The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1859-08-30
Local and Miscellaneous.
The Steamer Poland.

city lEyansyille) by the y. III. Dohe iIOni
Cairo, and censures the officers OF the 70
land in no measurable terms.
These are the facts The "family" was
made ND OF three women, one man, and
three childrtn Zone of which was a mulat-
to). They applied for passageto Louisville,
saying they came from back of Evansville;
that they were destitute, and had no means
of making living. There being no one to
youch for them, and knowing the respousi-
ty Of public carrier in such matters, L, of
course, refused to allow them to come
aboard. The municipal laws of Louisville,
and of most of the towns along the Ohio,
impose heavy penalties on steamboat own
ers for landing paupers within their pre-
cincts. In view of the many acts of Chari-
" in carrying destitute persona from point
70 point, they should certainly be allowed
the privilege Of protecting themselves from
paying heavy fines where they would per-
form such acts OF charity. These were my
reasons for refusing passage to the "pauper
family" in question, and which, on refec-
ton, hope will be satisfactory to the edi-
tor of the Evansville Journal and all others
interested.
was not applied 10 by citizen or citizens
Of ErdnsViIIe to take this family.
r. GRAcEY, Capt.
Steamer Poland, August %.
These are the simple truths told to the
heartless signer of the above card by the
sufferers themselves, and their statement
was corroborated by circumstances, and
their appeal was supported by liu-
name police officer and other respectable
citizens. The family went from Jefferson
county, Kentucky, to onel of the extreme
border counties of Missouri and squattc,i
upOa a quarter section Of public land
They labOred hard for two years and ex-
pended all their means in making clear
ing and building home. When the time
Tor the payment Of their land came, they
had nothing to redeem il with, AMI heart
Less Spectator entered it aud drove them
from their location. With very little means
they made attempt to return To their old
home and friends. On the route, the men
and women stopped and worked to get
means to pay their way. But oyeriaken by
sickness, they were reduced to utter destitu-
ton and helplessness. Some humane Cap
tain took them on board and brought them
TO Cairo, where Captain Davis found them,
and moved by their sad story, took them on
his boat, fed and nursed them and brought
them to this city, where our citizens and
authorities, instead of prosecuting him for
bringing paupers to the city, received them
gave them shelter and food, and raised a
small purse, enough to pay their expenses
from Portland to their former home, the res
idence of the husbands brother, four miles
from Louisville.
This is a tale-that needed no confederation
to any humane eye that beheld the group
which was told by the sufferers to the Off.
GERS of the Poland when they drove the of
ficted family from the boat. To excuse
their inhumanity, when asked to permit then
to remain, they grossly libelled the people o
Louisville and of Kentucky, by declaring
that the authorities would inevitably prose
cute and fine them for carrying home fam
lily of unfortunate, sick, and destitute citi
zens of their own county. Will the edito
of the Courier, who endorses Gracey's card
endorse the SANDER, and say the danger of tn
penalty was a sufficient justification of tn,
act? The mulatto spoken of was an infant
and might have been slave to the poo
family; no one here asked the lot it held II
the common suffering, nor wished to disturb
its relations to the afflicted family. But tn,
men whowere heartlessenough to drive vir
tutuous and suffering family fromcould them
AS we are credibly nformed--redeem from
heavy charges the baggage of vile prosti
tutes-take them without charge-make
orothel of their boat-and land the polluted
subjects OF their lusts, penniless, upon tn,
wharyes Of Louisville without any fears O
fines from the authorities.
There is no pleasure nor profit to us il
acting thus, as the public censors and cast
gators of a set of base men, whose crime
can only be punished by exposure and ap
plying the scorpion whip of the press t
their naked backs. We have no feeling o
interest in such affairs but what every Cit
zen has; We often don't know the men, OK
cept through the public reports of their act:
1t is an unpleasant public duty, in the per
Torrance Of which, where il is honest
done, the press should have the support c
the community. r.-tt..
Capt. Caffrey, Of the Kate French, lik
Capt Davis, of the Done, received the fam
ly on board; fed them, and ministered kind
ly to the wants of the invalids; and said tbs
occasions to serve the distressed in runnin
his boat gave him more satisfaction than III
profits Of the trip. Capt. Caffrey is as coul
teous and attentive as he is generous an
humane Ladies and families may be er
trusted to his care. with the full assuranC
that they will be safe under his watchfl
guardianship.