RICKS, Louis - Putnam

The Testimony of the Refugees.  As an answer to the falsehoods that are being so industriously circulated in Democratic newspapers regarding the condition of the colored immigrant who have recently arrived here from North Carolina, we have interviewed a number who have called at this office during the past week and give the results below.  It will be seen that they all speak in the very highest terms of praise of Indiana and their treatment since coming here.  

I came with the first party that came from North Carolina.  I cam from near Rocky Mount, Edgecomb County.  My family consists of seven persons, five being children.  I live on the farm of Dr AC Stevenson near Greencastle. My wife has been confined since coming here and the babe died but outside of this we have got along well.  Dr. Stevenson has waited on my family in their sickness and treated us with great kindness as has his family. They have given us many things that we needed.  We are all well satisfied, except losing our babe.  I get $15 a month in money and am furnished a house, a garden spot, firewood and a cow to milk, free.  I never did so well in my life.  I find the people here, both white and black, kinder than any people I ever met before. They have done all they could for me. It is a rich country – a sight richer than North Carolina. I don’t want to go back there any more. It looks to me like our people can do a great deal better here than there. White people and colored people are all one here; there ain’t any difference!