and Atlanta, are to us the most important in this part of the South. As now secured they will be centres at which and from which we may successfully work; and if the necessary means can be had I think our Commission will be able to do more than at any other points within the territory I have canvassed. Communication is now open to all parts in this part of the State-a fact that increases the relative importance of the two points named." My dear Brother, in the above paragraphs from Mr. Ogden's letter he dwells upon the educational wants of the section through which he has passed. These are what would be the most obvious to a practical educator. It will therefore be proper for me to add a remark or two in regard to other departments of our work. When a part of the country is just thrown open to us, the extent of the educational wants of the free people is a fair measure of their other wants, of the existing demand for industrial schools, orphan asylums, hospitals, and for the means of immediate relief such as clothing, bedding, &c., and of self-help, as axes, farming tools, seeds, &c., in their season. And I may further add that the nearer we get to the heart of the Southern States the greater becomes the destitution of all classes, whites as well as blacks; and if the whites are now in reduced and even destitute condition, what must be the condition of that class who have always been compelled to depend on them for food and raiment and shelter: I met in Nashville with a man who, when the war broke out, was worth a million and a-half, that is now reduced to comparative poverty. Amid such wrecks of fortune how many freed people, old and young, are thrown upon the strand, homeless and helpless. Yours truly, LETTER FROM W. G. HAWKINS. Dear Mr. Leigh, We We, that is Rev. Benj. W. Pond, and myself This is the first leisure moment I have Section X of Circular 5, signed by the Presi had for several weeks, and now I am enjoying dent of the United States directs that "Assisthe blessing on this quiet Sabbath morning tant Commisioners will aid Refugees and because Government has no transportation. Freed-men in securing titles to land according to law. This may be done individually or one. I think the friends of emancipation by encouraging Joint Stock Companies." should be well contented to leave the question Col. Whittlesey wishes me to say that he will for the present, and do that which will make encourage any persons of humane intentions, the franchise certain to come in a few years here or abroad, in the purchase of these lands, Let these people become intelligent and poswhereby they may do much for the Freed-man, sessed of property, as they are sure to be in and something handsome for themselves. The advance of the poor whites, unless they bestir Colonel thinks land in North Carolina good themselves soon, and we cannot deny them forest land, or rather turpentine land can be the right to vote. We certainly cannot tax purchased for 5 dols. per acre. Other lands them, or make laws for their guidance without can be obtained where the various Southern giving them some influence in the making of crops may be raised. I would advise every them. Never was there a better opportunity agent or society in England who may contem- for the introduction of an entirely new civilplate this kind of aid, to correspond directly ization in the South. If we can through this with Col. E. Whittlesey, Raleigh, N.C. In Bureau, plant common schools, with Northern anything that tends to develop the industry teachers, in large numbers in each state, and of the Freed-men, or poor whites, you will have the power of the government to back it find Col. Whittlesey a true sympathizer and up, great results must follow. The reconwise adviser. The bad officers have been re-structed states will not give schools to the moved from Richmond, and the ease with which it was done shows that the Government means to sustain the Bureau. I was here at the time Col. Brown was appointed commissioner, in fact I brought to him from Gen. Howard the first notification of his appointment. He went to Richmond and conferred with Gens. Ord and Patrick, but they found, or fancied they found, a big political thing in the management of the Negro, and were indisposed to turn affairs over to him, and, in fact, placed impediments, in [his way. The result is, Gens. Halleck, Ord, Patrick, and the whole tribe have had their heads cut off, and Gen. Terry appointed in their place. He is a Connecticut man, and has always been a consistent republican. We hope much from him. Already things are looking better in Richmond. No more passes required before children can be permitted to go to school; no more putting live negroes into coffins and standing them up against houses for passers-by to gaze upon, with molasses daubed about the head to invite the flies. This lingering malignity