The Freedmen.
—The school work of the Presbyterian Church among the Freedmen reports 39 schools, 4,184 scholars, 58 (or, including 16 ministers and 6 catechists engaged in teaching in addition to their other duties, 80) teachers; making in both departments, including a few assistant teachers, 140 missionaries. Five of their higher schools report 1,126 pupils, of whom 145 taught part of the year, reporting 7,513 pupils. Of the teachers from four of these schools, 77 superintended Sabbath-schools while teaching, and reported 4,043 Sabbath-school scholars. These four schools report also 51 students preparing for the Gospel ministry.
—The M. E. Church, through its Freedmen’s Aid Society, has aided in establishing and supporting 6 chartered colleges, 3 theological and one medical school, and 9 institutions not chartered. In these institutions the number of pupils taught during the year is classified as follows: Biblical, 453; law, 20; medical, 60; collegiate, 74; academic, 270; normal, 1,020; intermediate, 242; primary, 371. Total, 2,510.
—A colored lawyer was recently admitted to practice in the Court of Appeals of Virginia. He is the first colored man who has ever enjoyed this privilege in that State. The motion for his admission was made by the son of ex-Gov. Wise.
Africa.
—On the 8th of July, Mr. James Stewart, C. E., then in charge of the Nyassa Mission, wrote to the Convener from Livingstonia. After building a dwelling-house for the head of the mission at Livingstonia, he sailed north to visit the stations of Marenga and Kaningina. He found all well. The Mangoni chiefs had presented the mission with eleven cows, but insist on their being used only in the country around Kaningina. Our own cattle—most precious property—were in good condition. At Livingstonia, advancing cultivation had driven off the pestilent and fatal tsetse fly. After a fortnight’s holiday, the school-boys and girls had returned to Christian instruction. Mr. Stewart had distributed toys and handkerchiefs as prizes at the examination. Namalambi, “a fine, promising boy,” was dux of the school. Mr. Stewart had already started for Lake Tanganika before the request of the London Missionary Society was telegraphed, and was hoping to meet and, if necessary, aid Messrs. Hoare and Hutley.
The Indians.
—The Hon. Carl Schurz, Secretary of the Interior, devotes a large portion of his annual report to the Indian question. He states that the hostile Indians at the West are few compared with the whole number of the race. He states the Indian policy of the Department to be as follows: