Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1857-12-12
From the Now York Tribune.
COLORED PEOPLE IN CANADA.

/
We conclude to-day our series Of articles OF
the Exed Negroes of Canada, aud in doing so w
embrace the opportunity to make few remarks o
our own. These articles, as we stated when wt
comm need their publication are the fruit OF per
sonal observation, by fully competent person, and
nobody, think, can read them without percelV'
ing abundant internal evidence Of the candor and
sagacity of the writer Ae 20 the general result oi
the survey, we coincide with our correspondent,
that it is to degree hardly to have been expected
favorable to these negro excs. 1t must be borne
in mind that they enter Canada under very unin-
yorable circumstances. OF course, they can carry
thither no capital whatever, nothing but their own
personal capacity of labor, with such moderate
degree Of skill, and such habits OF industry and
thrift, al they may have acquired on slave plant
alton. The climate is decidedly uniavorabie to
them, the most southern point of Canada being quite
too far north to suit the negro constitution. 1t Is
true that the British and Canadian laws do not re-
cognze, in the matter of civil rights, any distinct
ion Of color. The public schools are open to all,
black and white equally. Yet it is no less true
that antipathy of races prevails in Canada to about
the same degree that it does in the Uuited States
so far as that matter goes, the exiIes gain very
little by crossing the border. In fact the single
decided advantage Of this change Of fiurisdcton is
that they are out Of the reach OF the Fugitive
Slave Law, and are able to devote themselve. to
the business of eating a livelihood free FRI m the
dread and drawback of being any day pounced up
on and dragged back to Slavery
The same thing that has been noticed of the
negro population of the Free State is observable
also in Canada. They cluster along the border, as
ii anxious to get near the sun as possible. They
show n disposition also, with us to congrcgate In
the towns though Canada exhibits instances of q
thriving rural negro population, such can hardly
be found on our side Of the border. The
account given of the colony at Buxton, Which
is purely agricultural settlement affords an en-
couraging specimen of what can be done in that
way. This settlement, which is purely negro hav-
ing been begun some years ago by fifteen emanci-|
pated slaves from Louisiana, has already reached
the number of two hundred families, many OF
yhomare the owners of comfortable houses and well
mproved farms, redeemed by their labor within
that period from the depths of the forest 1t is
true that this has not been exclusively negro
achievement The former owner Of fifteen slaves
accompanied them to Canada, and there exchap ged
the position of master for the Founder of n Free
Labor colony with less satisfaction to hims self
we doubt not than bcne fit to his proteges. ltwas
he who obtained on favorable terms from the Brit
ish Government the original site of the colony, a.
tract of eighteen square mile, which he caused to
be surveyed into fifty acre lots and has since dis
tribnted among the settlers-not, however as a
sratuity. These negro settlers, besides building
themselves houses and supporting their families,
reimburse by annual instalments their quota of the
original cost Of the land, amounting to about twoI
dollars the acre Many OF the settlers have already
paid in full for their farms, and received their
deeds Undoubtedly, very large share of the
credit of this success is to be aseribed to the Rev
Mr.. King, the energetic and phiIanthropic founder
of the settlement but it also proves what negroes
are capable of when fairly put in.the way, Of TAX
ing care of themselves.
The town of Chatham, in Canada West, which
may be considered in respects the head
quarters of the colored populatonof Canada. also
presents a condition of things such as we might
lock for in vain on our side of the border. Here
is busy manufacturing and commercial town, Of
about six thousand inhabitants, in which the ne.
groes about third part Of tho whole. instead Of
forming as everywhere among US decidedly in-i
erior class come in for their full share Of wealth
and business activity. In the envrons of this town
there is also n numerous population If negro farm
ers, not at all inferior in prosperity and skill to-
their white neighbors.
In Toronto, aud other large towns Of Canada
further east the eolored population occupies po-
sition more like that on our side Of the border
though there would seem to be among them, at
least in particular instances, n greater accumula'
tiun Of property than with US.
On the whole. the condition Of the exled negroes
in Canada does not give much color to the theory
of the inferiorty of the negro race, or their ab-
soute incapacity to take care OF themselves Iii
may well be doubted whether a similar number Of
white refugees Of any country, with no more ad-
vantages to begin with than they, would have sue
ceed any better.