The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1880-04-09

y
the statement in the papers Mr., John
son informed me that railroad companies
had circulars sent among the colored
people of the south IN which these state
ments are made and southern papers
published them He was offered these
circulars for distribution in the south.
1 would be inclined 10 think the colored
people have misunderstood the state
ment in this; that there is plenty of gov
ernment land and that each family can
homestead forty acres, but as mules and
farming implements can not be
homesteaded, il is difficult TO
explain this part of the deception. On
questioning these people as to their non
resistance to political murders in the
districts where they were largely in the
majority, their reply was that they were
as helpless now, as in the days of slavery.
Their political opponents and oppressors
were well organized and well armed,
and the colored people were not only I'M
organized and almost destitute of
weapons of defence, but they have not
yet overcome the habit of submission of
mind and body, which was acquired in
the time of slavery and has now become
almost second nature to them. They
also recognize the fact, that armed resist
ance would end in defeat and greater
oppression.
Among all these refugees there seemed
to be but one opinion as to the condi-
tions upon which they could be induced
to remain in the south: "a reasonable
compensation for their labor, the obtain
ing of the necessaries and comforts of
life, with no discrimination on account
of color or politics; equal justice in the
courts and equal and just protection IN,
der the constitution of the United Safes"
These rights and principles, so dear to
them as well as to US, they claim they
have not had under the present admins
tration, nor do they hope for them until
the policy of protection inaugurated i'm
mediately after the war closed is again
restored. They have no faith that
this will ever be accomplished
under Democratic rule, and should
Democrat be elected "a the next presi-
dent, the exodus will be tenfOld greater
than now until every colored Republican
has left the cotton fields of the south.
NIne-tenths of the most efficient labor
| ing population there will seek refuge in
the north. where people will be taxed by
voluntary contributions TO provide these
thousands with the necessaries of life.
They are not adapted to the agricultural
pursuits of the north, and must have time
to learn before they are selfsustaining,
or thrifty and enterprising citizens. N
a letter few years ago from the chair
man of the secession convention of Flor
ida, he said to me that he believed the
vengeance of Heaven would be visited
upon the United States for the manner
in which the southern states were re.
constructed. In this we agreed. But he
thought they were too arbitrarily dealt
With thought they were too leniently
treated. The course the southern repre-
sentatives in congress, with their north
ern allies, have pursued IN the past two
years, and their treatment of the freed
men, compelling them TO submit TO a
condition worse than slavery, prove
the correctness of the views held by
many Of our wisest men, that i'll order to
save future trouble, the south should
have been deprived of all policical
power at the close Of the civil
war until one or two generations
should have passed away. Failing
upon such principles of reconstruction
and trusting too much in fair promises,
both north and south are now suffering
the consequences, the south in the loss
of their labOring class, and the north in
maintaining that class until they can
make themselves homes out of our pub
lie domain, for but little, comparatively,
of their labor us hired help is needed
here. AS large numbers of the cOlored
people would not be acceptable to either
party in the north, mainly perhaps. GA
| account or theif present inability TO per
torn an equivalent amount of labor to
those reared in freedom, it would GER
tainly be policy to elect president who
would give the freedmen all the protec-
| ton in the exercise of their rights of cit
izenship that the constitution and LAWS
of our country demand. 1t would be a
kindness to the south, for it is plain tn at
| her agricultural interests would suffer
greatly without the labor of the colored
people. An innate desire to rule, and a
prejudice against the colored man as an
equal under the law, led southern people
TO pursue course in politics greatly det
| rimental TO their own interests and pro-
! sperity, The financial prosperity of the
south is as important to the north as it
is to themselves; hence it is plainly our
duty to pursue such course in the
choice of president and representatives
as will most likely result in the protec-
ton of the rights of every citizen for the
mutual benefit of all throughout our
whole country; 3.