Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1860-01-11
Coalition Of the Fugitive Slaves in
Canada

Ohnhuht
The New York Herald Of Thursday, de
voted eight columns TO an account Of the OPP
eralons Of the underground railroad" and
the condition Of the fugitive slaves and Other
colorod people, who have settled in Upper
Canada, much to the dissatisfaction of the
white people generally Of that region. The
author Of the report states that regular
agents are located in New York, Albany
Utica, Syracuse, Rochester Buffalo,, and
other places whose business it is to collect
money to be used in aiding the escape of
slaves to Canada, aud that but very small
portion of the Gums received is applied to
the purpose for which it is given, The SUBJ
sistence Of the agent, who has no other vis-
ible means OF support, is first provided for,
and the fugitive Is generally landed in Can,
ada half'clad, halfstorved beggar, The
counties of Essex and Kent are chiefly fav,
ored with this unwelcome emigration. In
some of the townships tho people will not all
low oolored person to settle. rhe Col
chester sottlemen in Amherstburg was the
fret established, The land was purchased
by some Quakers for the purpose of sup,
porting thereupon fugitive slaves. IL was
soon discovered that the blacks preferred
charity to labor and the settlement has now
gone to pieces
In the townships of Chatham and Dawn
there are dense settlements of blacks. The
most important settlement is at Buxton, in
Raleigh township, Kent county. 1t was
formed under the patronage of the Elgin
Association an incorporated company,
formed in opposition to the wishes of the
people. The Rev VIM King a Presbyter.
ian minister, originally from the north of
Ireland, was placed at the head of tho color,
ed colony. Ho was once resident of Lou
isiana, whore he was the owner of Is sayes
which he took with him to Canada, in lS49.
The whites, to a considerable extent, with
drew.
The blacks generally are lazy, shiftless,
and improvident, there not being more than
three or four families of different charac.
ter out Of the 100 which comprise this set
tlement. They suffer terribly in winter for
want of clothing. The Dresden settlement,
in the township OF Dawn, is the next in i'm.
portance. 1t was planned on tho principle
Of the "SocialistsJ and has proved total
failure few years since Chatham was q
bright and prosperous village; but now more
than quarter Of its population are negroes
and three fourths of them are worthless
idlers, and petty thieves. There are two
colored schools in the place, and one of them
is presided over by mulatto teacher, who
is appropriately named Whipper. One of
the cOnstables is a oolored man. The town
Of Raleigh sends colored man named
Brown to its municipal council. lie was
born at Harper's Ferry. The Ground o
Settlement" in the township of Shrewsbury
is about fifteen miles from Chatham. The
government own the lands, and the negroes
lease it, at q small rent, in lots. There are
200 negroes on the settlement, who are mis-.
erabe and destitute. There are smaller sett
Elements at New Canaan and Baptist Creek,
which are also in q miserable condition
At Windsor, opposite Detroit the whites
are Withdrawing on account of the increase
of the blacks, fugitive and free. ID was the
condition and character Of the blacks at this
place, which led Col Prince TO make his
speech against negro colonization in Canada
in the Canadian Council The settlements
made under a mixed organization Of Ameri-
can and Canadian abolitionists, and styled
"The Refuge Home Society," have been SO
unsuccessful that only one negro in seven
years has been able to take up deed of his
lot. In all the organizations great care has
been taken that the proprietors of the land
shall lose nothing by transferring them to
the negroes The conditions are very strin
gent and in case of any breach, it reverts to
the grantors, however much may have been
paid upon it by the hapless negro. There
are small settlements in the townships of
Anderson, Sandwich and Maiden, equally
unsuccessful with the larger ones.