New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-04-02
THE EXODUS TO THE NORTH.

is dcpriviDg the South of large numbers OF
its working population, and is proving a
source of irritation and alarm to the planters.
A letter from st. Louis, printed below, de-
scribes the scenes attending the arrival OF
thousands of the cOlOrcd men in that city.
The refugees were quartered in the base
ments of the colored churches, and otherwise
provided for by their race. The majority OF
them are bound for destinations in Kansas.
A letter from Washington says that the
refugees take almost as many precautions
TO make good their escape from Mississippi
as they did in slavery times. The man
ner in which Mississippi is affected
is described at length. Congressman
Phillips explains this unexpected migration In
letter to The TRIBUNE which is printed
below.
CROWDS PASSING THROUGH ST LOUIS.
THEIR APPEARANCE AND The STORY THEY TILL
THOUSANDS on THEIR WAY To KANsAs-REA-
SONS FOR TIE MOvENENI-CHARTY OF THEIR
RACE.
IYRoM An OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE
ST. LOUIS, March 26.-It was stated in the
morning papers of sunday. March 10, that news had
been received by the Mayor that steamer loaded with
COO negroes would arrive day; that fears
fertained they might bring disease and South
ern fevers, and also that they In an al
most totally destitute condition. and would
probably become Raupers on the city5 care Inc
Mayor, in alarmed haste. caused circulars to
be printed circulated boats going down the river
and elsewhere warning ColOred people without means
from coming to ST. Louis. telling them that they were
being duped they mad persuaded to come etc
1t was debated by the city officers whether the boat
should quarantined; but this neGatived. rs 1t
was the general opinion that the negroes would enjoy
being supported 10 quarantine.
About noon on Sunday the steamer arrived. 1t was a
very cold day; heavy storm prevailing and
the wind blew a perfect gale. The negroes were IN.
loaded at wharf and their miserable stores OF house
hold goods and bundles OF baggage set down in
the snow. truly pitiable spectacle than
they were, men. women and children, wretchcdly
clad looking starved and desperate. II would be d
fcult ~ imagine To the everlasting credit Of the col
ored people Of St Louis let il he said that the news OF
their arrival and miserable condition having been made
known az the different cooIcd churches, II was decided
TO invite these wretched refugees to shelter in base
ents three large churches in the lower part OF the
city. The pastors Of the churches. accompanied 10y
others, went down TO the wharf, extended the invitation
and soon a motley procession filing through The
streets, following these truly Christian leaders. The
expressions were and loud the part Of the
that God had sent them GevrreTs, and many
were the hallcujahs and cries OF Glory to Cod
tolc ye de LORD would help us" that from hun
dreds OF grateful hearts.
In the Easements OF these churches all who arrived
during the past week, numbering over 800, were TEN
pOrdIiy accommodated Beds made III the pcws
and the floor, and cOnyrIicnCes for cooking were
.mproyiscd. Here they visited by a very few
white people and 10y hundreds of thCr colored brethren
from the city In Appearance they looked Ike any
binary congregation Of coiored people with the excep
ZION that they most wretchedly clad, especially
the men, aud that there large proportion of small
children and very old people asked more than hfty
different men why they left tho South. They all told
exactly the story They said that they Couldn't
make anything; that they had to rent land
OF a price Ia cotton equalling $40 an acre and
had to bay all their provisions Of the planters. who
sold these TO them at such prices that at
The end of the year they nearly always in debit
that If they would get little ahead the white folks
would contriye in some TO get it, they said there
we're no laws protect them either in their contracts
or their property and that II they complained or at
tempted make trouble they afraid Of their
lives. This indeed, seemed To be one of their main
complaints 1t their almost invariable reply when
asked about voting that they didn't vote much FOR they
were afraid TO- As to the causes OF simultaneous
emigration they gave vague replies. / could not dis
cover that any means whatever had been used by
Northern people, either colOred or white 10 induce
them 10 away. They said they heard that
there was Government land in Kansas, and they
thought 1t would ne better to go there and
get 1t than to pay go where they
were. [ SAID that they going 10 much colder
climate and TO a country where fuel was scarce. They
replied that they might well freeze TO death starve
10 death; they bad TO live on milestone chips where
they came from, and they cOuldn't do worse IN
Kansas while they least would not be in terror OF
their lives Every suggestion of returning the south
was indignantly rejected. They we're informed that
the Anchor Line of steamboats, would take them back
free but they spurned tue idea They seemed afraid,
Also any other place than Kausas Word received
from Iowa that several hundred could get employment
"a. ID in a uFW
afraid Iowa down South Kansas they knew was
the friend Of the cOlOrod people Most Of them were
very ignorant, very few being able to read asked
them how they got money TO get away, and was told
that they sold Off anything and everything they had for
Just enough money to pay their passage TO st. Louis
the fare being 81 apiece. Hundreds had Of
money and when asked what they were going to do,
generally replied "dunnO"
While | was going around among the refugees, Mr..
James T. Smith, prominent and highly respected
coored citizen here who has good position in the post
Office, introduced to me. said TO him: " What do
you think OF the wisdom of all these people leaving
homes IN THIS way - he replied " MADAM, Judge for
Yoursef look at these people you eau tell in moment
every COiOIcd man woman who belongs TO st. LOuls
from those who from the South just by their
Appearance Ii is certainly proof to my mind that the
colortd people are much worse of down South than
those North; therefore they justified
in seeking TO better themselves" asked HIM If the
eOloIed people here going TO help them, and
he replied that they doing and would do
Everything IN their power; he said very few white
folks were taking the least interest helping ALL
but hoped the coOred people would he equal
the emergency, for his opinion this but the be-
ginning OF the great heQra OF their brethren frsm a
land where they could maintain themselves against
the fearful odds presented. He then asked at
tend their meeting 20 be hed that evening for the
purpose If taking action upon the subject
The mass meeting certainly one Of the most In
tertsiing scenes have witnessed. II held
large church belonging TO the colored people After