of the chivalrous institution is squelched. The price of honest labour is also to be raised, and planters will be required to pay remunerative wages. All these things, especially the establishment of the Bureau and the influence that will flow from it, will have a good effect upon the reconstruction of the States. The subject of the Negro franchise is the most perplexing blacks, but if the Bureau continues to be connected with the War Department and officered by some of our best men, the influence will be irresistable. The caste prejudice is however very great, and is not confined to the South. The returning rebel officers, and soldiers attribute all their losses to the "niggers," and are very cruel to them. General Saxton, writing to General Howard, gives the following account which he read the other day to a committee who called. "From the main land' the report is not so favourable; not far from Somerville, South Carolina, the freed-men are terribly oppressed, even worse than in a state of slavery. They have been sent to work in chain gangs, and often shot down without provocation. Bodies of murdered Freed-men have been found in the woods butchered by guerillas, who are banded together under oath to kill every able bodied freed-man off his plantation." The General sent the whole dispatch to the Secretary of War, and he in tends sending it to the President. All these things will interfere seriously with re-construction, and make more necessary a stand. ing army. In many places, as in Richmond, they are purposely doing all they can to render the condition of the freed-man and his family worse than before the war, by throwing them unprovided adrift upon the world, and refusing to give them adequate compensation for their labour. As to teachers of coloured schools, they would in some localities be dri- BRISTOL FREED-MEN'S AID ASSOCIA ven away if they dared to. But the beneficient power of the Government is ready to be displayed everywhere, and besides, and better still than all this, there is a Divine Power over all which has thus far led these poor people from the house of bondage, and will bring to naught every device of man that would prevent justice and humanity having their free and complete dominion. Upon the whole we have made great gain. Systems of industry and education are to be inaugurated over the whole South. The power of the Government wherever necessary will be invoked to enforce them; just wages will be exacted, and full protection to all classes will be secured. Orphan asylums will be erected wherever needed; poor farms will be esta blished in every county in Virginia. I see not why under all these circumstances, we may not have as fine a peasantry as exists in any land. In regard to the elective franchise the following proposition has been much debated as affording a beginning in the right direction. Let Congress refuse to receive the representatives from the re-constructed states, unless they at first allow the right of ballot to the four following classes of Negroes:1st. The Coloured Soldier. 2nd. Coloured property holders. 3rd. All who can read and write. TION. The second quarterly meeting of the National Committee of the British Freedmen's Aid Associations was celebrated by a breakfast, provided by the friends of the cause, at the Victoria-rooms, on Thursday, Sept. 14th, Sir Thomas Fowell Buxton, Bart., M.P., President of the National Committee, presided, and there were about two hundred ladies and gentlemen present. Subsequently the company adjourned to another room, where a public meeting was held, under the presidency of Sir Thomas F. Buxton. Amongst those present were the Hon. C. C. Leigh, of New York; Rev. Dr. Storrs, of Cincinnati; Rev. J. Sella Martin, of New York, and member of the American Missionary Association; Mr. P. Edwards, Bath; Colonel Willoughby, Bathwick; Mr. D. A. Fox, Birkenhead; Messrs. W. Morgan, A. Albright, W. H. Lloyd, B. H. Cadbury, and Rev. C. Brittain, of Birmingham; Mr. P. Watson, Dundee; Messrs. Bart and J. Moir, Glasgow; Mr. W. Pollard, Hertford; Mr. F. Seebohm, Hitchin; Messrs. J. Latchmore and J. Goddard, Leicester; Messrs. T. Phillips A. Hampson, T. B. Smithies, and Dr. Fred. Tomkins, London; Messrs. J. Simpson and W. Stokes, Manchester; Mr. J. F. Rutter, Mere; Mr. Smith, Southampton; Messrs. C. and W. S. Clarke, Street; Rev. J. C. Gallaway, M.A., London; Mr. Commissioner Hill, Dr. Ash, Mr. Z. Eastman (American Consul), Revs. M. Caston, W. Bruce, J. Glendenning, M. Dickie, D. Thomas (Chairman Congregational Union), W. M. Punchon, W. Sandford, S. Hebditch, 4th. All who have for the past four years been members of some Christian church. I should say a word as to the number of teachers that will be needed: 10,000 could be set at work by September or October had we the means for employing so many. I trust we shall have the means for sending