The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1857-11-05
The Exiied Negroes i'm Canada.

ton on which there is much difference Of opinion.
In their .tive country, the climate and the spon-
taneous growth of many articles of food leads to
idleness and consequent degradation. As south
ern slaves they have been treated as brutes-ev-
cry effort being made to crush out the lit tlo intel
lect which might endanger the safety of their mas
ters 1t is little wonder, therefore, that the ne-
gro to-day bears strong marks Of inferiority; yet
it is difficult to believe that God would put all
immortal soul into any being inferior to Mar, and
we therefore eagerly grasp at everything tending
to cast even the most dim rays Of light upon their
true intellectual character. The editors of the
New York Tribune, having desire to cast as
much light as possible on this question, have sent
a special correspondent to Canada to ascertain the
facts concerning the large numbers who have es-
capped from Southern bondage during the past few
years Below we give his frs. letter, which will
doubtless be read with much Interest by all per-
sons wishing to arrive at the truth concerning this
truly unfortunate and greatly abused race of peo-
pie :-[ED JoURNAt
Tue neighborng British provinces have long
oeen the refuge of the fugitive slave, and every
increase ON this side of the border OF the rigor
Of the wS to ensure his return 10 his mast:r
Causes him TO look with more eager longing 10
a country in which his liberty Is secure aud he
possesses the same political rights as the rest OF
mankind. There the law is protector, and thr
public, always more ri5idly vIItuous when the
crime TO be condemned IN that OF nrghOOr
will see that it is neither violated nor evadrd.-
The desire of safety and of political equality
valued the more highly from its baing strenuous
ly denied, has attracted numbers Of colored m.n
both fugitive slaves and Tree, TO climate ma
turaliy ungenial to them. What have been The
ELECTS OF this security and this political equali-
lY upon them? Have they improved morally
aud sOcalyl Have they become more indus
trious AMI more intelligent, or, in the absence
| of ali restraint, have they become ldler and
more vicious? Are they capable under favor
able circumstances, of becoming good citizens
III well ordered community, or is there want
/ in their organization which renders the overseer
aud the taskmISter necessary TO their weil-bs
| iug7 A hurried trip through portion of Up
PER Clnadd, undertaken relaxation from
professional toll aud care, has enabled the wri-
ter to answer soms Of these quesiions,at least TO
his own satisfaction. He claims no peculiar fit.
ness for his task, beyond an honest desire 10
learn the truth, to see facts as they exist un-
cuIoreI as lar as possible by prejudice or theory
aud it, with every well-wisher of his race, he
hoped to find the coored man improved, both
morally and socially, by his elevation in the po-
litical scale, his anticipations were that circum-
stances aud the short lapse of time had hitherto
prevented such improvement
There is in Canada a remarkable want OF ac-
curata statistical information regarding the peo
pie Ut color. Even their numbers cannot be
arrived at with any deg,ee of accuracy. Tie
census of 1852 is i'll this respect notoriously
unreliable. and its inaCcuraey is ackno ledged
by the authorities themselves. 1t is generally
estimated at between 10000 and 10000 souls
and though this cOmpu alton rests on no very
certain basis, yet it is perhaps the closest ap
Proclamation we can attain to the truth. The
largest body of them is to b. founi in the cOun,
ties Of Kent and Essex. Next to these places
Toronto contains the greatest number; then
perhaps Hamilton, ST. C4tharines and London
but they are found more or less scattered through
out the the towns AMI Villages, and to some
extent interspersed among the rural population
The large and thriving City of Toronto con
talns a more numerous cotored population thar
any other town Of CInada. Out OF its 10000
Iinhabitants, from | 200 to 1000 are e>timatec
to BE- coIored. Though the great mdjorlt. be-
lunI to the class of unskilled laborrrs, among
them are to be found followers OF great mum
b.r aud variety OF occupations. Oae of them
II man OF wealth. lives upon his means, attend
Iin5 10 his own property, aud occasionally dis
counting note, when he is sdtisti ii with tht
rate per ceut. and the soundness OF the indOrs
ers. One is regularly educated physician
three are studying law, one medicine two II
least are master builders, taking contracts AIT
employing number OF jOurneym-n both white
aud black; tour are grocers and the store OF on'
of theiD-lha only one We vislted--waS in
COOL part of the town, handsome, neat wei
stocked, AMI evidently doing thriving bust
ness, the CUSTOMERS bslng mostly whites on
keeps large livery stable, one of the best il
town, aud is employed to take the mails to an
from the Post Office to the railroad depot, steam
, boat &c; several within the precincts OF tn
; city are occupied in farming and gardening
Others are bricklayers, carpenters, shoemakers
plasterers, blacksmiths and carriers Many int
elnpluym mt in saving and chopping the WOO
which is the general fuel +; and the BARRIERS an
waters in hotels and private families az
almost exclusively colored mn.
Many of them have accumulated consider
/, able property. This has happened chiefly anon
, the older residents, who, purchasing real estat
, al a low price, have been enriched BY the rap
enhancement in value it has undergone With
the last few years. Ole colOrel man "a ligh
mulalto) is estimated to be worth at least 800
900. The property of another is valued at S35
. 900 of third at $25 900; of fourth $l5
900 of fifth at $4,000; several are wort
over s., 900 eighteen b'tween 1000 and 50
4
. figures are not mere rough guesses. In obtain
r ing them the names OF the individuals wer
taken down, the value of their property esli
mated and allowance made for the incumbran
! ces on it, and, though all such statements ar
necessa lily liable to error, satisfied Of tn
substantial accuracy of this one. We visite
, the wealthest of the colored men at his ow
+, residence. 1t was a plain, two-story fran
, building such as in country town in the Statt
would be occupied by respectable mechanic
The sittinS-room on the second floor was cover
ed with good ingram carpet; a table on whic
e were lights and books occupied the cent'r q
: the apartment; thrtr was sofa aud the usua
5 complement of chairs an open piano stood o
/ one side of the room a m-odian occupied III
< pier between the window on the wall hung
, well-painted portrait of the owner Of the housC
: and eGgravings representing the Queen, her hu'
e band and children. Though early in Sept. ii
= evening being somewhat cool, small wood fiji
l. ~ ~. -,