The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1875-05-20

We were present last Monday night
by invitation, at the Baptist Church, OF
our town, in which the colored people
worship. Our object was to hear their
Rev. II. +. Hurley, who lives in Lincoln
county, and is counted superior in intel
lcct to most of the colored scholars. He
came to Winchester to talk upon Il subj ect
which has deeply interested the colored
people for several weeks, to-wit: Whether
or not they should cmigrate to Kansas.
| A Convention is to be held in Nashville
next Wednesday to consider the propriety
ofthis step, and the speaker is Il delegate
from Lincoln county. He commenced by
telling his audience that he was glad to
meet thcm-was sorry lie was not able to
more properly discharge the duties before
him. The question for him to discuss
was Is it proper for us to cmiGratc? II
was Il sickening sight to see hundreds. as
he had seen, passing through Nashville on
their way to the West. 1t did not seem
like emigration. 1t seemed more like
confusion. And was it necessary? The
lands of Tennessee were for sale-not 50
rich as the lands of other States through
which he had Travelled, but they were
cheap, ranging from fifty cents per acre
upwards. You may SAY the land tor sale
at such prices is poor, but he would ans
wcr the objection by saying it was better
than ,Chat they had. They ought to buy it,
and become stockholders, and by untiring
perseverance, economy, &c, make them
selves respected. Tenl essee was a good
state. and he predicted that it would, be-
fore ten years, be the garden spot of the
world, and lands would be high which cal
now be bought for a trille. They hat
heard many beautiful stories about Kan
sas, and some of them, no doubt, thought
it a Mecca-a land flowing with milk ant
honey. There were land agents who
helped along this deception. They might
sell off their little surplus, 20 20 Nashville
and find plenty OF agent: who would cry
out, Here's the place to buy your tickets
to Kansas" But they must take somt
change with them in order to get tickets
And they could find plenty OF land in
Kansas for sale. but they must carry the
money with them in order to get it. Why
then. did they want to go? And, who
could 90? Those who had made some
thing here haG evidence substantial tina
this is a good country. Those who haC
nothing could not go. Emigration, HI
thought, had been a failure. There hat
been no organized plan, and never woult
be. Those wl.O had done well here ha'
better stay. Those who had not don
well would do no better there. The sor
of emigration he wanted vas to call in hi
race from the cities where they are cor
rupted--from Nashville, Memphis, Louis
vile, and other cities--frOm Mississippi
!, Louisiana, Arkansas, and other State
where there are too many, and let :her
t come to Tennessee where land is cheal
r and possess it by labor. There was brea
, all around them, but some of them woul
. starvc in Il smoke-house. and some 9
e naked in Il gold mine. Whether the whit
t people wanted them or not. he did M
= know, but they wanted our labor, and thu
far we could Use them. They need nj
think to spite anybody but themselves b
emigrating. The question ten years AZ
was: What would become of the color
race? and the problem had ever sine
been hunting a solution. But no polit
e cal organization, ne Civil Rights bill, Il
Radicalism, no Conservatism, no philar
: thropic cbullitions, could settle the que
tIon--tliey must settle it for themselye
They must make themselves respectful
Il in order to be respected, and save the
earnings. White people could purchas
houses ready-made, and carry them o
the cars to Kansas, and be comfortable !
l. a few days. but they could not, and a
this talk of emigration was utterly ute
plan. Stay at homes better State tia
If Tennessee could rot be found. If enacl
r ments of the Legislature operated to the
disadvantage, let us pray for their repea
" As it is, they had never laid a complain
before the Iegi,lature--had not tried