Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1879-04-16
may prove disastrous to the emigr
very Injurious to the agricultural int
the SOUTH"
Rtatament by Senator PIum


Statement by Senator Plum
WASHINGTON, April 10.-It is re
from Mississippi and Louisiana thu
exodus of negroes from those
neighboriny States is due, not
their ill-treatment, but the notions with.
which their simple minds are filed by~G6G-
scrupulous agents of the KanssS railroads
and land companies. Senator Plumb, of
Kansas, who is thoroughly familiar with all
the material interests of his State, pronounces
this story to be utterly without foundation.
The managers of railroads IN Kansas, he
says, are seeking to dispose of their lands,
and have advertising agents in the northern
States and in Europe; but their object is not
by any means philanthropic one. They adj
dress themselves only to the class of people
among whom they can find positive pur-
chasers for their lands, and not to the penni-
less and, possibly, helpless portion of any
community. Senator Plumb is unable to un-
derstand why the colored people of the south
west have fixed their hearts upon his State as
their land of promise, and declares, from his
own knowledge, that it is not in consequence
of any movement to draw them thither by
the people of Kansas. If the multitude that
is likely to make its way toward that State is
as vast and as poverty stricken as recent re-
ports would indicate, Senator Plumb says it
is unavoidable that there should result great
deal of suffering among them. Those who 60
to the State would find present shelter and
employment, with chance for the future
dependent ON their own industry and thrift.
But their tendency usually Is to congregate
in the towns, and this, the senator believes,
is fraught with evil both to themselves and
the communities to which they go. Kansas
is now filing up at the rate of two or three
hundred thousand Immigrants each year, al
most entirely from the more frugal and en-
terprisiDg classes of the east and of Europe.
She is abundantly able to accommodate with
homes all who may come to her for years;
yet, from the nature of the case, they should
come prepared to care for themselves.
How the Negroes are Duped.
The st. Louis Christian Aduocate quotes
from the st. Louis Presbyterian circular,
copies of which are said to have been dis
tributed extensively in Mississippi and Lou
isiana. This circular, which is Endorsed
'strictly private, is as follows:
"OFFICE OF CoLoRED CoLoNIzATIoN SOCIETY,
TOPEKA, KS, February ?, 1879. !
Attention! Colored Men.
"Your brethren and friends throughout
the north have observed with painful solicit
tude the outrages heaped upon you by your
rebel masters, and are doing all they can TO
alleviate your mlseres and provide for your
future happiness and prosperity. President
Hayes, by his iniquitous southern policy, has
deserted you, while the Democrats, who now
have control of congress, will seek to enslave
you if you remain in the south, and to pro-
tect you from their designs the colonization
society has been organized by the govern
ment to provide land tor each head of a fam
lily, which will be given in bodies of one hum
bred and sixty acres gratuitOusly. This land
is located in the best portion of Kansas, in
close proximity TO Topeka, and is very pro-
ductiVe. Here there are no distinctions in
society; all are on an equality. Leave the
10 - anI 70 froa
'LYCURGUS p. JONES, President.
"Show this circular to none but colored
men, and keep its contents a secret"
1t is almost impossible to believe that
such a cruel piece of deception as this could
be practiced upon these poor, harmless, igno-
rant people-a barbarity worse by far than
the most atrocious of the outrages attributed
to the "bulldoz5rs but the evidence that
the colored people have been designedly
duped is growing stronger from day to day.
The AdrOcate quotes the Presbyterian fur
Their as avering that ''some of the poor crea-
lures" have discovered how grossly they have
been deceived, and "have written to their
white friends in'the south asking help to re-
turn home. All of them will be similarly
enlightened when they reach their journey S
end" The st. Louis Globe Democrat, good
Republican authority, also reports that some
of the victims of the Kansas fever are very
sick of it already, and are longing to Ego
nome AGAIN. lhr6S OF IHem returned 10
their former residences in Madison parish,
Louisiana, few days ago, the means having
been furnished them by their late employers.
These denied that they had been lll-treated
In Louisiana, and said they habitually voted
the Republican ticket without molestation.
These men had voluntarily called on firm
of st. Louis cotton brokers and asked to have
their passages paid for the homeward voyage.
They said they had no particular reason for
leaving the south except that they'd 'hearn
tell'' of Kansas, and ''as all de peo-
pie was talkin' about comm" they Jest
huddled up their things and come along.
They had been sick ever since they came to
st. Louis, and were very eager to get back.
One of them said he meant to warn ''all de
folks" against turning their faces up the
river and looking for Kansas. When he was
home, he said, II had a nice garden, four
teen hogs, mules and pillow, and everything,
and cou d lay down at my ease and enjoy the
water drank. But l went north, and here
am, homeslck and nigh distracted. Folks
in the north don't want you niggahs, and
don't you CO." There is indeed proof that
folks in the north" do not want the colored
emig :ants. At meeting held in Wyan-
dotte, Kansas, where there are twelve hun
bred of these expatriated freedmen, destitute
and suffering, it was declared and resolved
that the community was not able to take
care of the emigrants any longer, and the
course, there are no government lands IN any
accessible section for these people to take up,
and the claim of the Colored colonization So
ciety of Topeka, that quarter sections of good
soil are in its control for gratuitous dlsrlbu-
ton in close proximity to that city, is as ut
terly false as all the other statements made
in the circular.