Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-01-20
From tie Boston Courier
The Condition of the Fugitive slaves in
Canada.

The New York Herald devotes eight columns to
ar account of the operations Of the underground
railroad and the condition of the fugitive slaves
and other cOlured people who have settled in Upper
Canada. much to the dissatisfaction Of the white
people Of that region. The author Of the report
states that regular agents located IN New York
Albany, Utica, Syracuse, Rochester, Buffalo, and
other places whose business Is to collect money to
be used in aiding the escape Of slaves TO Canada,
and that but a very small portion Of the sums re
ceived is applied 10 the purpose for which given
The subsistence of the agent, who has no other vls
Bile means of support Is first provided for, and the
fugitive is usually landed IN Canada hal-clad, half
starved hagggr. The counties OF Essex and Kent
are chiefly favored with this unwelcome emigration.
In some Of the townships the people will not allow
a col0rcd person to settle The Colchester settle
mcnt ID Amherstburg was the hrst established. The
land was purchased by some Quskers for the pur-
pose of supporting thereon fugitive slaves 1t 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. township Of Raleigh, Kent
county Il was formed under the patronage Of the
..EIcin Association" an incorporated body. formed
in opposition to the wishes of the people. The Rev
VIM kim Presbyterian minister. originally from
the North of ireland. placed at the head Of
the coIOred colony. lie was once resident Of Lou
isiana where ne was the owner Of fifteen slaves
which he took with him to Canada in 1913. The
whites to a considerable extent withdrew. The
blacks generally are lazy, shltcss, and mprOyIden
there not being more than three or four families Of
different character. out Of the $50 which comprise
the settlement. They suffer terribly in the winter
for want of clothing.
The Dresden settlement in the township OF Dawn
Is the next in Importance. 1t was planned on the
princiDIe of the Socialists and has proved total
failure A few years since Chatham was a bright
and PROSPEROUS village but now more than quar-
ter of its population negroes, and tlreefourIEs
of them are worthless oilers, and petty thieves
There are two coured schools in the place, and one
of them Is presided over by mulattO teacher, VINO
is appropriately nmned Wtpper. One OF the con
stables Is coOred man. The town OF italei2h SENDS
a colorcd man named Brown to its municipal coun-
Gil Hs tgls born at Harpg,s Ferry The Round
O Settlement" the township OF shrewsbury Is
about fifteen miles from Chatham. The govern
meut own the lanus and the negroes lease Il at a
small rent in lots. There are two hundred negroes
ON the settlement who are miserable and destitute.
There are smaller settlements at New canaan ana
BAPTIST Creek which are also in miserable @ondl-
tion. At Windsor, opposite Detroit the whites are
Withdrawing on account OF the increase Vi I'll,
blacks fugitive AM free Il was the condition ana
character Of the blacks at this place which LED Col
Prime. touake his speech against negro colonization
I'm Canada In the Canadian Council The settle
ments made under a mixed organization Oh Amerl-
can aaI Canadian Rboiiu0niStS. and styled Inc
Refur. Home Society" have beoH 40 unsuccessful
that only one negro in seven years has been ane 10
take ur deed of his lot in all the organizations
great care has been taken that the propFletors OF
the land shall lose nothing by Transferring uiei 70
the negroes The conditions are very rlhEeh'. uHl
I'm case of any brea.h it revUrts TO The glahtors'
however much may have been paid upon IL ny the
homeless u.uro There are small settlements IN the
townships of Anderson, Sandwich. and Maiden
equally unsuccessful with the larger ores.