The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-07-10
The Southern Exodus in It's Political
and Economic Aspects.
WASHINGTON. D. c., June 9.

Representative Witthorne, of Tennes-
see, has forwarded a communication to
Chairman Goode, of Virginia, of the
House Committee on Education and La
Dor, touching the propriety of the pro-
posed investigation into the cause of the
recent colored exodus from the Southern
States, After general review of the re-
lations which existed between slayehol-
ders and slaves, Mr.. Whitthorne says:
"Possibly in the whole history of the hu-
man family there was never such spec
tacle presented of goodly feeling at the
close of long, bitter and bloody strug-
gle, involving the fortunes, rights and
lives of twelve millions of people, as was
exhibited, and which admittedly existed
between the white and black races occu-
pying the late slave States at the close of
the late war. The civil war Of four
years had desolated those States and
ruined all fortunes. The losses amounted
TO billions, and there was mourning in
every household. At the same time that
the 100000 whites were in this state
the 100000 blacks, suddenly free, were
left with scant defenses against starva-
ton, disease and crime, and with no
means of support but their own hands.
"Here, then, is the place to test the
innumerable charge made in every way
and on all occasions, that the colored
man in the South is denied legal and
political rights and deprived of the just
rewards of his labor and kept in danger
of his life. These partisan statements
can best be tried by the test of work
done. Since 1869, cattle and swine have
increased 100000 head. For eight
years before 1861, q, 7,142,2S5 bales of cot
ton were produced; in the last eight
years the product has been 33,226,531
bales. In 1871 there were 100000
acres in cotton; in 1878 there were more
than 100000 acres. More than $780,
OOO, 900 annual product of Southern labor
enter into the purchase of merchandise
and manufactures in the Eastern and
Middle States. Southern railroads have
increased in earnings, Southern cities
and towns in growth, while all Southern
industries have largely and materially
improved" Mr.. Whitthorne shows that
while the Northern farm laborer is paid
at the rate of 81 per capita of population,
the Southern farm laborer is paid at the
rate of more than $40 per capita of pop
ulation. Nine million Southern people
pay S97 ,6O7, ,174 for labor, while fifteen
million Northern and Western people
pay only $114,S92,S64.
"Looking to these facts" he continues,
"can it be said that the laborer of the
South is not as we'll paid as the same
class in other sections of our country?
Can it be urged that the labor of the
South has been so disturbed that its stal.
wart men have been SO interferred with
as to compel one-third of them to aban-
don home and birthplace, and thatso out
rageous is the oppression and the danger
that they should stand not upon the Or
der of their going, but to flee without
thought of the present or provision for
the future? 1t is believed by many that,
upon thorough examination of the facts
connected with this exodus movement,
in it will beIshown to have its origin spec
ulation in Kansas railroad lands, to
which portion of the freedmen's money
through the Freedman's Bank was first
dedicated, and that the parties who aided
in the robbery of that institution con-
ceived that their were millions in temp
ting its depositors and their race to be-
come occupants of the lands upon which
they held mortgage bonds. x
feel sure that when all the truth is
known that it will be seen that both
races have suffered from the madness and
craft of politicians, and that it can be
shown that the people of the South have
q christian civilization, that whilst it en-
riches mankind is just and generous
to all within its influence; that it only
asks to be judged in that charity which
speaks in love and asks only the obser-
vance of that decree: That with what
soever judgment ye would be judged,
Judge ye.' eff" says Mr.. Whitthorne,
"the Investigation can be had in this
spirit, let us have it by all means, but,
if it is to be used for sectional purposes
and to make the South once more the
plaything of partisan hate, it should not
be proceeded with. Both races have
suffered too much in the past by this sort