New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-02-25
THE HELPLESS EMIGRANTS.
NOBODY SEEMS RESPONSIBLE FOR THEM.
THE ooLoRED COLONIsTs DON'T KNOW WHAT
THEY WANT OR WHY THEY WANT 1T. AND


THE CoLORED COLONISTS DON'T KNOW WHAT
THEY WANT OR WHY THEY WANT 1T. AND
ARE SIMPLY WAITING.
Diligent INQUIRY Yesterday failed to find anybody
In New.York City who knew anything much about The
dark colored fotsam and ieSam which difted INTO the
streets OF New York some days ago. Nobody seeeu
to feel responsible them and nobody seemed to nave
begun any movement for their immediate reiiei. Inc
white people who investigating the matter Tor the
American Colonization society want to send them to
Liberia some time In the future after they raise money
enongb rs told IN yesterdays Tribune. The c0lOred
people, notably the members OF the Foreign Missionary
society OF the African Methodist Episcopal Church,
want TO start a movement TO send them back "hefe
they came from The colOnists themselves don't Know
what they want and don't know why tbey started
they have only vague ideas of where they want TO CO.
and they are, in u word, children utterly helpless
that New York City might well have had the III
mates OF a cOlOred orphan asylum dumped lhIo i'S
streets. With the ready fatalsm and resignation OF
the Southern negro, they have settled down apparently
for good 10 the basement of stephen Mertto Mission
and In No. % SulivaIi-st.
In the latter place, a boarding house, the thirty
four from McCrOry, Ark, have opened their head
quarters. Their lot Is more comfortable IMAM tha
Of the large delegation from the cherokee country
for the thirty flour have money enough 10 support
themselves for time, until some measures ior
their disposition are taken. The Others in stephen
and stephen Merritt and the kindheared and generous
Mrs. Rogers have veritabe elephant on their hands,
though 1t isn't a white one by any means. Inc edie
which Is given the poor cOOnists is indeed STRIKING
example OF practical Christianity. The young White
men who are helping Mrs. Rogers to take care OF
the guests, doing the cooking and cleaning up DC
side attending TO the multfarious wants of the tinted
pilgrims are all converts from the mission, which
is situated above the basement, and they WORK Ike
beavers. Mrs. Rogers herself, q gentle, sweetmceu
woman, moves among the colored people Ia the DARK
close basement from morning Till night, ana the
negroes have look her as their refuge 50
that 1t is Mistis Rogis7 Msus Regis" all day long
They 90 to her for food for clothes, for water Tor
cough medicine and for directions about baggage
She was greatly troubled last night, and said that
she could not tell what TO do with them III Is GER
tain that they cannot remain much longer
crowded together where they are. III soke
Of the children should get diphtheria Or any CON
,agious disease, an epidemic might result ms
grave danger does not however appear to bother 'e
Board Of Health much, for no one has been at inc
basement to Investigate the condition OF ahairS.
the same number OF chickens were confined IN
cellar the Eoard would have risen in It's majesty long
ago. =,
The Rev. Mr.. Hill, who led the seekers after the
promised land from their homes, keeps himself care
fully aloof from them lie doesn't live in stephen
MeIrtt's basement and the cOlonsts have made many
unknd remarks about him aud his administration oi
the finances of the party. He wore new nat yesleF
day and looked prosperous and Wellieu buV nc
doesn't know what is TO become oi his hocA anu
wanders around with a serene .dith in something
turning up" There are 220 colored MlcawDefs Ike
bin, all waiting for something
The thirty -four emigants from McCroy, who came
here ON Sunday on the steamship City Of Augusta are
fairly comfortable but they don't know much ABOUT
the chances of getting TO Liberia, and are patetcay
waiting for strong hand TO guide them. one OF
W.
having arrived here with the Cherokee embassy, SAID
that they were all farm laborer and had their ploughs
and other implements with them. They owned no |
land he said This dSposes Of the story that the |
movement among the southern negroes was started by
designing spectators who wanted to buy their lana |
cheap.
These negroes from McCrory made rather alarm |
inc statement 10 a Tribune reporter yesterday They
said that the movement for emigration TO Liberia was
extremely Widespread among Southern negroes, ana
that thousands and thousands always talking oil
going and ready 10 sell out what properly they hau
at any time, and start for Newlork
The American Colonization society will hold the
meeting mentioned in yesterdays Tribune soon as
possible. The two members of the executive com
mittee. the Rev. Dr. Addison and Reginald tehdaib
went to Washington last night after seeing number
Of prominent New-York people. They VIII return IN
The coiored people of New-Yorlz viii hold meeting
today IN the Bethel A dede M on te best f mcan
for caring for the ooloDiss. They do not wish to nave
the coonists sent Liberia, but want them set Dch
A telegram was sent TO the forty negroes In MOT
rellton Ark, whose passage was engaged some the
npo on tie bark Liberia asking them fOr deInc re-
NV II they not decide TO come, f0ry Of the PEG
Die now here will be sent OFF ON the bark on ltIch ~
some of tie negroes at stephen Merrtts mission
found employment Yesterday, but ~ great dniculty
is that they all have families. If they were single
Employment could be secured for all of them. f. A.
Tuftle lawyer spent two hours there Yesterday Try
ing TO find man TO go 10 his farm, but he gave ~ up
I'M ean He
negroes willing but sponsble that one !ad 10
drive them to make up their minds Not one on tne
Will make up his mind To do anything until lie mas
out what the others viii do.