Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1860-01-13

by the title Of the act of Incorporation the
object is s.fhe settlement and moral improvf-
inert of the eolnred population of Canada"
The project of iha settlement appcars first 10
have suggest itself to the Rev. William
King. Presbyterian minister a North of
Ireland man by birth. and once a citizen Of the
State of Louisiana by adoption. Mr.. King
wss tire owDrT rsi fifteen sfSres, tfhtsHsi
he emancipated and brought with him to
Canada, and most of whom are at the present
time residents of Buxton. either indepen-
dent settlers. or as employers of their former
master. Three of them work On his farm and
in bis bouse-two men aud one bright and
well-looking mnlatto girl.
The detail of the organization and its OBJ
jects is long and uninteresting. Tie follow
ing is however to the point:
Buxton settlement Is about twelve OF four
teen miles south Of Chatham. and about three
miles from Lake Erie. 1t is a block nf land
six miles in length, along the government
road to Sandwich. and three miles in width
The purchase comp Uses in all nine thousand
acres, and was selected as Offering the largest
quantity OF land that could he procured in
that locality in one body. The lots are laid
ont IN squares. and in front of them roads, or
apologit g therefor, cut through the for
est. The land was all bush land when pur-
chased, with the exception Of few lots on
the roadside. which were previously in the
possession of whites. and a large proportion
OF which were sold to the association at a
great sacrifice by the original settlers, who
were unwilling to remain in negro nest
The land is low and level. and the soil {
heavy. stiff clay, very difficult to work, and
not likely ever TO prove productive.
drive of two hours from Chatham over
the snow, which lay thick enough on the
ground to cover the irrt gularities OF an other
wise rough road. brought me 10 the settle
ment. After turning up from the main. into
what is called the "centre'' road, the country
appears wild and unpromising tor six miles
There are hut few houses on the wav and
those OF very poor description. The fact
that negro settlement Is near Is made eVi-
dent from the appearance of black siraggleis
all along the read : men. women and child
rem. many OF whom walk daily to Chatham
from that Inmate love Of q crowd implanted
in the negro breast and with no other oh
ject than to lounge idly in the streets Of the
town and about the mark, { places. occasion
ally, perhaps. swapping mp any stray trife
that may happen 10 fall in tire way o. then
fng'rs. Now and then a black horseman is
to be seen making Roadway for the same
place. One, rs drove along the road, a singu-
lar figure appeared in the distance before me
and set my imagination 10 puZzling, as il
approached. to tell what was its precise char
acfcr. II WAS all dark a. black cloud. ard
looked something like horse with well
filled sack upon its back and a compile Oi
wings tapping away at either side. Upon 2
nearer approach fOnnd it TO he little black
Canadian pony. hearing big black negroes
in loose. slOvenly black dress. with black
shawl ii, around her head. As she was rid
ing man fasbiOn, with an entire independence
of mans more convenient hahiliments, heI
feet nearly toucIiuy fi,p 0rpund and Hnuui n
up and down. covered only as much as the
situation would permit by her skirts. gave to
her the singular appearance which bad al
first excited my curiosity.
Upon reaching the settlement we come h
q settlement of about dozen hufs-for they
scarcely deserve a better name-one OF
which, a trifle more pretensiOus than the
others, has been used as a store and tavern.
but is now lying idle. The absence of win
dow glass. so observable in negro dwellings
and the diversified character of the 'break-
ing" of straw. filthy clothes and old hats.
with which negro easements are always al
fiicted, is the distinctive feature of the settle
ment that strikes a strangers eye. There is
a cross road. on one corner of which stands
the solitary store ! bave mentioned. and he
yOnd this Is a residence of better character
than the rest, which is occupied by the Rev
Mr.. King. 1t stands back from the road some
log cabin with dormer windows in the roof
and a covered porch or piazza running along
the entire front. swing gate opens to the
lot, and there is carriage drive up to the
house, through garden that may be pretty
enough in the season of grass and flowers.
At each side of the gate are log buildings
painted white. which look at first like lodges
to the mansion" and bestow upon it some
thing of an aristocratic appearance but they
I.
the settlement.
/ learned. upon inquiry. that Mr.. King and
his wife were from home, in Europe, bat in
their place fonnd the Rev. John Rennie, a
Scottish clergyman and his wife. 1t seemed
strange to see an intelligent gentleman and
a lady of pleasing appearance and refined
manners in such place; and did not Won
der at the sad expression that stole over Mrs.
Rennie's countenance when ventured the
remark, that she must Indeed miss, in that
lonely spot, the society TO which she had
evidently been accustomed. felt the truth
of the reply, that she had but her husband
and child, and the sense OF duty they were
performing, TO support and console her.
They are truly good to her.
With Mr.. Rennie | went over the settle
ment, and saw and converscd with some of
she residents. An air of depression aad des-
olation pervades the whole place. The log
houses are all badly constructed inside. A
large chimney occupies one side of each
house, ard the big logs crackle and blaze
heeriully enough, but the smoke does not
id TO the cleanliness of the room or its in
Iates. In majority of the houses the def
iency of chairs is supplied by logs or boxes
any article that happens in the way, or is
e easiest attainable. The chidren-of
'urse there is good supply of them-are
ably clothed and Siovenly, and the poultry
nd all dumb animals appear to share tue
yelling with them. There seems TO be very
tile idea of an economy OF work in the lit
Improvements made upon the lots. A
itch is halt cleared here, and another one
'mmenced there. Now tree is half cut
Iwn and then left. and the destruction of
easier customer commenced. In fact, the
Zy. shiftless character OF the free negroH
seen in every drectio There are of course
me lew eXcepiions-some instances where
e settler shows energy and perseverance
Il these cases are not more than three or
ar out of a collection of over one hundred
fifty families, numbering over Que thou
nd souls.
The Rev. Mr.. Rennie. with all his desire to
the colony prosper. was compelled to adj
IL that the experiment had not answered the
;peciations of its projectors as yet, and To
;press bis fear that il would ultimately re-
II in failure. The negroes. be has diseov-
ed, are really unfit TO provide for them
Ives. They seem, as he says, to require q
iding aud directing hand; aud tosbe en-
ely deficient in fnre thought and settled
rpose. The men who are in health no
ener find the warm weather nj hand than
" leave their homes TO work out" either
BARRIERS, or boot blacks. or walters, or in
y other position thai may offer on board n
samboat or ia hotel. This IL at the very
ason when they eonld most probably labor
their land; but their sole ambition seems
be TO obtain light employment where no
ought of the morrow il needed, and where
Z, ey can earna lille money without hard
: ark. They return 10 their families in the
nter, and lay idle so long as the little NOM
they have saved viii last, This gone,
ey go discontentedly 10 choPping wood. or
,rning for ashes. and year alter year thrir
It's present the same desoiate. Wild appear