at least 300. I am now here conferring with the commissioners about quarters, school buildings, &c., so that I may go home with some idea of the number we shall be expected to send to Vir-Leonard, H. Bennett, &c., &c. ginia and North Carolina. I hope to leave here to-morrow, and on my return will endeavour to give you minute details of the condition of things. I hope you are pushing ahead finely, with wisdom from on high to sustain you in overcoming all obstacles. Believe me, yours truly, W. G. HAWKINS, Hawkesley, Messrs. George Thomas, R. · The Rev. W. Bruce offered up an appro priate prayer, after which Mr. Joseph Davis, treasurer, read a number of letters from gentlemen who had been invited to the breakfast, but who were unable to accept the invitations. They were from the Right Rev. Bishop Anderson, D.D., Mr. J. S. Harford, of Blaize Castle (who enclosed a donation of £50), the Treasurer of the Bir mingham and Midland Aid Society (who en-totally different from any political purpose closed £5), Mr. Alfred Rooker, of Plymouth; | (hear, hear). But they all united upon the Mr. Samuel Gurney, M.P.; Mr. Thomas one great principle that England should exHughes, M.P.; Rev. Wm. Shaw, President of the Wesleyan Conference, Mr. Ludlow, Mr. Probert, &c., &c. The Chairman then addressed the meeting, and said when he remembered how much and important work lay before the members of the National Committee, he felt it would not be right for him to occupy much of the time which belonged to them before the Committee met. At the same time he would say a few words to express his sense, which he was sure was also the sense of all the members of the National Committee, of the kind and thorough hospitality which the members of the Bristol Society had extended to them. He believed that great good resulted from these meetings, at which so many persons from different parts of the country were brought together. Information was extended and sympathy was awakened more thoroughly than if these meetings did not take place. He thought therefore that all those who from other parts of the country met there that day must feel with him that they owed a sense of gratitude to the members of the Bristol Society for inviting them there at that time, for taking so much time and trouble to extend their hospitality, and for making the arrangements of that morning. He thought, in looking at the work they had in hand-that of extending information, and exciting interest in the subject before them that they had had to meet one difficulty—perhaps less now than before. That difficulty might be felt in this district also: it was, that they had been too often considered to be a political society, united together for political objects; and that their object had been more or less to express sentiments of partizanship with the North as against the South. That had been thought to be the case, and many had held back from joining the society through believing it. But he was quite sure that those who had had the object of the society in hand had done their very best to further it; and they had united with them now many who a year ago would have been called Northerners, and many who would have been called Southerners. Their object was tend its charity to any gigantic suffering (applause), and that in this case the negro race in the States of America had very peculiar claims upon us. He trusted that, if there had been objections on the ground of supposed partizanship, they were dying away. He concluded by calling on The Rev. W. Bruce, who moved the first resolution, which was as follows:-That whilst this meeting rejoices in the abolition of slavery recently effected in the United States of America, it would at the same time express its hearty sympathy with those whose transition from bondage to freedom is attended with suffering of various kinds, and with the efforts of many of our American brethren who are engaged in the arduous work of aiding them in their difficulties, and would extend a hearty welcome to the following gentlemen who are present, and who have come to this country to advocate the claims of these freedmen on our sympathy and assistance :-Hon. C. C. Leigh, of New York; Rev. Dr. Storrs, of Cincinnati; Rev. J. Sella Martin, of New York." The rev. gentleman spoke of the horrors of war, and reminded the meeting that it was the prerogative of God to bring good out of evil at all times; and he believed that the good to be educed out of the present evil was of no ordinary kind. There had been the abolition of slavery from the entire States of America, and the removal, therefore, of that foul blot from our American brethren, whom we loved, whether of North or of South. Mr. Commissioner Hill seconded the resolution, and in doing so said he would not stay long between the meeting and the tidings which they would all be desirous to hear from their