Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1879-10-30
Old Exodus.


ltram the LAsrrnce laAnsasl Journal
4 grHtlcman who wa, an cYe aiiucSs
10 The scene gives Us the following account
OF an interview between G-uerai sherman
aul an exodus negro at the Kansas Pacific
depot 10 this city, ON the occasion OF the r,.
cent visit OF the President and General
sherman. While the train was detained
hall an hour General Sherman was stand
iug on the platform OF the car containing
the Presidential party, smoking cigar.
A number OF darkies were IN the crowd col
lccled. and some OF them shook shaud,
with the General. Finally a black. raw
bOned negro. black as midnight. with u
heavy beard, iutermixed considerably with
grey, stepped up and grasping the Generals
hand gave IL terrible shake, remarAing,
81, YOU Mr., Sherman?'
Yes" says the General. Are you a
Mississippi darkey:
.'les. sab; am from lazoo. MI-sis.ip-
pi.'
We'll, what did you leave there for:'
says sherman.
.Wcll tell YOU. Mr.. Sherman, dey
wouldn't let Us live down thar 10 peace :;
couldn't get no pay for our work, an dey
wouldn't let Us vote
"Ah, they wouldn't let you vote: Well.
you know you have right 10 vote, and
when any one interferes with you in the free
exercise of your political rights you must
tell them 10 stand back and leave YOU
alone
But" says Exodus. .'dey 90 to shooLi'n
de darkles when dey open dlt heads about
dar H. tht "a vote.
Well says the General, "you must
stand up for your rights like men, and if
they oppose your right as citizens, and you
can't get any protection from the authori-
ties. YOU must when the election comes. 60
In squads OF thirty or forty 10 the polls, fake
your vote in one hand, and pistol in the
other, and deposit your vote, and enforce
your rights against mob law"
'Gor a massa, you know nothin about II.
Talk about a darkey goin' to the polls wid
pistol. Kill him sush, white folks would.
aud where is de black man eoin' to git de
pistol, I'd like to know? l tell you, Nr.
Sherman. you know nothiu about votin'
down in YaZoo."
Yes" says the General; 81 have been
there several times, and il you will let those
people down there know that you are deter
mined to have your political rights, guaran-
teed to you under the constitution, and that
you will stand up for your rights, they will
leave you alone; they bulldoze you be-
cause that you darkies won't fight to the
man for your rights"
By this time old Exodus got warmed
up on the subject, and in a loud voice re-
piled:
Mr.. Sherman, when you was down dar
observed you had lots of white sogers
wild you, aud de people down dar was
afeared of you. and dey let you do as you
please. but Use llbbed down in Yazoo tor
twenty-five years, and knows 'em better
dan you does, and l tell you dar amt no
libben down dar for Niger, aud you
don't cotch no Niger what has any sense
wild a horse pistol. No sar, suah."
By this time the train moved off. amid
the cheers of the crowd, old Exodus re-
marking: ''Ef Mr.. Sherman wants to vote
wild pistol in his hand, he can do so, but
this old nigger isn't such fool as de gen.
eral. Knows moah'n he does about votin'
in YazOO. Talk about nigger standin' up
fo' his rights wild hoss-pistoli Golly !!
you'd see noah dead niggers in Yszoo
arter lection dan dere Is har on Mr.. Sher-
mans head Ef white men don't fight for
niggers' rights dere done for, suah, an
sartin; yes, sab. suah!"
With smile upon every body's face,
except old Exodus. the crowd dispersed.