, it makes the impression that he regards his mission to be to bind the Union to North Carolina, and not North Carolina to the Union, that he is there to enforce the laws of slavery and barbarism, and not liberty and humanity, which now begins to characterize the spirit of the Federal Government. The slaveholding rebels may well felicitate themselves upon the possession of a Governor so pliant to their prejudices and pretensions, and so apparently dead to the growing humanity and enlightenment of the nation at large. The Governor avails himself of the old apology for arresting measures for the instruction of colored people. It is "premature," it is getting along too fast. One would think that two hundred years of darkness and ignorance were enough to test their virtues pretty fully without prolonging them a single day, but Governor Stanley thinks otherwise, and a large class at the North think with him.—- The high handed and arbitrary (as at the best it is) conduct of the new military functionary, helps us to an understanding better than any words could, of just what is meant by the conciliatory policy so much commended by border State men and their political allies at the North. It is an endeavor to make the slaveholding rebels believe that the insolent and barbarous demands of slavery will be as readily complied with under Federal as under Confederate authority. MR. STANLEY, takes for his guidance the old slave code of North Carolina, and says he must do nothing which is likely to make him unwelcome to the people of that State. This rule of political faith and practice is decidedly broad, and if carried out to the letter would lead to some pretty startling results. Who are these people of North Carolina? A community of rebels, second only to South Carolina in the crime of breaking up the Federal Government. They conspired at the time of conspiracy, the stole public property while there was any in the State to steal, and they have sent their sons and brothers forth with all the munitions of war to destroy the Federal Government and dishonor its flag, and to set up another and hostile Government and flag over them. Such are the people of North Carolina to whose wishes, and inclinations, Mr. Stanley has felt called upon to adjust himself. He must make himself welcome to the people of North Carolina, must he? Well, the certain way to do so is to imitate their bad example and turn rebel with them, and come out strong not for ABRAHAM LINCOLN and the Federal Government but for JEFF. DAVIS and the Confederate Government. Bad as is the conduct, the apology of Governor Stanley is worse, and would cover a deal more villainy than he has as yet perpetrated. Nevertheless, we have reason to rejoice at what has taken place. The public voice has not been entirely unavailing. MR. COLYER, has returned to the scene of his benevolent labors in North Carolina, and the disbanded schools are again opened and on the full tide of successful operation, never more let us hope to be suppressed or in any manner interfered with. To those who counsel silence on the moral and political duties of this Government towards the enslaved, we point out the triumph which this very free utterance of Northern sentiment has achieved in reopening the contraband schools in North Carolina. A like faithful and unanimous expression of opinion respecting the detestable and scandalous conduct of Gen. HALLECK in forbidding slaves for any purpose to enter his lines, may yet cause that miserable and most inhuman rule to be abandoned. The President, his Cabinet, and his Congress included, cannot make the necessary public opinion needed to conduct this war to the wisest and best conclusion. They need all their own wisdom, and that of all loyal men, through the press, from the pulpit, and platform to aid them. The people are the heart of the Government, and corrupt and desperately wicked as the heart of the nation is-—it responds more readily to the claims of humanity, than the head. The head is busy devising compromises. The heart naturally rejects them, and demands all its wants whether of good or evil. Then let us have the heart of the nation constantly addressed with all the Eloquence of truth, justice, freedom, and humanity, until not only military Governors, but military commanders in the field, shall know that there is a national sentiment against slavery which they are bound to respect.

THE NATIONAL UNITY.

While we of the North have been waging one of the mightiest wars that ever shook a continent, for the suppression of rebellion and the establishment of national unity, our generals, and our people, are disunited on the most important element involved in that war. The lack of unity becomes every day more and more manifest, and is increasingly mischievous. By it, the force, vigor and efficiency of the great Union movement are greatly impaired. Oneness is essential all all success. Without this co-hesive condition the best cause may fail, while with it the worst cause may succeed. From the first the rebels had this advantage over the Federal forces. With them the voice and the hand of Esau have gone together. They know just what they are fighting for. Ignorant in regard to many other things, they are well instructed here. Thirty years of secession instruction with Calhoun,

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