The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1880-02-05
CONGRESSIONAL INVESTIGATIONS.
The Colored Exodus.

Inc OOiOTcu IAOuuSs
WASHINGTON, Jan. "a.
j. p. Dukehart, Southern Passenger Agent
of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, testified
before the Exodus Committee to day He said
that he visited North Carolina several times
in the interests OF his company, which had Sc
cured the transportation of all the emigrantS.
The company offered, as an inducement to
persons to work up the emigration, a draw
back OF 81 per head for adults and so cents for
children. z. Taylor Evans, of Goldsboro, and
Perry and Williams were the three principal
promoters of the exodus upon that basis.
Evans told witness he commenced working
up the exodus 10 months ago by means of
mass meetings, secret societies, etc. Witness,
while in North Carolina, had seen many of the
circulars asserting that colored people would
find plenty of work in Indiana at wages of 81
also circulated the report that en-
igrants, upon reaching Washington,
would be provided with new clothes
and transportation to Indiana and Kansas.
Circulars were largely made up OF editorials
from the Greencastle Qnd.) Banner, and also
included what purported to be certificates
from a number of the North Carolina colored
people, who had already gone to Indiana, that
they had found work and advised their friends
to follow. Perry left the State suddenly dur
ing the winter on account of an Indictment
for forging school certificates, and had not
returned, but Evans and others were still at
work; and in the opinion of the witness the
exodus would continue Just as long as the
cOlored people could raise money to pay
their fare or until checked by unfavorable
reports from their friends at the other end of
the line. In this event he would go out to In
diana and Try and secure them as passengers
back over the B. and o. lines. [Laughter.l
The number of tickets sold by the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad for the transportation of
these North Carolina emigrants since the
movement first commenced is 1863, 235 of this
number being half-fare-
WASHINGTON, Jan. %.
Warren O. Tearing, colored, an employee of
one of the Executive Departments at Wash
Inc faSti fiaal ho a cd ha
of Secretary of the Emigrant Aid Society; he
had received letters from his relatives in
North Carolina reporting that the colored
people OF that State receive very low wages
and are dissatisfied with their treatment, and
want to emigrate.
Charles N. Otny, colored, editor of the
Washington Argus, a weekly paper devoted
to the interests of the colored race, and prin-
cipal of Howard University School, testj-
fed that he is native of North Carolina,
a graduate of oberlin College,, and of
visited his native State every year since he
LETT 1t, and has made careful study of her Peo-
pie. His last visit was only few weeks ago
He further testified that he was one of the
founders of the National Emigrant Aid Socie-
", having himself drawn up its Constitution
Its object was to furnish aid to colored people
neeing from oppression, such as the destitute
crowds accumulated Mt st. Louis on their
way to Kansas from Mississippi and Louisi-
ana. At one of the first meetings, how
ever, Mr.. Mendhan made a speech
suggesting thaG IL would be advisable to
divert e.iigrants from their then objective
point (hanSas), and to "send about 900 into
Indiana, as that was doubtful State in the
coming election" Witness objected to this,
and as soon as he saw that the Society was to
be used politically he withdrew from it. Wit
ness further testified that when the exodus
from North Carolina first began he addressed
letters to the most prominent colored men in
the State, asking what caused this sudden
uprising. All the answers were that there
was no cause for it; that the more ignorant
were , deluded by three men named Per;
such glowing news that the people
could not resist them. Witness further
described conversations personally held by
him in North Carolina during the past few
weeks with James II. Harris, Osborne Hunter,
Jr., NJ. V. Turner and other very prominent
cclored men, and with Gov. Holden, Richard
Badger and Col. Ike Young, prominent Radi-
cal Republicans, all in full accord with the
foregoing explanations of the real causes OF
the exodus. They all likewise agreed that the
condition of the. colored people of North
Carolina, although susceptible of improve
ment by contemplated amendments 10
some of the laws, and especially
by restoration of their rights to
elect certain county officers, is, on the whole,
highly favorable, and that there is no ade-
quate ineestiye whatever for colored people
to leave the State. " In fact" said the witness,
" every Intelligent colored man in the State is
opposed TO it, and the six colored newspapers
of North Carolina are all fighting it, and say
that, although the exodus from the Southern
States may be a blessing, the exodus from
North Carolina is a fraud and curse"
il So WASHINGTON, Jan. 80.
Charles II. Otny, colored, who testified be-
fore the committee on the 26th, was recalled
to day and subjected 20 a rigorous cross .ex-
animation by Senators Window and Blair.
Witness acknowledged he had not heard any
member of the Washington Emigrant Aid So
clety advise the diversion of the exodus from
Kansas to Indiana for political purposes, ex-
cept Mendenhall, and could not name any
other Republicans in Washington outside of
the Emigrant Aid Society, who had advised
cal purposes. He believed that
the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
Company was largely responsible for the en-
igratien. Witness reasserted his belief that
the intelligent people of. North Carolina,
black and white, Democrats and Republicans,
were opposed to this exodus, and understood
that the entire Democratic and colored press
OF North Carolina had been engaged III eX
ploding the false statement spread broad
cast in that State by Perry, Williams and
Evans. rrt .H.
NJ t. Newman, Sheriff of Putnam County,
In!., resident of Greencastle was sworn
and produced a printed circular, which he
obtained from one of the North Carolina
emgrants after he had reached GFeencastle.
This circular, i was afterwards proven by an.
ofher witness had been printed in the Office of
the Green aside BaRaer during the latter part
ii last July, ard that the editor Of that
paper. Mr.. J. II. Clay, a coloTed man, was
the author of this circular. Newman said he
was informed by the colored man who gave it
to him that it had been circulated quite ex-
tensiyely among colored people in North Car
china. ItuTges them TO come to Indiana, set
ting forth the attractions of that State stating
its climate was healthfnl, that free schools for
both races were maintained, that there were
numerous cOlored churches and that blacks
and whites stand egnal before the law, and
also stating that 1000 good farm hands and
house servants could readily find employment
st remuner=ltive wages, and especially arging
those who contemplate coming to do so dur
ing the present summer and fallof 1879. so as
to get located in time TO make their contracts
with farmers next year" t.ia
The Ingalls, Investigation.
;nc az rs ~ WASHINGTON, Jan. %.