Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-04-16
WINDOWS WISDOM.

WINDOWS WISDOM.
The Minnesota Senator's TtetCs on the Ne |
0roe, Egod,ss from The South
washington Special to the New York Tribune
Senator Window has made more recent
and careful study of the race problem in
this country than any other mali in public
life. and the following opinions, expressed
by him in conversation to-day with COR
respondent of The Tribune, touching the
underlying causes and probable results of
the present negro exodus from the South,
will be read with the interest which the inn
portance of the subject and Senator VIM
dom's familiarity with it awaken.
:" What is the origin of the exodus ?"
asked the representative of The Tribune.
"Does it spring from among the colored
people themselves, or is il "a device Of their
friends in Washington and the North to inn
prove their condition ~
clam confident" said the Senator in re,
ply, "that it originated wholly among them
selves at the South, and that it was not in
spired or stimulated by any outside infin
ences. The movement is q touching and
powerful protest against oppression End
wrong; a spontaneous expression of despair
from people whose condition is too intol-
cradle for longer endurance. In some parts
of the South these people have for years been
the victims of despotism more cruel and
relentless than was ever en- lured by the citi-
zens of any other nation pretending to be
| free. Entitled to all the rights and privi-
leges of American citizens, and yet perse-
cuted, whipped, murdered, driven from their
homes, and subjected to the most infamous
barbarisms if they presumed to exercise the
dearest rights of citizenship, is it surprising
they. have resolved to leave their wretched
homes, which afford neither security for the
present nor hope for the future, and
brave any peril and deprivation
rather than repeat the terrors and
suferings of the past? 1t is possible that
political oppression alone would not have
driven them to this act Of desperation; but,
when cheated out of the results of their
labor, deprived of the chance to earn liy-
ing and threatened with practical slavery,
they can see no terrors on the untried plains
of the West at all comparable to the hopeless
wretchedness of their present condition"
EXTENT OF THE MOVEMENT.
elbow far does the movement spread
among the colored people?''
L
dus from Mississippi and Louisiana pervades
the cotton States, but is much more intense
in those localities where the prosecutions
and expressions have been greatest. Since
my resolution of inquiry was published,
some three months ago, have received q
great many letters from all parts of the
South, and they uniformly express the one
desire, viz, to get away from their present
homes and to go to some place where their
lives, liberty and property will be secure,
and where their constitutional rights will be
respected. am sure this feeling is very
widespread, and that it is daily becoming
stronger and more determined. In many
parts of the South emigration societies have
been formed for the purpose of preparing
for general exodus when they can find the
means and the opportunity to CO."
sis the present exodus from Mississippi
the result of concerted plan which extends
to other parts of the South?'
.No. I think there is no concerted plan
and no general organization among them for
this purpose. A common wretchedness and
despair has created desire to 60, which in
some places has found expression in gen
eral stampede such as that on the lower Mis-
sippi river, while in others it is evincing
more discretion in the organization of the
local emigration societies to which have re-
ferred.''
els this movement on the part of the col
ored people inspired by any partisan politi-
cal motive or purpose?"
, ssNone whatsoever so far as / know. l have
no doubt the accession of the Democratic
! party to power in all the Southern States
and in both houses of Congress, has stimu-
lated it very considerably. The negro knows
that the qualification of the South, and th.
: revival under the new name of 'home rule
E of the old secession doctrine of State SOW
g ereignty, means either his extinction or his
entire subjugation to the will of his ole
masters. He knows that for the present thu
sceptre has passed from the hands of hi
: friends in Congress, and that during the two
years of Democratic ascendency no effor
will be spared to tighten his chains and re
. duce him to still more servile condition, i
q this be possible. He hears rumors of intend
, ed changes in State constitutions, and O
q the repeal of the United States laws which
were passed for the protection of his libert,
( and the enforcement of his rights; and he
+ thinks the time may not be distant when thu
q auction block will be again reinstated as on,
of the institutions of the South. Indeed, b,
has already seen it reinstated in some local.
h ties, where the services of colored men hav,
been sold for certain period of time for tn
q liquidation of debts, real or fictitious, AMI
+ they are unable to see why, if man may b.
y sold for six months or year, he may not b.
" sold for life.''