Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1867-06-06
RUTLAND II ERALD
TUESDAY, JUNE 4, 1867,
rhe Exodns of The Freedmen.

The Southern journals are filled with
complainings of the emigration of the
freedmen from Kentucky, Virginia,
Georgia and the Carolnas, stating
the reason for the movement to be a
prospect of higher wages This Induce
meut would hardly be presumed to effect
the mass of a recently liberated race, but
that natural law is operating by which
the African race would incline to the
extra tropical climate Of the Gulf States
would cause the movement. This is an
indication that as q class they possess
many of the qualities SO long denied
them and have an energy, industry and
enterprise which will enable them to
seek better conditions than to lie down
to perish in Incidence and sloth, when
deprived of the care OF their former
guardians. The general disruption OF
old bonds, the change Of relations be-
tween the races, the effects of war have,
as a consequence, caused serious changes
among classes Of the population Of the
South, but the threatened disinte9ration
of society has not been produced. There
have been no servile Instructions with
their bloody consequences, but the
colortd people, released from the Op.
preston which prevented them from
any change OF residence except at the
will OF the owner, would naturally, on
the return OF peace, embrace the Arst
opportunity TO change from place to
place, and instead of pursuing wan
dering life, are exhibiting at present a
peaceful tendency towards the extreme
Southern States.
1t is difficult with any degree of ac-
curacy to compute the number of color
ed persons now in the Southern States.
The census Of 1860 cannot be relied upon
except as basis Of inference, subject to
the effects produced by war, in the des-
truction Of life and change of residence
consequent upon its viCissitudes. Early
in the war, it was well known fact,
that slaves were sent South from the
border States, for safe keeping, and as
the contest extended over larger terri
tory they were conveyed from the sea
board to the interior Many undoubt-
edly svailed themselves of the opportu-
nifty of escape TO the North, although
the number does not appear to have been
great at any time. In the portions of
the South which We're greatly impover-
ished, the COlOred people were the great
est sufferers from the scarcity of food,
and the want OF the care they had been
accustomed to have, which resulted in
death at an increased rate amorg the
aged the infrm, and the very young.
Some time must elapse before the actual
number can be ascertained, but these
combined have led to a large de-
crease in the population. It is estimat-
ed in Virginia that the decrease in the
last six years has been two hundred
thousand. The loss of laborers has been
sensibly felt in Kentucky, and it has
OCNh SOAhE EuGCu theAb VIC lOcS III LnC CdIU-
ljnas has been from one third to one
fourth of the negro population. In
Alabama the scarcity of laborers have
been very marked and in Georgia it is
stated at fully onethird. The loss in
the more Southern States has been as
Cribed to a continual emigration to
Texas, and the computation from local
estimates shows that the population Of
that State was nearly doubled since
1860. As proof that the vast and al
most uDpeopled territory of that great
State has been refuge from the dan
gers Of the war q backward movement
has already begun, and numbers OF the
colored people are returning, especially
to Mississippi and Louisiana. Thus we
perceive that, taking into consideration
the various causes which might inf1u
enCe the freedmen to remove, that the
threatened evils which would come
upon the land from their emancipation.
so certainly prOphesied by the slave
ocracy, have not taken place but on the
other hand, their impulses, enterprise
and spirit lead them to seek new homes
and secure :he largest rewards of labor.