Year: 1879

How the Exodus is sPromoted-Other Matters


of Interest.


10 The Editor of The National Republican:


SIR: Although the exodus question is
not very actively canvassed in Orangeburg
County, yet the colored people are meditating
stronly TO leave this region during the coming
fall season. This purpose on the part of the
colored. people is not the result ofimpulse, nor
are they actuated solely because of the late
change in political government. Two hun
dred years of wrong and oppression, amelior.
ated only by the strong arm of the Federal
Government which to-day seems paralyzed
for their protection, stare them in the face
The civil war made them free. The amend
ments to the Constitution more fully estab-
lished, or rather re-enacted their citizenship
and gave them the right of suffrage. The war
alsv stripped their former masters of the in.
voluntary service of their slaves In making
the soil productive, dethroned "King CottonU
and gave to the slave the right to be ade-
quately compensated for his labor as other
men, without regard to color. 1t enabled the
colored man in his new status to acquire an
education. to own land, and to be
governed by the same laws which governed
his fellow white citizen; yet, in the
face of all these privileges and rights, he finds
himself in semi.condition of slavery, with all





in open disregard for the advancement of tho
colored race, all means for the education of
their children Is denied them. They do not
forget their schoOl-houses being burnt and their
teachers murdered by the hands of the mid.
night assassin. They recollect the crueties
perpetrated upon their wives and daughters
because of the political opinions of their hus.
bands and fathers. They ask themselves the
question why, after they have toiled for these
many years trying to buy twenty-five acres of
land for $780, and have paid annually one or
two bales of cotton in payment of the same,
they yet owe more than the original cost of
tho land? ? Why does ii take me so much
money yearly to pay up my lien SO
scarcely able to buy ono decent suit of
Clothes and am unable to pay my doctors
bill or my lawyers fee TO save mo from the
hands of the perjuier who will swear that
stole his corn and try to identify it by the corn
found in my barn, having the same shape ear,
or by some footsteps which are traced from his
to some adjoining fence Of mine.


Last, but not least, why, ii am a citizen,
should be denied the right to vote, or my
vote counted out, or my life taken, or my
limbs manned, unless | vote Democratic
ticket? Why should my Northern white
| friends who come among us to teach us what
our masters swOre they wOnld nOt-namely, to
read and write and worship God intolligently
be ill.treated and driven away, because they
arc Republicans unless like some Benedict
Arnold such as some of those presiding in our
midst at Cla fin University, they sell their
principle for favor sake and the lucre of posi-
tion. Also why is it that the administration of
justice from Democratic sources should be
subordinated TO political domination of the
governing partyf


1t will be remembered, in illustration of this
latter statement, that some time ago the
atrOciOus murder of CuliOe Hunuins In thiu
county, by an illegal constable Issued by one
A. j. Evans, who is, nor was not at the time
u trial justice, was reported 1t has since been
discovered and proven by competent legal
proof that this same A. j. Evans was not
trial justice at the time Of issuing this warrant
his appointment by the Governor not having
been confirmed by the Senate as required by