a committee of five members of this body
be appointed by its presiding officer, whose duty it shall be to
investigate the causes which have led to the aforesaid migration,
and to report the same to the Senate; and said committee shall
have power to send for persons and papers, compelling the defense
of witnesses, and to sit at any time.[1]

Thereupon Senator William Windom, of Minnesota, offered the following
amendment which led to the discussion of all sorts of phases of the
race problem and finally to a majority and minority report on the
exodus:[2]

_And Be it Therefore Resolved_, That in case said committee shall
find that said migration of colored people from the South has
been caused by cruel and unjust treatment or by the denial or
abridgement of personal or political rights, have so far inquired
and reported to the Senate, first; what, if any, action of
Congress may be necessary to secure to every citizen of the
United States the full and free enjoyment of all rights
guaranteed by the constitution; second; where the peaceful
adjustment of the colored race of all sectional issues may not be
best secured by the distribution of the colored race through
their partial migration from those States and congressional
districts where, by reason of their numerical majority, they are
not allowed to freely and peacefully exercise the rights of
citizenship; and third; that said committee shall inquire and
report as to the expediency and practicability of providing such
territory or territories as may be necessary for the use and
occupation of persons who may desire to migrate from their
present homes in order to secure the free, full, and peaceful
enjoyment of their constitutional rights and privileges.[2a]

REPORT

_The Select Committee, appointed by the Senate to investigate the
causes which have led to the migration of the Negroes from the
Southern States to the Northern States, having duly considered
the same, beg leave to submit the following report_:[3]

On the 18th day of December, 1879, the Senate passed the
following resolution:

Whereas, large numbers of Negroes from the Southern States are
emigrating to the Northern States; and,

Whereas, it is currently alleged that they are induced to do so
by the unjust and cruel conduct of thei