The Indianapolis leader. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1879-1890, 1882-01-14
WASHINGTON LETTER.
The New EXOdus-Whittak
-Flipper, FitZ-JOhn Porter
Governor CamerOn-MiNed
Schools Marriage of DIR.
Francis and Miss Bette
Cox - miscellaneous
PERSONAL---VERY., Etc,
Etc.

WAsTIINGToN ID. c., Jan. 3, 1887.
The Negro Exodus from the South
has broken ont afresh in a new place.
Edgefeld county, South Carolina, one
of the most thoroughly, Systematically
and despotically bulldozed counties of
the Palmetto State, is the, locality where
the new hegira has its origin.
The Negroes of this county, and they
constitute the bulk of the population,
have long been dissatisfied on account
of the hard and oppressive tenantry reg
ulations TO which they have been sub
iected. The legislature, however, at its
last session, instead of adopting meas
ures that would relieve the difficulties
under which the laboring people suffered,
made matters worse by passing a stock
law, prohibiting the running at large of
horses, hogs, sheep and cattle.
This, it seems, was the straw that
bi oke the camePs back. Depriving
them, as it did, of the means OF secur-
inc the necessaries of life, it naturally
forced them to take some steps for their
own relief Casting about, they found
that every thing was against them in
their own State, that instead of ex-
pecting redress of their grievances at
home. they expected to see them increase
from wear to year; and consequently,
they resolved to emigrate to Ego West,
and grow up with the country.
One of their number was sent West
to look at the country and select homes,
preparatory to large number remov-
ing thereto He went to Arkansas, and
finding what he thought to be good
opportunities for them in that State. re-
ported accordingly.
Large numbers Immediately made
preparations to move, and thus far about
five thousand are reported to have left
since the gathering of the Fall crops,
and many more are expected to leave
4 correspondent of the Charleston News
and Courier Bourbon gives the follow
ing account of the movement:
There is no Disgusting the fact that a most
alarming condition of things exists in Edge
field County in consequence OF the exodus of
the Negroes to Arkansas which began more
than week ago and has continued almost
without intermission up to the present time.
1t is estimated that already about one-fifth
OF the entire Negro population of the county,
or more than 5000 persons, have 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, extending from the
Lexington boundary To this place along the
line of the Charlotte, Columbia and Augusta
Railroad, and east OF this road to the Aiken
county line, embracing n stretch of territory
a miles long and to ) miles wide it is es-
timated that ut least four-fifths of the Ne
groes have joined the exodus. The townships
most affected by the movement are Shaw,
Ward, Norris, and portions of Mobley and
Pickens. Some of the most extensive planta-
tons in this section, on which large num-
bers of Negroes were formerly employed are
now without one colored laborer, and the
outlook is gloomy enough to cause wide.
spread dismay. The reports heretofore pub
| lished in the newspapers have not exagger-
ated single feature in this unparalleled
movements entire settlements have been de-
populated, and the public roads leading to
Augusta have resounded day and night for
the past week with the shuffing tread of a
| picturesque and motley caravan.
There has been but little difference i'm the
statements of the exodus people as to. the
causes which led to their departure. The in
variable complaints have been that the Ne.
! groes enjoy no political rights; that they
cannot vote at the elections, and if they dc
vote that their ballots are not counted; that
| they have no representation in the govern
ment, and that their rights are in the keep
ing of hostile political party Another
complaint is that the rent of land is so high
and the prices OF provisions is so exorbtani
they cannot make a living. For ten years,
as they express it. 1--WE have tried to make
money and have not been able to do So We
are poorer now than when we began, we
nave less-in fact we have nothing. We
have not lived extravagantly, we have exer.
| cised 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 is nc
use trying to get along under the old condi-
| tions any longer, and so we have Just deter
mined to 90 somewhere else and take n new
start"
Another cause of the exodus is general
dissatisfaction at the passage of the stock law
which the Negroes claim to be the straw that
broke the camel's back. To this cause more
than any other combination of circumstan-
ces may be attributed the determination OF
the Negroes to carry out the exodus scheme
| without delay. They claim that their wishes
and necessities were not consulted, that they
We're no! allowed to sign petitions against its
passage, that the law was passed in spite OF