New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-08-15
THE NEGRO IN THE NORTH.
mu.r rREEpoM HAs DoNEsFoR HIM.

.,.vys IN OHIo-CoNDuIoN OF THE NEGRO IN
INDIANA, MISSOURI AND Observation-Disclosures
roN-THK ISFLUENCE OF WHITE MEN.
r. me EdftOr OF TIE Tribune.
SIR: By the viii Of John Randolph all the
,,ayes on his Virginia estates we're manumitted and
provision was made for their settlement in Ohio Judge
leigh the executor Of Mr.. RandOlphs WILL purchased
cor the freed blacks $500 Of land in Mercer
county on the Miami and Erie Canal, and provided
money their maintenance until their lands could be
made productive In June 1916 he took the Randolph
fyeedmcn their new home but so great was the op
poou Of the population surrounding the lands pur-
chased the cOlored colony that Judge Leigh not
allowed 10 settle his wards I'm the home he had selected
for them. Mob law prevailed and armed men threatened
the lives Of the negroes aud Of Judge Leigh attempt
was made to their effects from the boats on
which they had been shipped. Some OF the men. who
had sold their land and received the money for it,
roared with rifles their hands TO prevent the rightfu
owners Of the property they had parted with from using
g. These afterward succeeded in buying back the
land they had sold at prices much less than the sum
they had obtained for it. The neghbOrhood almost
unanimously Democratic and hatred Of the black man
was displayed with all the intolerance OF the
political party that for generation was the ally Of
slavery.
Defraudcd OF their heritage and having rights that
Democratic white men, in free State, would re-
spec these abused freedmen wereaken by Judge Leigh
70 Piqua, in Miami County, some fifty miles north of
their intended destination, and there placed in camp
until provision could be made for their permanent set
Element With what ready money was In his possession
Judge Leigh purchased small bOmesteads for the older
members OF the colony numbering in all some $50 souls
found situations laborers for the young men and
places IS hOnse-servants for she young women-in
instances securing homes for entire families
farms, thus preventing far possible, the
separation OF families. The colony broken into
fragments but all settled in and around four towns
Sidney, Piqua Troy and West Milton the latter a
Onak I'm a DrObQbifV better for
the negroes that they scattered this rather
than settled together the land purchased for them
end surrounded they would have been with hostile
ignorant and bigoted people.
In all this company Of 45O men, and children
there was not mUlatto. The African blood had been
preserved in its purity and they among their
neghDors perfect types ofpantatiOn jewellers. They
were ignorant and supersttiOus-some Of them practs
ing the fetish rites Of their ancestors Some Of the
children could read to very limited extent but this
was all the school education there among them
They had TO be taught everything Plantation methods
Of work would not answer Ohio farms, and men and
women had 70 be taught children TO perform the
most simple operations Thus they obliged to I'M
learn old ways and begin all the actions Of life anew
They were awkward and inapt but fortunately were
among friends who possessed kindness and patience,
and who anxious help them to the of self
support The oreditabe manifestation Of the older
members the colony their anxiety for the education
their children. They debarred from the public
SCHOOLS. ONO naO not yet TedCueu pulut
ment when the education Of cOlOred children was re
earded as necessary to the welfare the state and
these children were educated at all IL must be at the
pense their parents who gladly used portion OF the
money bequeathed them by their late master Randolph
for this purpose. young man was found who agreed
take charge of the school 1t required much moral
courage for him to do this there strong prejudice
against doing anything for the cOlOred that looked
ike eevating it, Many fOretOld dreful consequences
to our institutions from the black mans ballot The
young school teacher jeercd and derded but his
and his principle Of right sustained him, and he
served the his engagement. winning the graft
ude Of his pupils and the respect Of those who had made
him the object Of their ridcue.
This interest In education has been maintained among
this colony OF Virginia negroes since their settlement In
Ohio thiry-One years ago. There has been nothing
arkabe however IN their development; that a. there
have been individual instances OF marked superiority.
The older members have almost all died. and the second
generation take their places very considerably In ad
vance the condition Of their immediate prOgenitOrs
They have been pushed forward however by force Of
surrounding circumstances and more 10 external
influences than Inherent qualities OF their Their
history shows what may be made by careful culture Of
most nnprOmising subjects for instruction. In politics
they strongly Republican In morals they compare
very faVOraby with any equal number Of white persons
The development noticed has been general-no par
hcular instance arresting attention While some have
learned trades aud few have shown aptitude in business
the majority have been content remain day labor
ers Too many the latter indOent and frivolous
caring only the present hour Their numbers have
decreased somewhat; but this statement need not
strengthen the views OF those who argue the extinction
Of the negro race United States the proportion
Of old persons In the colony very large, and the
deaths consequently, have been in excess Of the births
THE INDIANA NEGRO
The Constitution Of Indiana, promulgated in 1852
prohibits the settlement OF negroes and muattOes with
IN the State. Some negroes had obtained homes pre-
vOnsy, but up 10 the OF the rebellion there
Onlyea few thousand, all told, permanently estab-
Ished in Indiana. During the occupancy Of Kentucky
By the Union forces large number Of negroes sought
protection within the Federal lines, and the brightest
and nartes Of these pushed further north. Many OF
this class gathered Indianapolis, and there formed
very considerable COMMUNICATING together one
part OF the city cOmpactly possible. These have
remained there have built churches. acquired property
to considerable extent and manifested at all times
much interest IN education and politics While they
have maintained some schools Of their OWL they have
also had provided for them schools at the public
pence and Of the grades and character those at
tended by white children. Their importance and in
tegenee have been recognized by the Republicans Of
the city and State and places have been accorded them
frequently on the local and State party committees.
The eolOFed element has also furnished canal commits
t0Der member Of the city council for Indianapolis and
apresdeBt Of its Board Of Health and 1t Is always rep
resented lis police force IL must be remembered,
however, that majority Of those settling there dur
tug the and since, what might be named be
longing to the better OF negroes that s TO say,
those naturally most intelligent and capable Of improve
Their history forms an interesting study and
iher further progress viii be noted with pleasure by
Every philanthrOpst.
One fact must not be overlooked. The leading men
among them politicians most invariably mulattoes
xae their religions teachers Of pure African blood.
Sa 90 rare as not 70 aeet its correctness AID elder