Of course the remarks of the Senator from Georgia exonerate him fully from the inference that I was drawing. but it was not alone in a political sense that it was declared that improper influences were being brought to bear upon the colored people of the South to induce them to leave their homes in Mississippi and Louisiana and emigrate to the Western and Northwestern States. It was stated as he himself has said today. that agentswere at workthroughout the Southern States circulating documents that conveyed delusions. promises that could not be fulfilled. holding out to them solicitations that were unwarranted. in consequence of which they were induced to leave their homes and take their residence in the North. Mr. President. we have in Kansas an association called the Kansas Freedmans Relief Association. through whom this emigration was controlled after its arrival. by whom efforts were made to so distribute it in different portions of the State that the emigrants might receive employment. In various ways assistance was extended to these people to save them from the consequences of their own improvidence. They took a large amount of testimony. I have myself conversed with a great many of the emigrants. and I say to the Senator from Georgia and the Senator from North Carolina that I have yet to see or hear of the first colored man who left the South under any other anticipation than that he might get protection for his political and civil rights and a fair days wages for an honest days work.
Keywords matched
emigrate emigrants emigration