Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1880-04-06
THE COLORED ARKANSIAN
ABROAD.
Carrying Lots of Money Away,
but Begging on the Streets
Of New York. 4

The Helena Ark Yeoman, as well
as the LEDGER, recently copied alying
appeal from some loa6ng Arkansas
negroes, which appeared in the New
York Herald OF the 29th ult., and
followed it up with the following
statement and comments:
The above is a base libel on our
people and state. The above men
toned emigrants lay around Messrs.
Berton 4 Johnson's wharfboat seve-
eral days, awaiting a Cincinnati. boat.
and no one disturbed them or their
plumber. In the first place, they did
not owe the state or county taxes, for
which the (before mentioned) plumber
was liable in the next place, our
sheriff is one of the most amiable and
kindly hearted men, possessing the
friendship and confidence of every
cclored man in the county, and would
not wilfully annoy anyone. They were
interviewed by MI. John Robinson, a
prominent cOlored man of this city.
aud gave no reason for leaving other
than that which the novelty of travel
and change engenders in the ginorant.
but STAYED to him thas they, collect
lively, carried with them seventeen
hundred dollars in money. If the
Young Mems Christian Association of
New York is thus easily taken in, its
members must be too innocent for
this world, and certainly need close
attention from Mr.. Bergh. To the
Memphis LEDGER, from which we
copy the above extract, we are under
obligations for defending our state
aud people, and would copy the article
entire did not lack OF space forbid.
Since writing the above We have
met several of our merchants, some of
them republicans, and honored citi-
tent of our city, and they state that
some Of The lying wretches who sign
the above appeal were customers of
theirs, and drew in money, when
leaving, seven TO eight hundred dol
lars apiece. Consequently they must
have carried with them no less than
four or five thousand dollars on their
jaunt to the new land Of promise.
They were at least cunning in getting
free board from the Young Mems
Christian association, but If some
Green street thief will 20 through
them he will surely strike a bonanza,
As Phillips county merchants and
planters trade largely in Memphis and
come here daily by steamer We have
had no difficulty 10 learning the true
state Of affairs over there and we learn
that the statements of the Yeoman
are true in every particular. We find
that the planters have no objection
to the negroes leaving and that
they come and go at will
The Herald of the first anc
second contains further account,
Of the distress of these poor unEor
Inmates, and we discover upon careful
reading that one General Conway i
their principal mouthpiece andspokes
man. He announces that there ar
300 more colored people in Arkansa
ready to follow these in a body t,
Liberia. Planters in Phillip
county assure us that this i
utterly false, and that thos
who remain are perfectly satisfied
with Arkansas, although the
frequently change from one plantatior
to another or over into other counties
This has been their habit ever sine
they were set free. We find that thi
General Conway is taking a conspicu
Gus part in the movement. He is tn
"ten-cents.fo for. cake Conway" former
ly carpet-bag superintendent of edr
cation of Louisiana. The same ma
who proposed TO send a
armed boat down the Mi
sissippi river to carry away all the nj
grOes who wanted to leave. He raise
large sums ofmoney for the rurpos,
but never used it in that way, and n
doubt has pocketed on some pretext {
ether most of the money which I'll
Phillips county negroes had whe
they left Memphis for Liberii
He Is coward, hypocrite and thieI
would rob 0 dead negro rather than