Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1856-12-12
The Kansas Appropriation.

The Kansas Appropriation.
The Act passed by the Vermont Lcgsla-
ture for the relief Of the poor in Kansas has
been spoken of in terms of highest praise by
some and of bitter condemnation bv others.
Some Of the writers have evidently been quito
Ignorant Of the Act on which they were
rcmarking. As a basis of our remarks, we
| give it entire
" An Act for the relief Of the poor of Kansas.
| II as hCrCby CHdrtCd &c.
Sec. j. Tho sum of twonty thousand dollars is
horcDy appropriated, and placed at the disposal Of
! inc Hovcrnor Of this State, to be by him used Cf
necessary Tor tho purpose hereinafter stated.
Hec' Z The Govcrnor, If in his Judgment the suf.
iering poor in Kansas need assistance, is hereby
authorized to draw on the Treasurer from time to
time, for such sum or sums, not exceeding twenty
thousand dollars, for the purpose Of furnishing food
and clothing to such Of the inhabitants of Ka,' as
as may be in suffering condition for the want
| thereof.
Sec 3. This act shall take effect from its nosso 70
Approved November 18th, 1856.
First then, no money is app. opriated to
send persons to Kansas, or to F.elp those who
are going there, or for the t,cneft of those
who have been there and a.. G now absent from
there even though The y are going directly
back again, 1t is to 'nelp those who are in
Kansas, and nowhs re else.
In the next Pace the help is to be given
only 10 inc suffering poor" and to be
gwen IN = furnishing food and clothing 10
S"ch OF ne inhabitants in Kansas as man be
IN 81 Dcring condition for the rant thereof"
on' may plead that he has met with considers
ale hardships in Kansas-has had horses
! stolen, house burned, crops destroyed has
been assaulted. unjustly confined, and de-
| prived OF his rights for being free State
man, and yet not meet the case at all. All
those things may have befallen many persons,
and yet they be able to feed and clothe them
selves and their families. The SUFFERING
must be present, and not merely in specula.
ton, to justify the application of this money
for its relief, Besides all this, the Gorcrnor.
at whose disposal the money is paced-is
to be satisfied that the assistance is needed .
before he can so apply the money. lie is not
! to make over the money to irresponsible per-
sons to be squandcred or misapplod by them
without let or hlndrance. IL is trustee to
apply, if it is ncedcd.th bounty Of the State.
and of course he will have to give a inst and
discreet account Of his stewardship. lie has
every inducement before him to use care. i'm
Partially, and economy in the use which he
may make Of the power conhdad in him.
The act does not imply that the whole
sum, hCcHty HousaHd doHars. is to be used
Perhaps not half of it--or n quarter oft NAV
he wanted and if private aid shall be so
literally and promptly furnished. that none
of 1t is wanted, so much the better. In all
this the Legislature expect a sound discretion
to be used. 1t was impossible to fore see
what the winter might bring forth in Kansas.
Unless private charity should be more active
than 1t had been, there was too much reason
to expect that the amount Of suffering for the
common nccessaries of life among the settlers
In Kansas during the present winter would
be great and severe. The Legislature did not
mean to he lavish or niggard in its act. and
the conditions of the act were made accord
inglv.
Once more,-the charitable aid which the
act provides for, is rot limited TO persons who
"NHV ~ hulSdS from NcrinOnt, nor TO ireeA
State men only. The purpose of the act is
humane one and its conditions show no mar
rowness Of soul IN those who voted for
1t. 1t may be said that they knew very we'll
that the suffering in Kansas are among
the free state people, almost entirely, and
that they we're greatly influenced by desire
to have the free state settlers sustained on
the ground, because if they are driven out
from want, Kansas will become a slave state
Inevitably. Grant that and there is no cause
Tor reproach in it, but of praise rather, with
all who love justice and their fellow men
As to the argument that it would be much
6'fte1 to have the aid. in such case, come
from pirate sources so far as 1t is urged
by those who are ready to do their part in
furnishing private aid, we respect it and
could it have been SIRE that the private aid
would be furnished, nobody would have urged
the passage Of the act. As for those who
object to it merely because they are selfish,
and would do nothing either publicly or
privately, and those who object because aid
to the suffering in Kansas seems to rcproach
their party FIR having been the cause of it.
we have no occasion to argue with them at
present.