Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-01-12
SOUTH CAROLINA EXODUS.
Five Thousand Negroes Leave
Their Homes for ArkansaW.
Cor. of the Charleston NeMs.l

Cor. of the Charleston News.l
TRENTON, S. c., December 81
There is no Disgusting the fact that a
most alarming condition of things
exists in Edgefeld county, in conse-
quence Of the exodus Of the negroes
to Arkaasaw, which began more than
a week since and has continued almost
without intermission up to the present
time. 1t is estimated that alrea dy
about one-6fth Of
THE ENTIRE NEGRO POPULATION
Of the county, or more than 5000 per.
sons, has gone and the fever is still
spreading. There has been nothing
like it since the days Of Pharaoh, and
the situation may well occasion the
deepest anxiety for the future. In the
ridge section of the county, extend
ing from the Lexington boundary to
this place along the line of the Char.
lotte, Columbia K Augusta railroad
and east Of this road to the Aiken
county line, embracing a stretch OF
territory t%weuty.four miles long aud
four to five miles wide, it is estimated
that at least four-6fths of the negroes
have joined the exodus. The town
ships most affected by the movement
are Shaw, Ward, Norris and portions
of Mobley aud Pickens. Some of the
most extensive plantations in this see.
ton, on which large numbers Of ne.
groes were formerly employed, are now
without one colored laborer, and'the
outlook is gloomy enough to cause
widespread dismay. The reports have
not exaggerated single feature of this
unparalleled movement; entire settle.
ments have been depopulated, and the
public roads leading to Augusta have
resounded day and night for the past
week with the shutting tread of q
picturesque and motley caravan
THE CAUSES OF THE EXODUS,
There has been but little difference
in the statements of the exodus peo-
pie as to the causes which have led to
their departure The invaritable
complaints have been that the negroes
enjoy no political rights; that they
cannot vote at the elections, and ii
they do vote that their ballots are
not counted; that they have no repre-
%sentation in the government, and that
their rights are in the keeping of a
hostile political party. Another
complaint is that the rent of land is
so high and the price of provisions so
exorbitant that they cannot make a
living. For ten years" as they ex-
press it, we have tried to make
money and have not been able to do
SO. We are poorer now than when
we began, we have less-in fact, we
have nothing, We have not lived
extravagantly; we have exercised all
the economy we knew how to use,
and we are going further down
hill every day. There is no help for
us here, there's no use in trying to get
along under the old conditions any
longer, and so we have just determined
to go somewhere else and take a new
start" Another cause of the exodus
isgeneral dissatisfaction at the passage
OF the stock law which the negroe.
claim to be the straw that broke the
camel's back. To this case more thar
any other combination of circumstan
ces may be attributed the determine,
ton oil the negroes to carry ont the ex.
Odus scheme without DELAY. The,
claim that their wishes and necessi'
ties were not consulted, that the,
were not asked or allowed Il
sign petitions against its passage
hat the law passed in spite of tb
protests of the larger part of the peopl
Of the county, and that under its pro
visions they would find it impossible
to exist. Upon the flesh of a few i'll
f. ID hogs they depended for thei
NQfmeat, and the little milk an,
Ney could get from their cow
Keep the wolf from the door
ICES taken from them, the
NV it was possible to &c
they concluded to q
described to them a
and honey"
roes in the sectior
N the exodus wa
tenantry system
worked it Oh
a stipulate,
acre Of Ian,