National Republican., 1880-02-19
The Exodus Inquiry.

Tho Senate Exodus Committee resumed
tho examination Of witnesses yesterday. Tho
comm ttee room was crowded with spectators,
who came expecting to hear some charges pre-
ferred against Senator Window, n member of
tho committee, by John u. Syphax, prom-
nont colored politician from Virginia. who
stated on Monday, when first summoned be-.
fore the committee, that he would appear yes
terdny aud accuse Senator Window OF having
originated tho exodus movement
Syphax began his testimony by referring TO
n resolution introduced In tho Senate OH Jan
uary lG, 1879, by Senator Window, in which
lie proposed the appointment of n committee
of seven Senator's charged with tho duty of ip-
quiring into the cxpedicncy aud practiGability
of encouraging and promoting by all just and
proper methods the partial migration of col
ored persons from Those States whore they are
not allowed TO freely exercise and oniuy
their rights as American citizens, into sorno
Territory which might he provided for their
orcupatlon. SyphaX then said that he knew
| nothing of the origin of tho movement beyond
tho speech which Mr.. Window made in sup
port Of this resolution, except that "a man who
sweeps the floor of the United States Senate
Informed him that Senator Window had come
| to him aud requested him to originate sOmo-
thing touching the status of the cJlored people
in tho South" This, in substance was the
charge against Senator Window which Syphax
pTHAbiINus Ilt lutu ISWu u COMMUNICATION
| on the subject of tho colonization of negroes
that he had addressed to Senator Window,
in which hu opposed tho exodus movement
and at the conclusion Of the reading Senator
| Voorhees,, without asking tho witness ANY
questions, turned him over to Mr.. Window Tor
| lcross-exnmination. Mr. Windows first ques-
| ton WAS, "llave thoy II lulatc asylum in
by Syphax that they had inquired
further: I" How did you escape from it?"
After considerable badinage had passed he.
| tween the Senator and tho witness on the
subject of lunacy and lunatics. Senator Win.
dom finally asked him whether he had re-
ccived any reply to the letter which he
| (Syphax) had addressed to Window in rcla
tion TO tho exodus movement. TO this qucs.
tion Syphax replied that lie had not. Mr.
Window then remarked that he had nothing
further to ask the witness. who was thercupon
discharged.
| Hon. II. G. Badger of North Carolina Re,
publican in politics and gentleman who has
held number Of important judicial and logs-
lative positions in that State, was next sworn
He stated that he had made u close study o
negro character before aud since omancpa.
tion; that the race was slowly aud gradual
| improving aud growing more self-rclant.
| When the war ended both whites aud blacks
were bankrupt, hut they have since slowly
emerged from that condition OF pov
erty. The blacks do not get strict jus
ticc In the courts as they ARC more
easily cOnvicted-couvictod on weaker tesii
mony-lor larceny than the whites. lie did
not believe there was any good reason Tor the
| exodus from North Carolina; that the blacks
| could not compete with the white abOrcrs oil
Indiana; aud felt satisfied that thoy wore
going to II State of starvation when they omi.
grated to the State OF Indiana. Referring Ia
educational facilities in North Carolina, he
said the blacks were afforded the same com.
mOn.schOol facilities as tho whites, aud he
thought the negroes vera learning iaster than
the whites, rs their children all 20 to school,
aud their desire to obtain an education was
remarkable. IIo related "reminiscences OF
Ku.Klux days in North Carolina, aud gave
detailed instances Of prosecutions of negroes
and Republicans which OG,urrol six or seven
Yeas ago, but Thought the recollection OF
| these things had no influence over the negroes
| who were now leaving North Carolina.
Without concluding the examination oi
Mr.. Badger tho committee adjourned until
| tomorrow.