The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1880-02-12
The CoIOred Exodus.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 19.
The Senate Committee, consisting of Messrs;
Voorhees,, Vance, PendletOn, Window ana
Blair appointed to investigate the causes of
the exodus of cOlOred people from the South
ern States, commenced taxing testimony
The first witnesses examined were Rev. J;
E. Rankin, pastor of the Congregational
Church in this city, and Thomas L. Thulock,
Assistant Postmaster at Washington, DOth OF
whom testified they had a. no persona aI56 6h1w now
nothing of the widely scattered circular TO
which their names were appended, appearing
to the people of the United States for money
to assist freedmen in finding refuge from per-
secution etc. except that they had promised
to serve members of the Board OF Audit
for the Emigrant Aid Society therein refer
J. w. Cromwell of Washington (colored), a
clerk in the Treasury Department, and
prominent member of the Emigrant Aid So
ciety, testified the reason North Carolina ne
grOes left their homes was because they did
not get enough money for their work; did not
hear any of them were induced to go by lnd1-
Judge A. B. Carleton of Terre Haute, Ind,
was the next witness. He testified he IS well
acquainted with the people of Vigo County,
and with the condition of all that portion OF
Indiana There is no present demand for
labor. On the contrary, there IS OVerSup-
ply, and the feeling of the people, including
he has cOnversed, is decidedly ayerse to i'm
migration of destitute colored people, like the
North Carolina immigration in question, and
especially the general impression IS that
they are brought there only to vote Laugh
teri
WASHINGTON, D. C., Jan. q.
The Exodus Committee to- day examined o.
Emigrant Aid Society lie estimated the
number of colOred men, women and children
already transported from North Carolina
through Washington to the West principally
to Indiana) between . 800 and 600. The original
purpose OF tAe North Carolina agents OF these
enlgrantS was TO nave them 90 10 Kansas,
but the tide diverted to Indiana by their
agents perry and Williams), on the strength
of representations by members of the Wash
ington society, based on circulars received
from J. II. Walker, Mail Agent at Terre Haute,
to the effect that there was great demand
for farm labor in Indiana, and that coloTed
people would readily ind employment there
at excellent wages, together with the best
of treatment, and schools for their chill
dren, etc.
a. NJ. CIapp, editor of the Washington Ma
tiORdL Republican, and Treasurer of the Emil
grant Aid Society, testified that he had moth
ing 20 do with the operations, except to act
as Treasurer; as such he had received in con-
tTibutiOns from churches, individuals and so
cieties about 81 500, and had paid it ali ont
upon orders from the President.
At the request of Senator Window, IT was
agreed to subpoena as witnesses in this inves-
tigation Gov. Hendricks of Indiana; J. B-May-
United states Marshal DndIeV: John o. New
and Joseph MedilI, of the Chicago Tribune
WASHINGTON, Jan. D.
The Senate Committee on Exodus today
/ continued the examination of o. L: i; wall OF
/ Washington, COlored president OF the lin In
/ grant Aid Society. He believed the exodus
/ from the South was spontaneous. l1at u
would continue until the colored people re-
/ ceived better treatment there, and that then
very probably there would by return
! drift Southwark, for the negro ioNe9
/ the home of his parents, and would
not emigrate without some strong incentive
/ In response to a series of questions by Sena-
| tor voorhees,, the witness stated that the m
/ formation received by him as President OF the
/ society," TO the effect that employment for
/ North Carolina colored people could readily
/ be found in Indiana, was derived from ciTcu-
! lars and letters of J. II. Walker, Mall AGENT
/ at Terre Haute, and several other person rs
/ living in that State, whose names he coul9
4 not remember, but whose letters he WouIu
] 70
| Perry and Williams, the North Carolina agents
! of the emigrantS.