Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1879-04-04
GOING WEST
Stampede of Negroes from the Cot
ton Region.

ton Region.
New Orleans Times, March %.
The sensation of the day is, of
course, the stampede of negroes
from the cotton region of the State.
The effects of this exodus are al
ready being felt; they are very Sc
rious in their nature and must be
seriously regarded. 1t is no use for
journals in this city to cry ''peppy-
COCK and ''gammon. Would it
were! The negroes, like flock of
frightened sheep, or a drove of in
sane swine, are making head first to
the river, and nothing but the most
determined efforts will prevent the
depopulation of the upper country.
The causes of this fright have al
ready been described, and, when
the character of the negro is con-
sidered, these causes appear suffi>
GENTLY reasonable. An additional
incentive to action on their part
comes from the favorable report
made of the prospects of the ne
groes vino have already left
for Kansas. 1t is we'll known
that the colored churches in
St. Louis have banded together and
are furnishing the needed assistance.
In this work the local committees
are aided by the Anti-Slavery So
ciety of New York. This society
has already sent large amount of
money and supplies of clothing to
St. Louis to be distributed among
the negroes who arrive there. The
result is that the negroes are we'll
received, clothed and sent on their
way rejoicing towards Kansas.
What is more, there is lawyer in
this city who intends to go shortly
to Kansas to attend to the settle
ment of the legal status of the ne
groes in that country. The negroes
know these things, and therefore
the pu )lication thereof will not act
as an extra inducement to them, as
same persons seem to think. They
would be published, however, were
this not true, the object of the pub
licatiOn beng to open the eyes of
the people Of this State and show
them what is about to happen. The
trouble will not be confined to one
or two planters, but threatens to
affect the whole State, and the
sugar region must suffer when the
cotton region is overgrown with
cottonwood trees and weeds.
Not a week ago came an extern
sive planter to this city to arrange
for advances on his coming crop.
He made satisfactory arrangements
and was on the point of returning
home when there arrived telegram
telling him his hands had left. In
consequence, his arrangements had
to be cancelled, and he is a ruined
man. Every day the same scene is
enacted in this city. The cotton
planter wishes advances; and COM
mission merchants ask what are his
prospects. What, indeed, are his
prospects under the present condi-
tion of things? There seems to be
hardly any remedy except perhaps
were some Of the men who have in
terests at stake to go into the par~
ishes and persuade the negroes into
better frame Of mind; even this
plan might fail, however, as there
are now men in these parishes who
have the ear of the negroes and are
doing all they can to persuade
them to leave. AS a last re>
course, however, something must
be done to persuade the ne
groes to move into the sugar region,
where tranquility reigns and the la
borer not only gains but receives
his hire. 1t is understood that an
organization is being made for this
purpose, and that everything will
be tried to keep the negroes from
entirely quitting the State, for it is
conceded by the wise that the ne
groes are the best field workers in
existence, and that this State will 60
tothe dogs without them. This is the
truth, although it does hurt the
pride of the average country poll
tician to admit it. This great
change in the population of this
State is going on now and there is
no time to lose if good result is
to be obtained. The danger is one
of the present moment and the rem
edy must be applied at once or not
at all. At such a moment as this
the people of Louisiana must not
ask to be called twice to look after
their interests; the case has been
clearly and and honestly stated
the next thing is action.
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