Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1864-04-15
The SufFsrine Poor Of Richmond.


EVAN in times of peace the Spring months are months
Of scarcity. New, they are mOnths Of distress. VIZ
have passed the ordeal Of Winter with comparative
ease but to-day the pinch is and each succeed
Ing day w will DO pinehed the more. What are the
ROB doing to alleviate the susrngs Of the pOOr' Are
the country people sending all they spare to town, o.
are they boarding.
YirginiAns have or bad the reputation Of being lib
sra and hOsplabls TO fault bu it is not often we n6
in VirginiAn paper paragraph like this Wbish We CT
from North Carolina exchange:
NosLK DKsDs-We have lust beard Of one OF many
roo1 scsions a. the hands o. our friend James NJ. Pa
70 T. of Lsn1-, which serves ths pucl conmenda-
ton Mr. Plrrott had Just purchased some hIndIea
bA Ies Of corn, at about fifty dollars ba rel for bis
own use when a poor woman who rad six daughters
each one haYog husband in the army preseLtsd her
: Ii q buy tie corn. Thereupon, our generous
trend gave to bar Thirty barrel live for each OF rht
col liers wives. This act OF charity 10 no uncommon
thing with Nc. Parrots. BE has been one OF those
whose liberal and gene Gus deeds have been unstntec
during tho war An excellent farmer be has minsged
to raise good crops has Hays sold a. reasonaos pr ets
to Government aud individuals and is open-banded to
the poor Such valuable sdjunetS to the cause,
and their usefulness will be remembered.
No city in the COni,dsrley has had more refugees
than ehmond yet have yet to learn that ary sPe-
cal favor has been shown them BY merchants and
Oih,rs. See how fIerenty hey act in South CNo
Ina;
A WoRTHY ExAAPLL--A correspondent of tie
Char ston MsTey says that the inhabitants Il Sec ely
Hill, U, have received the refugees IRON Oaares'on
wi the greatest hos otay; have rente them houses
az thu lowest ra.es aud EEL them bacon at IS ccnsp
pound; butter at 81 per pound, and other articles at
the sane generous rates. One gentleman employs
servant oa.h shsd and sells them TO refugees at 80
osn each allowing every family 20 purohA Two. By
no YaakSss there. We one Confederate family, aud
L. the duty OF every OF bis hears, head
and hands his country a1d his neigheor a. IA
stli and particularly those who have given up he
homes fer the honor and Welfare of the Sta and Cen
fedetaey.
Many of the refugees in r ebmOnd-perhAps the
jOrty Of ,hem-are people of the highest social stand
Ing, Who have been drVea from luxurious homes, and
are now toing Ike slaves in obscure rooms and Offices
in the city. Many OF them suf'Tog for the
sAliss Of e-susring severely. But they suffer in
snee If il we're no. for the government verify be-
ieve some Of them would slarve. As it is, many OF
them live mainly on bread and water. So far from De
ing helped by the peope of Richmond il would appear
from the fol owing extract from the letter Of Rchmo
correspondent of Southern paper that the boot
the other leg and thai refugee is helping the peope
Of ehmoud. The letter Is dated March 81 and
sxrac runs thus: --..
Wby are those ladies' gathered about that store p
asked man as / came down town this mOrnne =
"rhey tell me tho who owns tia. store seiS goods
cheaper than any bOcy ese-hOur for a dollar DO
and bacon for Ave dollars" the reply. IL WSs al
NOS painful look the eager faces Of some OF the
ladies' as they pissed up to the door of the store,
which was clos SD so hat only one could enter Il
dine. The owner OF this store il refugee from the
Valley OF Virginia and 1t 10 said has been in the hsbi.
of selling goods 50 loE, compared with ether people,
that his best customers ohari ably accounted for the
generous eccentrioity BY saying be was insane.
man is accused of being nsans because he sells
provisions cheaper than others This is bar bit
ths provision vsnissJ Of r chmoad.
But refugees are not the only sufferers. Any one
Who viii take the trouble to walk by the Office of the
Young Mems Christian Association will thsre see q
crowd Of women with baskets and anxious iaces-
some Of these bear traces Of prVatioD, but
Others are haggard and worn beyond mistake. Waat
and overwork have made their faces pals and their eyes
lustreless They need help and the Association, *
hau.tei in funds and supplies have been forced to APP
o int agents to visit the citizens of Richmond and
solicit subscriptions.
But all the poor women not found in front Of he
doors Of the public benevolent institutions. Many OF
them shrink from this open acknowledgement of their
poverty, but they will be found in the counting
and Offices Of charitable gentlemen Aud the Spring
wears on notable increase Of Well-bOrn ladies will
be observed At the city provision stores. They must
come TO this, If our msa Of wealth open not their
hands and our farmers bring no. forth their boarded
corn and meat
The time has cone wen We mus. be5tir ourselves n
active charities. As an incentive to the backward
over We quote from Sir Th BsoSns's "Christian
Morals"
b charitable before wealth make thee eoVetous ard
ass the glory Of the mite. II riches increase let
tby mind hold pace WITH them snd thpkit not enopgh
20 bs liberal, but munidcent TnoOgh a cup Of elf
water from hand may not be without is reward
vet lex though for wine and oil for the wounds of
toe distressed and treat the poor Saviour did
ths multitude, 70 the relics Of scme baskets. Dfuse
thy bene6cence early ard while thy call thee
master there may be al AroPOs Of thy fortunes be-
fore that Of thy LIE aid thy wealth cut CH before that
hour when all men shall DO poor, for the justice Of
death looks equally upon the dead, and charon tx-
PEGS no more IRON Alexander than from Irus
Give only unto seven, but also untoeight, that is
unto more .han many Though 70 give unto every one
that asksth may seem advice yet give thou also
before sskng that Is, where want Is ilsntly clAmor
Gus and mems necessities not their leagues do loudly
oalI for thy mercies For though sometimes necsssi-
tousness be domb or misery speak not OUT yet true
b.ritV 4 sagacous and viii d out hints for bene6-
esnea' Aoonaint thyself with the paysicgnomy of
ant and lee the dead coors and first lines OF necessity
speee 20 tell thee there object for thy bounty
Scare not where thou caast n0t easily be prodga and
far nos to be undone By mercy Tor slncs he who
I'm u;tv on the poor,lendelh unto the Almighty re-
wArded who observes no ides but every day for bis