Rhode Island American, Statesman And Providence Gazette

The Journal published two editorial articles, upon the importance of measures being taken for the education of the youth of the African population of Providence. We highly approve the suggestions of the Journal, and should be very ready to co-operate with it in this matter, if we were sure there was no trick in the business, by which the Journal was going to turn upon us, and steal some of our subscribers. It is prudent for us to cast about, before we enlist in any cause, under our neighbor's generalship.

For instance, now, supposing we should talk as the Journal has, about the injustice of taxing the blacks, and not allowing their children to attend the public schools. The first thing we should expect from our neighbor would be a Jeremiad upon the monstrous course pursued by the American, in maintaining that the children of blacks ought to associate with the whites in the public schools! It would be called a gross insult to every white subscriber on our list, and the Journal would stand ready to become the organ of any party it could get up, to pass resolutions against the American, or insinuating that black and white children ought to be educated at the same school! In the mean time we should attempt to explain, that we meant to make an entire distinction between the children of white and black people, but nobody would listen to us, and the Journal would keep up the fever heat, as long as it could furnish fuel. When it was all burnt out, then it would take every thing back, and say, in the kindest way, imaginable, that it did not believe a word of what it had been talking about.

We are willing to unite with the Journal in this laudable object about educating the blacks, but we want some guarantee that it won't turn about within one week, and be at its scurvy tricks again.