National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1879-04-08
THE NEGRO EXODUS.
Memorial to Congress from st. Louis.

memOfihl To congress from Sts LOuiss
Mr. Charlton II. Tandy, prominent colored
citizen of st. Louis, aud chairman Of the col
ored relief committee of that city, arrived in
Washington yesterday, bringing with Inn
memorial to Congress on the subject OF the
present migration of colorcd people from tho
South. This memorial is supported by ailida-
Wits taken among the omigrants, couched very
nearly in the quaint language of the people
themselves
The undersigned your memoralists, respectfully
represent that within the last two weeks there have
come by steamboats, up the Mississippi River, from
chiefly the States of Louisiana and Mississippi, and
landed at st. Louis Mo-, great number Of colorcl
citizens of the United States not less than 1000
composed Of men aud women, old and young, and
with them many OF their Children rms multitude
is eager to proceed to Kansas, and, without cXccp'
ton, so far as we have learned refuse ni oNertures
or inducements to return South, even II their pass
age back is paid for them.
The condition of the great majority is absolute
poverty; they are clothedi In thin garments for
the most part and while here have been supported
TO some extent by public, but mostly by private.
charity. The older ones are the former slaves of
the South--all now entitled To life and liberty.
The weather from their first advent in this
Northern city has been unusually cold. attended
with ice and snow so that their suilerings have
been greatly increased, and If there was IN their
hearts single kind remembrance OF their sunny
southern homes they would naturally give II eN'
preston now.
We have taken occasion TO examine INTO tnc
causes they themselves assign for Their cNtlaordi'
nary and unexpected transit and beg leave TO sub
init herewith the written statements of number
of individuals of the refugees, which were taken
without any effort to have one thing said more
than another ana to express the sense oil the Wit
ness In his own language os nearly rs possible.
The story is about the same in each instance
great privaton and want from excessive rent eN.
Noted for land. connected with murder of colorcd
negn09s ana threats OF 5er0h yo s i6S, U S
suffering and terror Election days and Christmas,
by the concurrent testimony seem TO have been
appropriated to killing the smart men, while rob
berry and personal violence IN one form and another
seem to have run the year round.
Here follows an abstract Of twenty alfdavits,
some of them detailing the vilest atrocities.
Tho memorial then continues:
We submit that the great migration of negroes
from the South is itself fact that Overhcars all
contradiction, and proves conclusivcIy that great
cause must exist at the South to account for II.
Here they are in multitudes not men alone, but
women aud children-old, middle aged and
yOung-with common consent leaving their old
homes in Il natural climate and facing storms end
unknown dangers to go to Northern Kansas. Why?
Among them little is said Of hope in the future
it Is all of fear in the past They not drawn by
the attractions of Kansas: they are driven by the
terrors of Mississippi ana Louisiana Whatever
becomes of them they are unanimous in their
unaerablc determination not 10 return. There
are others coming. Those who have come and
gone on to Kansas must suffer even unto death we
fear; at all events, more than any body of people
entitled to liberty and law. the possession of prop
CIy, llC tight 10 vote ana inc pursuit W
ness should DO compelled to suffer under a free
government from terror inspired by robbery,
threats, assaults, and murder.
The occasion, is we think, n fit one for us to pro-
test against state of affairs thus exhibited In those
parts of the Union ifomwhich these negroes come,
which Is not only most barbarous toward the negro,
but Is destructive 10 the constitutional rights Of all
citizens of common country.
II is intoleIoble to believe that with the increased
representation OF the southern States in Congress
those shall not be allowed freely TO east their bal.
lots upon whose right to vote that representation
has been enlarged.
We believe no government can prosper that will
allow such state of injustice to the body of its
people 10 exist. any more than society can endure
where robbery and murder go unchallenged. =,
We protest against the direfu necessities impell-
Ing this exodus and against the violation of com
mon rights. natural aud constitutional, proven TO
and.wc ask such action att the hands of our rep
resentntivcs and our Government as shall investi-
gate the full extent Of the causes leading TO this
unnatural state of affairs and protect the people
from its continuance, and not only protect liberty
and life, but enforce law and order.
| The memorial is sgned by Gustavus st. Gem
surveyor Of customs Samuel Hays, postmaster
at st. Louis William ii. Bliss, United States
district attorney; Enos Clark, judge IN bank
ruptcy John +. Long, eX-surveyor of customs
Henry p. Wyman, deputy collector; Nathan
Cole, David p. Dyer, L. S. Mctcaie, and G.. A.
| Fiulllenburg, eX.members of Congress John
b. Henderson, ex-United States Senator Da.
vid Wagner, Jude of the Supreme Court of Mis-
souri,; John +. Dillon, Judge of the United
States Circuit Court John w. Noble, xUnited
States district attorney; A. G. Edwards, United
States Assistant Treasurer; Thomas c. Fetch
er, Ex-Governor of Missouri; Eugene T. Wei
gel, eX-Secrctary of State of Missouri; Henry
Overstolz, mayor Democratl Of st. Louis; j
Milton Turner, ex-Minister to Liberia: JOIN
II. johnson, esq, John w. Wheeler, Rev. Sam
uel p. Anderson, and large number Of othe
prominent citizens, Independent of party, sta
tiOn, and race.
Mr. TAndy was met by a committee Of tn,
National Emigration Aid Society, who ar,
earnest in secOnding his efforts, 1t is expected
that Senator Window will present this vigor
Gus memorial, after conference with leading
Senators and Representatives to-day.
INDUCEMENTS TO EMIGRATION.
GALVESTON, TEX, April IA special dis
patch from Bolton to the Neus says ncgr
man and woman, living near here, witncsse
against Canterbury and Dobbins, indicted 10
rape, were murdered last night by five maske'
mon. The man was killed instantly, but tn
woman lived until morning. She stated tina
one of the Gssassins said no witnesses Shout
live to appear against Canterbury and Dot
bins.
Marriage Licenses.
The clerk of the court has issued mOlriag