The daily gazette., 1877-07-24
sLet My People GO!'

There appears to be in progress a free
emigration OF negroes from South Carolina
to Liberia, underthe auspices Of what is
called the "Liberian Exodus Association y
Certainly il Is an exodus that will com mand
general approval. for Whatever may be the
opinion of people as to the desirabIlity OF
retaining the negro element in our popula-
tion. we apprehend that none can tbink that
it is well that the uneducated negroes OF
South Carolina should have th e prt ponder-
ating majority in numbers which they pos
sess in that stat. The political welfare OF
the Southern st ,tes depends upon their being
held in control Of their in elligent citizens,
and as the blacks are not now among this
| class it will be a great benefit to the state 10
| reduce their plumber. No doubt 1t is a loss
| to lose their labor 10 the material develop
ment of the state, but the compensating
political gain is indisputably OF greater
moment.
The Charleston Netcs is advised by the
| agents OF the associition that $500 to 5000
names of men won n, women aud children
| from the city of Charleston had been put
dow tor the exodus, aud that 30 900 or
| 40, 900 from outside the city had handed IN
| lheir names. The vagueuess wit which
these ii lures are stated ine.ines us to be~
| ieve that the agents of the association are
| some hat exaggeratiDg the magnitude of
the movement and the success of their
,ffJits, but it is important even if the
move msnt of the proposed emigrsnls
finally turns out to be much less than now
Anticipated. The plan OF the assocat on is
to take the emIgrauts upon their arrival III
M ,nrovia. after ten days voyage by inland
water from that city twenty three miles to
where the country begins to rise, al which
puint they will settle 1t being according
to Ge )rge Curtis, who seems to be the en-
thusi istlc leader OF the movement, beyond
/ the malarial belt. He declares ave can
no more be stopped than the children OF
of Is ae could be opp,d fIom COM
ing out OF Egypt" We are sure that no
sensible person will want to stop all the
colored people that want To go. We agree
heartily with Curtis In the b;lief Ilhat such
J an exodus will be for the benefit OF both
races in the South, and we wish that the
negroes who once more ind themselves
upon their native shore will be able there to
enjoy the benefits OF good government as
well rs the satisfaction OF social equality.
II is suggested by contemporary that il
is imp liic to send negroes to Liberia be-
cause " the inhIx OF emigrants WAS too small
to make any p srcepuble impression on th-
population ali eady there, while these latter
Oy coming into too frequent contact with
the wi tribes of the interior. were gradu-
ally losing what few or the elements or civil
lization they have left" The first of tnest
considerations can be obviated by encour
aging the emigration to as large degree al
possible, and the figures which the asent
mention indicate quite a suffi cient exodu
To make "percepuble Influence on thu
Llberian population. Secondly, If the pres
eut p lpulatlon OF That colony is losing ii
} elements of ciylliz ition The sooner 1t gets al
} iufux OF better p jpuldtlon the better for 1t
and the wider will be the opportuuitie
opeued to new comers.