The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-01-06
THE NEGROES IN CANADA

The following extract is taken from a long state
ment in the n. Y. Herald, giving account Of the
present state of the negro settlements in Canada,
their history, &c.
At the southwest point of the Province of Cana
da is neck of land running down between Lake
Erie and the Detroit river, Lake st. Clair and the
st. Clair river. 1t contains the counties of Essex
and Kent, the warmest portion of the province,
and it is in those counties that the negroes who
escaped from the States mainly congregate. Wind
sor, situated on the river directly opposite Detroit,
is the western terminus of the Great Western Rail
way, and is in the township of Sandwich, in Essex
county. On the south and southwest of Sandwich,
along the Detroit river and Lake Erie, are the
townships of Anderdon, Maiden, Colchester, Cos
field, Mersea and Romney.
In the three tirst-named townships, the negroes
are found in large numbers and tobacco growing is
carried there to a considerable extent.
The comparative mildness of the climate, and the
black alluvial soil appear to favor the growth of
the plant, while the negro is conversant with its
culture In Gosfed township there some
blacks, but comparatively few, the white resi-
dents have done their best to exclude them In
Mersea and Romney the people will not suffer a
negro to remain within the borders of the town.
ships over night. These places are settled prnci-
pay by Hessians and other soldiers of the war
of 1872, the government having made grants of
and to them there.
The towns of Amherstburg, about eighteen miles
below Windsor, on the Detroit river, is in the
township of Maiden, and is one of the Oldest settle
ments in that part of Canada. 1t was laid out as
the cesson of Detroit, chose to 60 to the Ca
madam side of the river. Some years ago a tract
of land about twelve miles from Amherstburg was
purchased by some benevolent Quakers for the pur
pose of supporting fugitive slaves upon it 1t is
known as the Colchester settlement. The object
was to raise contributions to build school, and to
support the negroes, partly by their own labor
and partly by charity. But it was soon found that
the blacks preferred the charity to the labor,
and they sank into colony of lazy, worthless
thieves. The settlement has now gone to pieces.
North of Sandwich are the townships of Maid
stone, Rochester and West Tilbury, in Essex cOun-
ty, running along Lake ST. Clair. Along the river
and on the borders ofthe lake the land is settled by
French, and along the main road running through
the centre of the townships the residents main
" Scotch and English. But very few negroes
there, and the interior of tbe townships not
much settled
In Kent county, adjoining Essex, the township
of Raleigh Lake Erie, that of East Dover to
Lake St. Clair, and Chatham and Dawn townships
are n the interior of the county. In these places
the negroes are densely crowded at different settle
ments. The northern townships of kont county
are too cold for the black race.
thorough personal examination made in all the
townships named where negroes are settled has led
to the conviction that every scheme for the ameio
ration of the condition of the fugitive slaves in Can
ada has proved, and must prove, failure, and that
any assistance given to the white and black aboli-
tonists, British and American, who are at the
present time engaged in running of the slaves of
Southern citizens, is only injury to the negro,
and helps to transfer him from a comfortable home,
and a position in life to which nature has fitted
him, to plunge him into suffering, sickness and
| crime