New-York tribune., 1879-05-20
THE NEGRO EXODUS.
NO SIGNS OF ITS ABATEMENT.

THE NEGRO EXODUS.
NO SIGNS OF ITS ABATEMENT.
TIE REFUGEE CAMP AT LAWRENCE NEARLY DE-
sERTED-AN INTERESTING REPORT, SHOWING
THE CONDITION OF THE CoLoRED COLONIES IN
KANsAs-EMIGRATIoN FROM VIRGINIA THREAT
KNED.
The negro refugees who were in camp at
Lawrence, Kan, have been nearly all alb
sOrbed by the surrounding country. They
are in demand as laborers. Colonel Fletcher,
an agent of the "Freedman's State Central
Aid Society," of Kansas, has prepared an in
terestng report of the condition of the
colored immigrants, summary OF which ls
given below. convention of colOrcd dele
gates was held yesterday at Richmond at
which resolutions setting forth that the col
ored people could not obtain their rights in
Virginia, and recommending the formation of
emigration societies, were discussed at length.
THE SITUATION IN KANSAS.
THE REFUGEE CAMP NEARLY DEsERTED-THE Ne
GEoES IN REQUEST As LABoRERs-oRGANIzED
RFIIgF
fvRoN An OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT or TUE TKIBUNEl
LAwRENCF. Kan. MAY 15.--The refugee camp at
Lawrence is nearly deserted. Country homes have
absorbed it, and the spot which the eXics made
historic may soon be eonsecrated as a place OF
mourning sacred to the of those prophets of the
unnumbered ills that were to befal the country IN
consequence of the arrival of these hOrdes of
paupers From Topeka this morning came ths in
telligence that there now on file with
the committee applications for 500 more
refugees than could be supplied, and every mail
brings letters calling for from one to twenty-five.
Really Kansas must be furnished, either from the
Soath or some other point of the compass, with new
sensation. The Democratic OthellO's occupation of
painting black starvation is nearly gone and for
lorn reporters will rake in vain among the dead
ashes of tho extinct camp-fres for soul-harrOwing
items with which TO distract and torment the
people.
Perpiexed Kansans have been subjected 10 a most
barbarous cross-fre. Ii a word of sympathy and
welcome was spoken to these dependent strangers:
if one chanced to say. 1--WE will that you do not
suffer-" sraightway came the charge of enticng the
colored people from the South. On the other hand,
if some prudent, cautious soul yentured to hint OF
hardships and possible suffering as the result of the
immigration of large numbers of utterly destitute
people TO and sparsey settled country,
and if prudence further timidly advised
the blacks to breast the waves of their sea of
troubles, and, by opposing, end them, rather than
fly 10 ills they knew not of, the next gun
would shoot forth paper wad labelled "Scanty
Welcome or WINDY Sympathy" Now to make
any one assertion concerning the whole people of
Kansas-to pretend thus to characterize or identify
their thought or action on this subject. would
be absurd as the testimony OF the
learned fellow who went over into SwitzeT-
land to report the customs and appearance
OF the people. The first woman he met being cross
eyed aud having red hair, down went the item on
the note book, " The women of Switzerland squlnt
and are red-hcaded.' Your Kansas correspondent
who Informed yOu that the people were from the
first kindly disposed toward the negroes, but the
politicians had 10 iDhale the popular snuff before
they moved 10 give the sympathetic sneeze,
forgot 10 state the hue OF the universal
political hair but accurate as to their crOss-eyed
peculiarity as they are a class totally unlike and
Immediately distinguishable from the people But
you have not omitted TO note the name of the Gov
ernOr of the State president of the State Relief
Committee, nor the names OF the state treasurer
and politicians of all degrees Of prominence, active
and foremost IN the work Of organizing to render
Ii may however, be safe to say that the people of
Kansas were utterly surprised by the visitation, and
during the first excitement while the widest Tu-
mOrs were flying as 10 the magnitude OF the tldal
wave while there were reports of contagious dis
eases among the refugees, and before there was
time for concert of action or the least preparation
for their reception, there was. some most unWlse,
hasty and unkind action on the part
OF portion OF the people OF Myah-
dOtte. TINS same frantic and panic-Strlcken Wyan-
dOtte to-day SENDS word 10 the relief committee
of Lawrence: "Our refugees are all supplied with
homes. There is surplus Of S42 IN our treasury;
do yOu need the funds = About as nearly as IT is
possible for any state of feeling to be universal IN
community the feeling of Kansans for the destitute
people WHO have come hither is universal. Who
ever hears their pathetic utteTaHce, pears like we
Just begin 10 know what 'tis TO be free" can
scarcely help believing Ill the weight and woe OF
their previous condition
Equally absurd with the attempt to make one
ChaIac erzatiOn Of the sentiments and actions OF
NoTtherners Is the fashion OF speaking OF Southern
ers as all alike kindly and weii-IntenuOned or
cruel and oppressive toward the negroes but be-
cause ~ some of the Southern States or possibly IN
some localities OF them all, cO0red men could
accumulate property, and were III every way unre-
striced and unmOiested by the whites, was that all
sufficient for those who were not thus fortunately
situated If black people had one universal
stomach which might be filed for the susenance Of
their race or If the Mississippi or Louisiana negro
could only endure occasional hanging or shoot
ing or slapping the jaw with perfect cOmposure,
by reason of the fact that the negro III some other
State was never subjected TO similar little
pleasantries; or yet because there were Just as
kind and Just employers in Mississippi as I'D Kan
sas' Why then, there would be some consistency
in the logic used by Democratic papers TO prove
that there is no good reason for the exodus. That
the fght Of the colored people from the South Vas
so utter q surprise 10 both NortherneTs and south
erners is sufficient TefutatiOn OF the charge OF
Republican partisan plot.
EMIGRATION FROM VIRGINIA.