Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-11-12
Colored Exodus from south Carolina.


Within the past month an extensive emf
grafton Of the free colored population has
set in from Charleston to Philadelphia, the
result of recent haroarous legislative enact
ments against their race by South Carolina.
The provisions Of the new law require free
colored persons TO virtually become slaves
a single man must become their guardian;
they must be entered in the assessments as
slaves, and must carry about them certain
copper badges, whereupOn they are number
ed. If found without trustee, they are to
be sold at the block if failing to procure
badges of servitude. to undergo a fine Of
twenty dollars; and if at any time destitute
Of them, to be fined or imprisoned. Despairing
of justice or mercy in Carolina, those who
possessed sufficient Eieans to remove from
heathen rule looked to the North as arefuge.
Many were assisted. by conscientious guar
dians, and the Philadelphia Press says it has
the best authority for the statement, that up
to Nov. lst, mo re than seven hundred and
ninety persons departed from the p Ort Of
Charleston alone. It took all the reso urces
of some to 7 each New York. OF the UNI
Der named about one hundred and fifty made
Philadelphia their destination, two-thirds OF
whom are tradespeOple. The men are car
penters tailors, shoemakers, and masons /;
the females mantuamakers, milliners laun-
dressers and nurses. The editor of the Press
has visited some fifteen of the families settled
in Philadelphia, and that paper says;
We read long list of certificates from
white ladies of Charleston, stating that one
of these was an excellent and faithful
nurse" One testimonial was addressed "to
the ladies Of the North" and certified that
the bearer had attended her through 'goug
and dangerous sickness fact which does
not 60 far to show the gratitude of the recent
/ Palmetto legislation
Another party bore a certificate of his pro-
ficiency in plastering from master mason of
Charleston.
A handsome married woman, almost
white, exhibited her 'badge,D or, as she fl-
cetiously termed it her 'Hputty goole watch" /"
ltwas diamond shaped plate of copper, an
inch square, bearing the inscription:
Charleston,
Servant
/ 1913"
This delicate piece of jewelry was pune
tured with hole, and suspended thereby
from string. She had given 81 for it,
Her husband had q similar one labelled "Por-
ter, F" for which he gave So The man and
woman had been one day behindhand in
'taking OUT these badges, and they were
fined $40 for being dilatory.
We asked the latter whether it was prob
able that others would ls.aye South Carolina
She said that most o.. those possessing tn,
means to emigrate b .ad already done so. W.
know one OF our colored residents who ha!
sent at various times, to these needy peoplt
OF his race, 50 0 for passage money. Man!
OF the refugee parted with their property a
rulnous rates and many have still some ef
fects IN Vnarleston. The latter class mad
revelations of their difficulties with timidity
fearful that their property would be leopard
lied IJy undue complaint. We could see
howf,ver, that property considerations haC
litO e influence compared to dearer relations
Many of these ebony Evangelines have lef
friends, for whose safety their fears are cease
less. The mother of yellow girl told u
that her daughter had "young lover in d
Souf whose safety 'peared to weigh like Ol
her mind, and as she said this, her son,
tall young man, with glossy locks, was oh
served to wear an anxious look, as if be, toe
had lost somebody in Carolina. We wer
told that one of the refugees had left an age
] 4ak1, VII IL IL l.,
ing solicited to come away with the family
replied that she had passed lifetime in g d
Souf and, please God, she wanted to die dnr
nobody wanted to make a slave OF de wealll
ole oman"
The trou bles Of these ebony people will nc
be appreciated by the white masses. Partig
incredulous Of the sensiti7eness of feeling e.
isting among them should visit their humbl
boarding-houses in this city. Many OF thel
are almost white. Several purchas ed the
own freedom some years ago. One. woma
was directed to leave the State by er tru
tee, who was fearful that at his death certa
unprincipled members of his family wou
attempt to coerce her into absolute SLAYER
; The refugees took passage in the Ne Yor
steamers through white sponsors, whCE lest
he'd to their freedom. Most of these info
tunates are destitute of employment
It Las been well remarked, that this: cor
pulsory exodus reminds US of the rev,oea ii,
Of the Edict of Nantz or the expulsion Of t
Jews from their European homes. AS all e
lightened Christianity condemns enormitie
so win this barbarOus action of South Cart
lima be denounced by the civilized world.