The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1882-01-05
The Negro Exodus.

The Negro EXODUS
II is announced that from FIVE to seven
II oussnd negroes have recently left Edge
Aeld and Laure1s counties for Arkansas.-
Every family has left some of the plantations
In EdgeHeld, and the planters are vary much
troubled about labor for the year. A negro
preacher by the name of Hammond, it ap-
pears, was the moving spirit in the movement
He worked them up TO the moving point and
had each to contribute one dollar to him for
the purpose Of paying their transportation.
He was to meet them in Augusta. but when
the deluded negroes arrived there, Hammond
was no where TO be found. He had procured
about Ave thousand dollars, it is stated by
some of his victims, and left for parts un-
known. Some Of the negroes proceeded to
Atlanta on their own account, while others
waited in Augusta for Hammond to turn up,
and still others, who were entirely destitute
OF means, returned to their homes, probably
wiser, if not better negroes. A majority Of
them it is stated, will stop in Atlanta and
hnd work on the railroad now being built
from Atlanta TO some point in Tennessee
Many of tn EN- were under the impression that
Arkansas was only few hours travel from
Atlanta, and when they got there they would
And q country flowing with milk and honey.
The negroes say that the reason why they
are leaving is because Of the short crop Of last
year and the stock law. The real reason,
however is, we suspect, the fami ng advertise
ments which have been 80 profusely scattered
amongst them by emigrant agents. Edgefeld
and Laurens are not the only counties from
which there has been an "exodus." Many
car loads of them have PASSED along the Air
Limo and Columbia and Greenville roads
Some of them who went by the Air Line were
from North Carolina.
The negroes, as q race, arc naturally i'm
provident and have no thought Of succeeding
in the world by economy and hard lcks.-.
They are always ready to run after some
phantasmagoria, and live more in the imagin-
ary than the real world. A glib tongued
stranger can 60 amongst them and by ex-
travegantly colored pictures make them be-
lievc almost anything. Hence it is that, by
glowing tales Of Arkansas and Texas, many
Of the negroes have been induced to sell out
their plumber and strike out for the 'happy
land of Caanian" where they imagine, that
corn and cotton grows without labor, that
they can pick..money off the bushes and bask
in the genial rays Of the sun, with no one to
molest or make them afraid.
Some of our esteemed contemporaries are
deploring the departure Of the negroes from
the State, and we see that the Hon. Clinton
Ward, member Of the Legislature from
Edgefeld county, made q speech to those who
were leaving Edge6eld, advising them to re-
main. Those who think that the departure
Of the negroes from the State will be disad-
vantage, may be correct in their views, but
we have never been able to see it in that
way. There are entirely too many Of them
amongst us for our good or theirs, either
They are politically arrayed against the whites,
and their numerical strength makes their
presence constant menance to good order
and honest government. There is no security
to white supremacy, 80 essential to peace,
good order and prosperity, until there is an
absolute white majority. This can only be
procured either by the immigration of whites
to the State or the emigration Of the negroes
from her borders. The latter We think the
most practicable. White immigrants are not
coming amongst us so long as the negroes are
so numerous, but as they leave the whites
will come iniand take their places, bringing
with them, fykill3 brains, capital and an am.
bition to rise in the world. They would as
sist to develop our material resources and
make the old Stale bloom like the rose. This
the negro will never do. He has neither the
capacity or ambition, and until there is
change in the preponderanoe of population,
we can not expect much progress in the de-
velopment Of our latent and diversified res
sources. Besides, he is free man, has
right TO go where he pleases, and our advice
is TO let him "dust."{ ......
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