Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1879-04-11
The Black IIcrira from the south.

NEARLY THREE THOUSAND NEGROES ALREADY
SENT PROM ST. LOUIS TO KASsAs-A POSITIVE
REFUSAL TO RETURN BECAUSE OF POLITICAL
OPPRESSION.
From letter to the New YorA Times under date Of
Apr4.l
The sensation in this part Of the country is
the exodus Of blacks from the South The
southern colorod people are making for the
river, and nothing but the most determined
efforts of the persons Interested in staying
their flight from intimidation will prevent the
depopulltion of large sections in Mississippi
and Louisiana. The tide OF emigration is
toward Kansas. Altogether, .. 100 emigrants
have passed through this city on the way to
the Mecca Of their dreams, and $50 others are
now here, unable to obtain transportation.
The hegm was begun at Nicksburg on the
9Th of March when $50 refugees boarded the
steamer Belle Of Memphis, bound for St.
Louis. Their expectations were the same as
those OF their followers. They believed Kansas
to be a land of "milk aud honey where they
could rise to afiuence in very short time.
They were confident they would be furnished
with free transportation from here to Kansas
aud on their arrival there be given 20 acres
Of land, a team OF mules and farm wagon,
household goods, aud large quantity of
food by the government. All of these things
were to be paid for, they thought, at such
times AS they had money to spare. They
knew nothing whatcv,ruf the nature Of Kan
sas or its people. OF the =. 100 cmigrants
who have gone 20 Kansas. not more than 400
paid their own way. The other $3.50 were
helped along 10y colorcd citizens of st. Louis.
Three African cations have given most
of the assistance. When the first boat-oad
arrived, the doors of these churches were
thrown open to shelter the INDECENT refugees,
aud never since have they been closed when
there was an emigraut mt the threshold. The
members of these churches are not in very
good circumstances, but they have cheerfully
given their labor and their earnings to their
unfortunate brethren. committee Of -
prominent colored men has charge Of the en-
igrants, who are lodged and fed and clothed.
This committee has expended about
$1,000 and has collected by subscription
Sl,Gs3, with which it has paid for the pas
sage Of helpless refugees to Kansas
So far, the white people here have shown
no sympathy for the emiguuts. and have Of
fered little assistance The Mullnnphy Emf
grant Relief Fund Association has given $50,
and that is about all the assistance the color
ed people have received from the whites.
Other contributions Of worthless articles OF
clothing have been handed to the committee,
but their value is so trivial that it is useless to
speak Of them. There is a significance in
this the city is thoroughly Democratic, and
its citizens have the old Bourbon instincts.
CAUSES or THE EXODUS.
The exodus itself is terrible condcmna-
tlon of the bull-dozing policy now pursued by
the white people of Mississippi and Louisiana.
According to the refugees, who have made
atiidayits TO the facts, they are robbed of
their political rights they are not permitted
to hold political meetings Of any kind, and
their lives are in danger If they attempt to
vote the Republican ;icket-all this in the
two hulwark States OF the Democracy.
well organized system Of terrorism prevails
there. The whites cannot and will not toler-
ate a smart negro they lock upon one as
fire brand. who is a constant menace to Dem
ocatic supremacy. There is no doubt that
the southern whites are determined to keep
the cOlorcd people in IL condition Of poverty
aud Ignorance quite rs degrading as slavery
was They are awar, OF the fact that the
crops on which the South is dependent can
be- raised only 10y negro labor. and they dread
lest these coiorcd men whose minds are cul-
tiyated shudld uulnk the chains of tyranny
and demand for their race just return for
their labor.
One familiar with the bad treatment ac-
corded to TIA. negroes in Louisiana and Miss
is,lpli j, and unfamiliar with the reasons for
that treatment. would naturally suppose that
Southern planters would be glad to get rid Of
them. Such Is not the case. Violent Oppo-
sition was made to their departure at many
places and in some cases the whites went so
far as to seize upon their portable property
to prevent their leaving. In a few instances,
however. the whites assisted them to go, but
those who assisted were what they termed
''agitators' other words sensible men,
more enlightened and with better idea Of
justice than their neighbors
What the negroes were charged for the
necesSaries of life in the South can be seen
from the following items, taken from bill
rendered 10y storekeeper to Louis Woods, a
coloryd rugrant One bu,hel of corn meal,
- wholesale price in St. Louis markets
- 10 per barrel; four pounds bacon sides,
- wholesale price in St louis . cents per
pound one plng Of tobacco - cents one
gallon molsS-s Sl.5O-St. louis price 80
cents per gallon; one bu,hel corn Sl.ao-
worth here about - cents; one steel pillow
Sl2: one pint whiskey - cents. The total
bin from March 10 Nov ~ footed up Sl37.-
81. and when three bales Of cotton had been
sold, and the proceeds turned over to the
storekeep'r, the darkey was still SiG2 in
debt