New-York tribune., 1879-04-11
SENATOR WINDOWS VIEWS.


ACTION, But OF DESIRE TO ESCAPE FROM
OPPREssION-A TEMPORARY INJURY But AN
ULTIMATE BENEFIT To THE SOUTH.
TBT TELEGRAPH THE TRIBUSE.l
WASHINGTON, April 10.-SenatOr Window has
made a more recent and careful study Of the race
problem In tins country than any other man in public
lfo and the following opinions, expressed by him IN
conversation to-day with correspondent of The
TRIBUNE, touching the underlying and the
probable results of the present negro exodus from
the South will be read with the interest which the
Importance of the subject and Senator WINDOWS
familiarity with it awaken.
"What is the origin of the exodus 7" asked the
representative of THE TRIBUNE. Does 1t spring
from among the coIored people themselves, or is it
a device Of their friends in Washington and the
North to improve their condition.
81 am confident" said the Senator in reply, "that
it originated wholly among themselves at the South.
and that 1t was not inspired or stimulated by any
outside influences Tho movement is a touching
and powerful protest against oppression and
wrong; spontaneous expression OF despair
from a people whose condition Is too
intoerable for longer endurance. In some
parts of the South these people have for
years been the victims Of despotsm more cruel
and relentless than was ever endured by the
citizens of any other nation pretending to be free.
Entitled to all the rights and privileges of American
citizens, and yet prosecuted, whipped, murdered,
driven from their homes, and subjected to the most
Infamous barbarsms if they presumed to exercise
the dearest rights of citizenship s il surprising
they have resolved to leave their wretched homes,
which afford neither security for the present
nor hope for the future, and brave any peril and
deprivation rather than repeat the terrors and suf-
ferings of the past 1t Is possible that political OPP
po+b bov hon IN his
act of desperation but when cheated out of the
results of their labor, deprived of the chance to
earn living and threatened with practical slav-
cry they can see no terrors the untried plains of
the West at all comparable to the hopeless
wretchedness of their present condition"
EXTENT OF THE MOVEMENT.
"How far does the movement spread among the
colored peoplep
"The feeling which has produced the exodus from
Mississippi and Louisiana pervades the Cotton States,
but is much more intense in those localities where
the prosecutions and expressions have been greatest
Since my resolution Of inquiry was published. some
three months ago. have received great many let
ters from all parts of the South, and they uniformly
express the desire, viz: to get away from
their present homes and go to some
place where their lives, liberty and prop
erty will be secure, and where their
this feeling is very widespread, and that it is daily
becoming stronger and more determined. In many
parts of the South emigration societies have been
formed for the purpose of preparing for general
exodus where they can find the means and the OPP
portunity to co."
"Is the present exodus from Mississippi the re-
sult of concerted plan which extends to other parts
of the Southl"
"No. | think there Is no concerted plan and
no general organization among them for
this purpose A common wretchedness and
despair has created common desire to 90.
which IN some places has found expression
in n general stampede such as that on the Lower
Mississippi River. while in Others II IS eyincng
more discretion in the organization Of the local EN-
igration societies to which have referred"
20 Is this movement on The part OF the coOred peo-
pie inspired by any partisan political motive on pur-
'"None whatever so far as / know. I have no
doubt the accession of the Democratic party to
power in all the Southern States. and in both
houses of Congress, has stimulated it very conSld-
erably The negro knows that the solidlh-
cation of tho South, and the revival under the
new name of home rule of the old secession
doctrine of State sovereignty, means either his
extinction or his entire subugation to the VIII OF
his old masters. He knows that for the
present tine sceptre has passed from the
hands of his friends in Congress, and that
during the two years of Democratic ascendency no
effort will be spared to tighten his chains and re-
duce him to still moro seryilo condition. lf this be
pOsgtble He hears f1lnOfs OF Intended Cudllgt7 III
state Constitutions, and of tho repeal of United
States laws which were passed for the pro
lection of his liberty and the enforcement OF his
rights: and he thinks the time may not De distant
Wien the auction block will be again reustated as
one OF the institutions of the south. Indeed,
ne has already seen II relnstated III some l0cal-
itios where the services of COlOred men nave
heen sold for certain period OF time for the liqu-
dation of debts real or fictitious and they are I'M
able to why, If man may be 6od ior SIX months
OF a year, lie may not be SOLD tor me-
"What effect will the movement have on the
condition of affairs at the South, both political and
industralT
hat is a difficult question, but as have very
decided opinions with regard to it, will
venture to state them very briefly. As
suming that the movement IS to go on,
"a it certainly will unless checked by
better treatment of the cOlored race, Its first et
feet may prove detrimental to the industrial inter
ests of the South. but its ultimate results VIII DO
very advantageous. The migration OF
small percentage OF the Diick popuia-
,ion from those districts where they are
now sost numerous would remove from the
whites tho fear of negro rule which they
ard nc the drest evil that can befa them. and to
nrevent which they have organized upon the color
line, Il isin these districts that the White Liners,
rho Ku-Klux and the Night Riders have piled
tb.ir shocking barbarisms for the purpose
of tcrrorizing the colored citizen. and there
bv preventing him from exercising his
nolitical rights. If this dread of negro rule
was withdrawn by the exodus Of portion Of the
colored people, the color line would soon dlsap-
near from the politics of the South, because
there would be no inducement TO MAINTAIN II,
and with its disappearance political parties
yonld reorQanize upon other issues, and the negro
would soon become an important factor in the
party politics of that section ms would
on far TO restore peace and order at thc
Sorth. and thereby TO invite the capital