New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-04-20
SOLOMON,S SETTLEMENT

Solomon Butler now lives in independence.
Kansas, place tho very name OF which IL, no
doubt. pleasing to his soul. Some time ago he lived
somewhere in the South first in the seville, and
then, thanks to the Rebellion. in an emanCiDated
state of existence. Not finding even the modified
woes and ways Of the latter tOlerabe, he fed with
30 many others to Kansas. The people who formerly
employed him have sent word to him through st.
Louis firm that they want him TO come back aga n,
and will give him plenty Of employment. Solomon.
taking his pen in hand, wrote letter in
which no positively refused TO leave his pres
emf retreat. That letter has been printed
in The Independence KansasG Tribune, and is worth
considering This exodus TO Kansas has been freely
discussed. Everybody has talked about it with
more or less intelligence The politicians have
spoken and the editors and the philosophers. Now
co,nes Solomon the Refugee And what says Solo
mon He is man who, although he cannot spell
correctly, except after his own phonetic fashion,
appears to know pretty fairly when no is well of.
and who has not the least notion Of returning to
the old, but by no means sweet home The people
who wanted him to come back, by the expression
of that WISH have involuntarily become his vOuch-
ers Solomon cannot be idle, nor lazy, nor dishon-
est. nor incompetent else why should he DO sent
for and entreated to returni Again, we ask, what
says SOlomoni
They asked him "to cum home" He replied that
"he never bad homo and never saw an Opportu-
nifty to get one during his hole life untell now" He
does not propose to let slip this first chance Of se-
curing that blessing. Then no describes scene
which he witnessed in October. 1876. " when was
marched from thohOu that lived in to that 70
James Stafford, with guns at my back, and was
forced 10 break open tho door where Mr.. Stafford
then lay wounded aud bleeding, and though he was
n naghber, had to stand and witness tho cutting
the throat Of that man, and was eXpectin' every
minut to be shot," Solomon. however. bore up
against the desaGrenens OF his life, until
the "breaking-up of the Republican meetings"
convinced him that things was getting no better,
but worse" SO he went TO Kansas. He thus proved
himself worthy of his name. 1t must DO most eX-
traordnary white man, with peculiarly sentimental
Views who would 60 back to his home, his sweet
but dangerous homo, under such circumstances.
Solomon Butler il you are wise you will stay where
you are
We are not prepared to say that the colored work.
men and workwOmen Of the South can afford rs
race to make an exodus. We are prepared to say,
without fear of contradiction that their employers
cannot afford to let them go. So If these whites
are SENSIBLE they will pay their sable laborers good
wages and in every way encourage them to remain.
They will find this out III time-the sooner they
find it out the better for all concerned And that
coored men will also learn something is equally
jurisprudence especially, and economy. Mr.. Vim
con, Shreveport planter, testified before tho Exo-
dus Committee last Saturday, that the blacks spend
their money at gin-shOps and gingerbread stands.
But he added that zone black labOrer was worth
Eve whites" and that the blacks were better off
rs race than when they were slaves" If all this
be true, there should be no trouble. Heaven send
common sense. and good crops its legitimate cOnsc-
0ugncei