friends who had come across the Atlantic to plead the cause of the negro. This cause demanded no argument, and we recognised all the great facts. We should therefore be most anxious to learn how the great task which lay before the civilized and the Christian world was to be performed. We were to look at this great fact, that whereas four millions of our fellow beings-four millions of immortal souls, were joined but a short time ago to The Hon. C. C. Leigh, of New York, next addressed the meeting. He spoke of the success which had attended his mission in Germany, and Switzerland, where they had Geneva having alread raised three thousand francs. The speaker then called the attention of the meeting to the character of the negroes as exemplified during the last four years, and he paid a high tribute to the humility, forbearance, and patience manifested by them under circumstances of great trial, cruelty and persecution. He attributed this to their Christianity, for they were a people of faith in the Bible, God's promises, and future rewards and punishments. He advocated in conclusion the education of the negro, who was capable under proper cultivation of being made one of the best specimens of humanity. bodies that were subject to the most degrading|ered would compare advantageously with any slavery, to the most hideous lot that could that existed in England at the time of the afflict humanity, now their chains had fallen cotton famine. from them (hear, hear); but freedom had come to them with destitution. Now, if there never had been slavery, there never would have been that destitution-there would have been no necessity to call upon a nation 3,000|just commenced their operations, the ladies of miles away from the scene of action for assistance. Were we in any way responsible for that slavery? Had the Americans a right to make this call upon us? He thought they had (applause). He thought all Christendom -all the civilized world-was implicated in the great crime which now-thank God!!-was drawing towards its termination. How was it possible that any nation, however energetic, however rich, could at any moment supply all the funds that were necessary for the support and sustentation of those four millions that were thrown upon their hands? Let each, then, come forward according to his ability, and let him join with their American brethren in this great work (hear, hear). He (the learned speaker) hoped he was not trenching upon the rules which had been laid down by the chairman when he earnestly called upon his American friends to remember that personal freedom, though an invaluable boon, was not all which was necessary to extinguish the debt which they owed to the negro. He must not be considered a member of a degraded caste, deprived of civil rights (applause); he must be, and he (the speaker) trusted and beleived he would be, ere long, considered as the political and the social equal of those who boasted of a different colour of skin (applause). He must be equal before the law. He had just read in the revised constitution of the Imperial State of America, as it was called in New York, "No negro can sit upon a jury." That was the law of the land at the present moment, but this law must fall before what Curran called the genius of universal emancipation (loud applause). Mr. J. SIMPSON, of Manchester, who had recently returned from a four months' tour in the United States, gave some interesting information respecting the practical working of the institutions that had been organised there for the benefit of the freed-men, which he consid The Rev. Dr. Storrs, of Cincinnati, after thanking the people of Bristol for their attendance that day, said the next winter would, he hoped, see the freed-men over the worst of the crisis, and he stated that the ultimate object of their friends was to raise them to such a posi tion that they might stand on a firm foundation, and claim all civil rights. Rev. H, I. Roper moved a vote of thanks to the president, and speaking of the general interest and influential concern which he (the president) felt in connection with the matter, remarked how well it became the countrymen of a Clarkson, a Wilberforce, a Macaulay, and a Buxton, to enter with warm and generous hearts into the question of the American freedmen (hear, hear). He (the speaker) was old enough to remember when Wilberforce, with his winning eloquence, pleaded the cause of the slave, and he listened to the first speech ever delivered on a public platform, now fortythree years ago, by Babington Macaulay, and as if it were but yesterday he remembered the graphic power with which with his father, Zachary Macaulay, by his side, he delineated the horrors of slavery. He (the speaker) shared in the general joy which was felt when on the memorable 1st of August, 1843, England having paid down the costly price of twenty |