Daily Republican., 1879-06-09
The EXOd0.

There has been any amount OF LYNX
done by Democratic papers about the
causes of the negro exodus from the
South to Kansas and other western
States. Knowing better they attribute
the cause to everything but the right
one. 1t is at one time the wicked real
estate speculators that have sown the
seeds of disconten ent amongst the negroes,
and who want them out west to buy up
the land reservations, or to get benevo-
lent people to buy it for them. Next 1t
is the wicked Republicans who are do
ing all the mischief, and lastly it is the
steamboat owners who are abetting and
aiding the real estate men and Repub-
licans in their wickedness. Of course
these are all mere excuses and intended
to deceive the easily deceived. Impair
tial investigations all show that the
negroes started out upon their journey
westward, not out of mere whim or
discomfort, but for substantial reasons
which are creditable to their intelli-
gence. The negro is great home
body, and but small moiety of them
can be induced under ordinary circum-
stances to leave the place of their ma
tivity. 1t has charms for them which
no other place in the world has and
there they would stay and spend their
days in quietness and peace if allowed
to do so. But we need not say at this late
day that there are sufficient causes for
their discomfort, and they are intensely
anxious to leave their native localities,
simply because they were constantly in
danger Of brutal ill-usage and murder
because they were not fairly treated in
business matters and because they
saw before them NO hope of bettering
their forlorn condition by remaining.
Their little cultivated lots have be-
come graveyards, where lie the remains
of their friends who We're rutAlesely
shot down because they dared to express
an honest desire to vote in favor of the
party that struck the shackels Of slav-
ery from their manacled limbs. They
saw instead of an abatement of these
cruelties, rather an increase Of them,
and under these circumstances it is not
strange they should flee as from pesti-
lential disease. White men from any
of the nations of Europe fleeing from op
preston in their native land and seek
ing refuge in this country have been
canonized in history and have won the
plaudits Of remote posterity, but for
these fleeing negroes who Lave more
cause to flee from oppression and vo-
lence than any other race of human
beings, there is nothing but denun.
citation and misconstruction of their
ideas by the Democratic press. They
may have no fine theories or cultiva-
ted inions, but their instincts pronpt
them to seek III a new State that which
every true man wants and is willing tt
suffer much to obtain.
In looking around ior a refuge, it il
not strange that they should be attract
ed to the staunch Republican State ant
fertile lands of Kansas, which had been
rescued not without bloody effort from
the terrorism Of the Southern borde
ruffians. Kansas, in the kindly way il
which she has received these flying fugi
tives,.. has shown herself true to'hel
old tradition of liberty.
courage at once rare and admirable. IL
almost any other State, such an addi
tion to the population would have pro
duced a panic, and possibly all attemp
would have been made to stay tho tid
by interposing legislative restrictions
, So far, at least, the wanderers have me
| with nothing but kindness. Food ha
been furnished, am. clothing; and ju
, dicious schemes, under the auspices G
, the "Freedman's Relief Association,
= have been resolved upon for making tn
; best of the matter by giving to tn
strangers the opportunity of satisfacto
rily colonizing. There has been IL
selfish doubt, but only practical pity
Moreover, these colored people shoy
that little temporary help is all tha
= they need. They have been distribute
over the State, and have become gener
ally self.supporting. This result ha
been brought about entirely by privat
I assistance and advice-the State itsel
in its public capacity, has done nothing
} and under the laws as they exist, ca
probably do nothing.
The planters of Louisiana and Mis-
: sissippi are evidently alarmed at thi
1 tendency of colored labor toseek North
: ern fields, and see in it 'an extrom
danger to their property interests.
They are publishing appeals to til
g business men and benevolent societit
9 of the North, begging that the exodr
u may not be encouraged. Practical,
= however, the matter is in their ow
~ hands IF thew will treat the naprO