The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1879-09-25
THE EXODUS.


assuming huge proportions. At frs
confined to Kansas, it now seems as
the whole North will receive
full share of this population. From
all parts of the South, from the borde
States, wherever there are negroes
the preparation goes on to leave fo
the Northern states. Even from
Missouri and Kentucky the exodus is
apparently, as great as from any othe
quarter. Only do they seem to b.
awaitingto acquire the means of going.
They are offering their crops for sale a
almost anything they can get in ordel
to be able to leave. They have Sent
agents out to Kansas to investigate
for colonies, and whether they repor
favorable or not-and many of thei
reports are hostile to removal-it al
ends the same way in a determination
to go. Let their emissaries report al
they will about the scarcity Of pro7is,
ions or the coldness of the climite OF
the want of work, there is one thing
that makes them forget everything
else, and that charm is social equality
There is the shibboleth that makes
them forget all else. There is the
magic influence that causes them tc
forget the other Inconvenience they
may meet. To have the glorious
privilege of sitting in a white mans
parlor or sit by white man in his
family circle; to he able to sit at his
table and be waited upon by white
people is so alluring to his vanity that
nothing will restrain him. All other
troubles or Inconvenience pale into
insignifcance by this wonderful con-
cessioE. Well do we remember the
report of the first emigrants to Kansas
when but few had sought its distant
climes. They wrote back that for the
first time they knew what freedom
meant. Here, we are as good as the
white folks, and we eat at their tables
and sit with them by their fires. This
charming message was more satisfac-
;ory 10 them than the report of the
spies sent into Canaan by the Jews.
They cared for nothing else so long as
this boon was granted. And what,
ever argument used to dissuade them
will avail nothing. Here they can
but feel the old slavery awe. They
are here in contact with those who
formerly owned them, and they do
not have that feeling Of freedom and
independence they would have away
from their ole nlassa. 1t will be re-
membered that Immediately after the
war the negroes, as rule, took natu-
rally to those who never owned a ne
gro; to those who were never able to
even hire one. They had negroes to
do all their work, while the old slave
holders could not even hire a cook.
The wives and daughters of men who
had owned a hundred slaves had to do
their own cooking and washing, while
persons not having FIVE cents to pay
the hire of cook, could get them at
any price or at no price at all. 1t
was the feeling of equality that led
them to this course. With this class
of people they felt free. They were
as good as the others were, and they
were willing to lose their work to have
this glorious privilege of independ-
ence. And it IS in extension of this
feeling that they still yearn after the
distant Northern lands. What the
effect of this removal will be, is
plain to the political economist. So
long as they are the sole hewers of
wood and drawers of water the white
people will not be found who will
take their place. There are numbers
of people, white people, in Tennessee
now who would gladly do service just
as it is done by people North, were
they not to be associated with the negro.
They feel degraded now when they do
menial ser 7ice, but if all the domestic
labor was done by white people, there
would be no such feeling. The SER
vice is not low or degraded only by as
sociation. A white man will hire by |
the month to do any kind of farm
work, but he will not do any work !
about the house, though it is far light
er and really more agreeable. He will |
drive wagon and jolt over a rough |
road all day long, but he won't drive
a carriage with ladies in it. He will |
plow i'll the hot sun all day at the will
of the employer, but he won't milk or
churn or black boots and make fires.
This is all the effect of association.
Then, were the negroes away, and
white servants once begin to come
down from the crowded North to do
the same work, there would be found
numbers of persons here now, and bad
y in need Of it, that would at once
gladly take service. But so long as
The negro remains here, they feel a
degradation in the association that
will make them suffer the direst pangs
IF want before they will yield them>
selves TO the same level. With this
view, and it is a true one, there will
De no great damage in an economic
point of view to the State by their de-
oarture, for better class of laborers
awaits their departure to take their
places, both in the farm and in the
chen.-NGshulIe Banner.
Johnny. little son of widow Allison,