Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1860-01-13
The Underground Railroad and its
Gperations--I lac Runaway Negroes
in anada.


fn canada.
The \. Y. HtrGld of the 9th, publishes a
long and very interesting history of Under
ground Rail- oadism under the head lines
Il he Runaway Slaves-Practical Operations
of the Underground Railroad-Tbe Slave
Homes in Canada-Bogus Slaves sent through
to raise NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. al the Cana
dian teIminus-Tbe Negro Settlements in the
British Shiftless condition of the
Negroes-Preyalenee of Consumption among
them-Failure OF the Philanthropic Schemes
Confessions of Ministers and Guardian
Opposition OF the Canadians to Free Negro
DOM" In order to procure the information
on which these head lines are based, the Her
aid has bad special correspondent or histo-
rian among the refugees. AS TO the Under
ground Railroad, he says:
The underground railroad is no myth A
regular organization. 10 which this name has
been applied, stretches through every free
State in the Union, and has its agents and
emissaIies on the borders OF every slave State
and along all routes Travelled by fugitive
slaves. 1t is a systematiZed association of
negroes and repubican-abolition whites hav-
ing for Its object the enticing away of the
slave property of the South, and its safe trans
pOrtatlOn into Canada.
But the question is, as TO the condition Of
theme groes in Canada-those who have PASS
ed through on the underground Railroad
Here is the result OF the investigations of the
Herald's correspondent:
TIE NEGROES IN CANADA.
At the south west point of the Province Of
o L :. L Z l.. 4
tween Lake Erie and the Detroit river. Lake
ST. Clair and the ST. Clair river. 1t contains
the counties of Essex and Kent, the warmesI
portion Of the province, and it is in those
counties that the negroes who have escaped
from the States mainly congTegate. Windsor,
situated ON the river directly opposite De-
tToit, is the western terminus of the Great
Western Railway. aud is in the township OF
Sandwich, in Essex county. On the south
and southwest Of Sandwich, along the De-
sroit river and Lake Erie, are the townships
of AndcriOn. Maiden, Colchester, Go>field,
Mersea and ROmney. In the three first nam
I'd townships, the negroes are found in large
numbers, aud tobacco growing is now carried
on there TO a considerable extent. The COM
parative milduess OF the climate, aud the
black alluvial soil appear TO favor the growth
of the plant, while the negro is convcrsant
with its culture. In GOsicld township there
the white residents have done their best To
exclude them. In Mcrsea and Romney the
people will no! suffer negro TO remain with
in the borders of the townships over night.
These places ere settled principally by Hes
sians aud other soldiers of the war OF lsl2.
the government having made grants of land
TO them there.
The town of Amherstburg, about eighteen
miles below Windsor, on the Detroit river. is
-. 81. 4. a II
oldest settlements in that part of Canada. Ii
was laid out as a town in 1897. aud was set
tl,d 10y families, who, at the cession OF De-
lroit, chose 10 20 over to the Canadian ride
OF The river. Some years ago. a tract of land,
about twelve miles from Amherstburg, was
purchased by some benevolent Quakers Tor
tie purpose of supporting fugitive slaves
upon il. Ii is known as the Colchester set
tlemcnt. The object was to raise contribu-
tions, 10 build a school, and TO support the
negroes, partly by their own labor and part
J., by charity. Bat it WAS soon found that
the blacks preferred the charity to The labor,
and they sank Into colony OF lazy, worth
les thieves. The settlement has NOW gone
10 pie ces.
North Of Sandwich are the townships OF
Maidstone, Rochester and West Tiihury. in
Essex county, running along Lake st. Clair.
Along the rivers and on the borders ui the
sAAtt tue iatA - ctAAttu FtctiCtt. stsiU along
the maln road running through the GENRE of
the townships the residents are mainly Scotch
aud English. Bu. very few negroes are
there. and the interior of the tow Eshii5s are
not much settled.
Ia keilI e.suniy adjoining ESssx, the town.
ship OF Rafeigh rans TO Lake Erie, that of
Est Dover t. Lake St. Clair, and Chatham
aud Dawn townships are in the Interior of
The county. In these places the negroes are
siens,l y crowded 81 different SETH, menls-
The noftheri townships OF Kent county are
too csl1 for fhe. black race.
A thoi oush personal examination made In
all he tOn nShips named where negFo~s are
settled, has led 10 the conviction that every
sehcne for the anelioraiion Of tie conditions
OF the fug itive slaves ia Canada has proved,
and must prove. a iaAare, and shat aay a.
sissance given 10 The white aud black aboEi-
florists, British aud American. ho are II The
present time engaged ia runaing "a ihe slaves
Of Southern egsizeas. Is unly an injsry 10 The
aegro, aud bsips to transfer BIN fFen =
eemioriabie Aolae. aud = position Ia lie TO
which nature has lifted him, to plnnge him
into suffering, sickness aud efiHse. shah
proceed - hay hsfore your readers faithful
description OF the principal negro settlements
Ia Nertcrn Canada. and Of The hablts. eoEdi-
tloa aud prospscts Of The residents.
.srHk ELetS ASSOCIATION
The writer gives very elaborate account
Of the Eigia Association. lie says;
The sssllemsnt Of Eaxtoa. In lhs touasaIp