The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1878-04-30
The Departure Of the Liberian I'M
migrants.

L
migrants.
The migration of the eolored people
from the Southern States has begun
They do not now seek Northern cline
for them. within the broad dominion oi
the United States, there is no East OF
West. no North or South. Wherever
they turn, in this great country. they
have and enjoy without struggle or la
Dor, tho rights and immunities won by
the white race in war, in travail and in
revolution. TO them freedom, with its
privileges aud responsibilities, came as a
gift. And the first great use they make
of it is, to turn their faces to the land
of their fathers, leaving behind them
the security and order Of civilization to
build up dwelling-place in the ungle
or desert. And who shall blame them ?
The colored people did their part in
making this country what it is. Build
ing better than they knew, their hands
achieved work that a higher race
could no, have performed When the
time was ripe, when the task was done,
their condition Of life was changed by
the stroke of pen, and the colored
millions we're confronted by duties of
which they had no conception, and by
industrial limitations and restrictions
for which they were wholly unprepared'
A period of riot and drbauchery is fol-
lowed by period Of good government
and peace. But deep down in the
hearts vf those who felt. deep-seated in
the brain Of those who thought, was the
sad conviction that. in tho struggle for
life. the 6ttest must survive, aud that
there Is no place for the freedman on
the vast continent Of America. This
conviction is formulated and crystallizNd
in the project for a general emigration
to Africa. 1t is the key to the en-
thusiasm. the burning zeal, with which
tho colored people enter into the Libcr-
ian movement. II is born Of their fears
and necessities, as they understand
them. They look to Africa as the exile
longs for home. And their trust is that
they will be able, in that wild land, to
create sin,ulacrum of American civili-
cation, bciug there the superior race, MS
here they must always remain the
lowest in the social scale.
The friends of the colored peopla
doubt the wisdom Of their course, but
reasoning and argument are of no avail.
They are moved. with one accord, to
shake the dust of this fair country from
their feet. and are not daunted by stories
of the privation and hardship Inevlta-
bly, in store for them. They regard
themselves as missionaries, as apostles.
There arc few who do not cheerfully
abandon comforts here that they cannot
soon enjoy in their new homes. They
who sail in the Azor from Charleston
to-day are, in intelligence and thrift
ness, higher than the average Of their
race, for they have, at least, the means
10 equip themselves for the voyage, and
the courage to stake their existence on a
desperate chance. The Southern peo-
pie, therefore, look upon these dusky
emigrants with kindly compassion.
They were once our slaves; they are
now, before the law, our equals they
were, not long since. our oppres'ors.
But the South remembers their natural
good.heartedness, their simplicity, and,
above all, their sublime fidelity during
tie dark and bloody days when the
white men Of the South were in the
forefront Of battle, and our women and
children, at home, were committed to
the Keeping Of The humble African
slave. So the Southern people wish
the cmigrants. most sincerely, complete
success in their undertaking, and bid
them in onc voice, God-speed !
Upon the course of the two hundred
who Fail in the Axor to-day. upon the
nature of recep ion in Liberia.
and upon The character of their new
homr, it's drawbacks and its disadvan-
tages. depend. in large measure. the
future movements Of the millions who
watch and walt in the Sonrh. II is,
,ncrecrr. ol supreme consequence that
the pain uuvarrishcd truth shall b.
known aud that. dark or bright, good
or bad cheerful or sorr"wful, the tale
of the African Exodus shall be faith
Gully told. From Charleston, where
the last cargo OF slaves were landed, the
first ship.load of color"d emigranls
sailing at their own charge, are about tc
take their departure. 1t is met that
Charleston shall follow them with
wa,chiul eye. for their own encourage
ment, and for the guidance Of those
who rcmuiu behind. The Exodus As
ISOLATION, it is just to say, have this
desire. and are anxious that the whole
truth shall be published. We shall
therefore, send out on the Aaor tc
Liberia, az our representative, MIR. Al
fred b. Williams, one Of the most
trusted members OF the Ne,os ano
Com Ter staff. This young Virsiniar
will 90 with the emigrants to Monrovla
and his graphic pen vii! give the whole
country a trustworthy account of thu
voyage and arrival, together with
description of the different phases o
industrial and social life in Liberia, ant
of the hill-couutry to which the oml
rrants propose to wend their way