The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1879-06-28
Col. Richardson's Statement.

Hon the Forlorn but Threatening Negro
Pilgrimage 70 Kansas Is Conducted.
Col. L. Richardson, Of Mississippi, who
came north to attend the Commencement
exercises at Princeton, where his sou was
graduated on Wednesday, talked freely Of
the negro exodus with the World reporter
at the st. Nicholas yesterday. He lives
at jackson, but his real estate aud other
interests are in all parts of the State. He
has nineteen plantations in the richlands
above Vicksburg, and his property also
includes a large section Of Washington
aud lssaquena counties on the Yazoo bot
tom. The combined acreage Of his plan
tations under cultivation is $4,000, Of
whick 10000 are in cotton, with total
yield Of 10000 bales, or 1000, 900 lbs.
Three thousand acres are in corn and
fodder crop and Colonel Richardson Is al
ways ready to assist needy planter BY
buying up his plantation for cash. He is
power in the cotton markets, aud the
firm of which he is the head handles over
100000 bales Of cotton annually. He is
a very heavy exporter, but manufacturer
as well. The cotton and woollen mills at
WessoD, Miss, are part Of his property.
Here there are some $4,000 spindles, and
about 5000 bales Of cotton pass into the
mills annually The cotton is bought at
the door and costs more than 2 cents
pound less than il can be bought for in
Massachusetts This difference last year
amounted TO % per cent at the price Of
cotton then holding. The labor in the
South is cheaper, too, and Colonel Rich
ardsons profit of l2l per cent, oopyinces
him that more capital put into the business
would pay. In the mills mentioned nearly
600 hands arc employed who otherwise
would do and earn nothing In addition
to the cotton the mills use up nearly 700,-
600 pounds Of wool year, brought to the
mill doors from the country thereabouts.
The mills produce brown goods, striped
cottons aud jeans and cotton-seed oil.
Colonel Richardson has other mills and
various smaller enterprises 10 Mississippi
whpFewith to keep his s5,000,00 Of capi.
tai employed He is 10 the prime Of lie,
more than six feet tall, broad in proper.
tion, aud his tanned face tells Of his South
ern life. Hc sat in the corridors Of the
St. Nicholas with Major A. o. Banks,
another planter and they were unanimous
10 their presentation Of the exodus ques-
tion.
''lt is far more serious case than many
people, especially here in the North, have
any idea Of, said Colonel Richardson
"and the real motives Of this iufatuation
which has come upon the colored people
Of the Southwest have not yet been made
public. Il is partly political, for with the
dying Of the bloody shirt cry the report Is
again set afoat that the negroes Of the
South are ili.treated. l venture to say
from what have soon on my travels here
and there all over the world that no work
ing population is 80 well treated as the
negroes Of Mississippi They do not aver
age more than six hours day Of work all
the year around. You in this city Of New
York have people dying Of starvation.
Such thing is not known with US. But
just now there seems to have come over
the whole people sort Of delirium. Il Is
q ssmi-religious fantasy and they are rush.
ish like sheep into this exodus. It's in
some measure 'revival" and Is strongest
among the women. l remember one wo.
man whom asked why she was going TO
Kansas. Placing her hand on her breast
she said she had revelation from God to
60 What can you do In such q case
II is not possible 70 talk, for the field hand
population live in the densest ignorance.
They seem to move in blocks or groups as
yet. Here and there there will be sud
deu uprising and away all the hands Of
plantation viii 20 for the river, leaving the
place without moments warning, bound
for the "free" or gospel boat, as they
call il. Seine Of them have money, but
most are paupers. They make the great
est sacrifices. Often at sundown a hand
viii make up bis mind to 10 aud an hour
after he will have settled his affairs. II he
have horses or mules or cows, tie, 20 at
any price. A horse worth s120 Is sold
for s25 and household utensils 20 in the
same way, and at sunrise the whole fhmily
is ca route, whittier they have not the least
idea. They get on the boat and think
they are going right through to ekiugdom
come" Il Is . species Of mania, but Il
does not grow without some fostering and
there are agents engaged in fonenting Il
They travel as sewing g-maclsine agents and
sec the women and few men. These
agents have pictures Of Kansas life aud
manners. Ono little liihoeraph has The
cut Of neat cottage. In the gallery out
side sits an old negro, with bis feet cooked
up, plenty of hic teeth showing as he
smokes a cigar, while looking ID ut the
open door negro girl Il seen playing at
the piano, and gay-looking white beau