Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-05-22
The Colored Exodus.

Ihe COlOfe0 EXO0u0s
THE QUESTION DISCUSSED BY MARSHAL DOUG
LASS AND PROF. GRERNBR.
Last night at Douglass Hall, in Hillsdale
lover the Eastern branch), there was public
discussion between Prof. r. T. Greener and
Marshal Douglass, on the colored exodus ques-
ton. There was fair proportion Of the white
DE- Green called the m meeting to
order and Mr.. Solomon G. Brown was elected
chairman, with Mr.. John A. Moss secretary. 1t
had been mutually agreed that each speaker
occupy 20 minutes at time, and that MI.
Douglass would begin.
MR.. DOUGLASS OPENED THE DISCUSSION,
saying it was to be expected he would desire 10
held up and made target of and charged VIII
being recreant to his race, because OF tne poot
| ton he had taken on the EXODUS nlosei4 1t
His side appealed more directly 10 reason Juan
feeling and addresses to reason are the safest.
He read
A SERIES OF RESOLUTIONS
&c bts views These resolutions, while denOun-
eng the murderous spirit shown towards the
col0red people In the south, declare that the
so-caIied exodus is not the proper and perma-
nent remedy for the evils set forth; that the
President OF the United states should ascertain
ard respect the best Judgment of the people,
and it is therefore necessary that the public
mind should not be confused by false issues:
halfway measures or evasions; that it should
be held that allegiance and protection are in
separabie and the government is solemnly
bound to protect its citizens, &C.; that the pub
OF the colored people is necessarily an Indirect.
abandonment OF this great and paramount
principle, an attempt to climb up some other
way than the true way, for 1t comedies that in
the south the constitution cannot be enforced:
that the moral effect Of this premature surren-
der Is damaging to our cause and disheartentng
to the hopes OF our friends, and the exodus is
evidently the result OF q narrow and imperfect
view Of the moral and political forces engaged
in our behalf; that they who would solve the
problem OF freedom and free institutions by
whole question OF equal rights upon southern
SOIL an open question, with the confession Of
the 1mpracubillty Of equal rights; that no
such makeshift as this exodus manifestly is
can De or ought to be accepted by our people as
a substitute for the due and proper enforce
ment OF tie thirteenth, fourteenth and fif-
teenth amendments that until these amend
mentS OF the constitution are enforced in every
state the government Of the United States
would be shOrn Of its rightful power and the
authority OF the individual state placed above
that OF the United States; that the exodus tends
to promote restlessness among our people; that
one OF the most plausible enemies of the anti
slavery movement was the exodus scheme to
Africa, presented to the colored man with the
idea that the Atlantic was his Red Sea, Africa
his land OF Canaan, the Colonization Society his
Moses, and that Divine Providence was leading
bun on to land Of safety: that it did much to
da1ken counsel, confuse judgment and benumb
the natural conscience; that at this time, when
the President has reached the limit of his con
Citation policy and sounded a halt, when the
SSCpuO VI pOutlCdl pOW6I Is soon 10 pass from
the party OF revolution, the exodus movement
is particularly unfortunate, as it strengthens
the argument Of the inability OF the cOlored
fortunate at time so full Of hope and courage
that cry Of despair should be raised and set
OF men sent over the country to solicit money
the exodus and to give their eEenies an arsa
ment in support OF the inability of the people
to take care OF themselves; that the fact that
only the few leave and many remain, shows
there is sim life and hope for the colored man
In the south, and he may yet rise there to man.
hood and power; that while it Is telling and
startling protest against tyranny and oppres-
the good 1t is capable Of that the exodus, as a
measure Tor strengthening the political power
OF Tue col0red people or the republican party,
will prove mistake and 4 failure, and will
make more votes for the democrats than the re-
publicans; that it takes them from country
Where they have monopoly OF the demand for
labor, and Will place them In a country where
they will have no such monopoly; that this
exodus does not conform to the laws OF civiliz-
Ing immigration or to the laws of geography.
Sucn, MI Douglass said, are the views for the
holding OF which he had been denounced.
PREP. GRRKNKR THINKS 1T NO WONDER MR.. DOUG
LASS FRELS SAFE.
ME-. Greener, referring to the resolutions, said
IL would take some time to discuss them, but
he had no doubt he could controvert each one.
He pictured the condition OF affairs In the south
and read afhdavits from the Mayor OF st. Louis
ana OtnerS. AS for protection, he claimed that
not a single murderer Of a negro had been
brought to trial, and that the government had
shown Its 1ncapacity or disincltnatfon to pro-
tect the cOlOred race. 1t was no wonder that
MIR. Douglass feels safe when the navy yard ia
In sight OF his house and the monitors are rid
Ing In the little haven In sight. No wonder he
Mr.. DOUGLASS HAS HOPES OF THE FUTURE.
Mr.. Douglass replied, saying that it was
somewhat singular that this exodus did not
OF cur until the Introduction of the Window bin
Il negro. He denied that this exodus was ga a
solution Of the question as to the destiny of the
negro. He believed that the negro could live
fremont Temple, insulted on cars and steam
bt ats In Massachusetts, and you might have
said then there was no protection for the negro,
was time when the Irish were insulted. when
conventS were burned, and In New York the
brains OF infant negroes had been dashed out
BE had faith that peope Of the so1th so now
whom there were some bad men, will see that
they are doing wrong and will yet respect the
dition OF colored people In Kansas, reading an
article from the Cherokee Adrocate and a letter
from Rev. Mr.. Watson, endorsing his (Mr. D.'s)
reason to believe that these people viii not be
wen treatt there. He would say, "Stand at
your posts"
PROF. GREENER SAYS MIR. DOUGLASS DON'T
HOW IT is HIMSELF.
Prof. Greener replied at some length, stating
mat MT. Douglass and one other were the only
prominent colored men opposed to this move
ment. That the cOlOred men are not protected
Is app aren't, also the fact that the exodus Is O
necessity. Those engaged in it know better
than we, and much better than Mr. Douy
who had never been south. The speaker gave
the names OF G. Il. Downing, II. Highland Gar.
nett and others who were, with Burch. Straker
PlnchDack and others, On their SIDE Mr. Doug
lass says stay little longer, and urges that Mr.
Hi, OF Vicksburg, opposes the move.
ment. Mr.: Il. holds an ONCE and win
stay, OF course. Mr.. Greener read a letter of
Governor st. John, of Kansas stating that
5o,ooo or the immigrants had gone TO work the
TACT was the negro, for the first time, had woke
up 10 following the advice OF Mr. Greeley. 500
west" He proposed that, as he could not
now answer all the resolutions, that they shonld
rot DE adopted, but that Mr. Douglass discuss
them With him at Lincoln Hall.
PROPOSITION ACCEPTED FOR A CoNrIyuANcr oP
THE DISCUSSION,
Mr.. Douglass accepted the above proposition.
1or further discussion. He referred to Greecer
having told him that he was going south when
the black man was apower, but he did not stay
only when he held Office, as did Mr. Hill, and he
elaine that II the negro stood his ground that
ne would be respected.
Mr. Gfeener briefly replied, and the meeting
adJoul ned without taking action on the resolu
ioDs. 1t was understood that there will be
another discussion as soon as ARRANGEMENTS can
be made. A