The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1864-03-12

The WHITE SOUTHERN REfuGEEs AT CAIRO
A DREADFUL PIcruRE.-We hare received from
the Cairo Illinois) Relief Association q copy Of
circular concerning the Southern white reftl-
gees in the care Of the As5ociation-their con-
dition, numbers and wants-whch presents a
dreadful picture Of the inside horrors Of the
rebellion. These unfortunate refugees we are
thus informed, are landed by government
transports at Cairo Eat all hours Of the night
and day. They are left shelterless and penni-
less-ther future an aimless blank" Two hun
dred have thus been landed from single
steamer and "the average number per month
exceeds two thousand, with the prospect OF an
increase rather than diminution OF arrivals"
Some few come with teams, some few have
little money, but in general these exies from
rebeldom are utterly destitute, and 'nine-
tenths Of all are women aud children, four-fifths
of whom are children Of tender years." And
they are all whites.
They are refugees from the rebel reign OF
terror which has made pandcmonium OF all
the country bordering on the lower Mississippi
They say that their able bodied men have been
conscripted into the rebel service; or, in at
tempting to fly, have been hunted by blood
hounds and shot down like wild beasts that
their crops have been destroyed, their lands
laid waste, their cattle and teams driven of,
their granaries robbed, their cotton burned,
their houses sacked and RACED, their women
and children stripped Of their clothing, and
turned naked upon the world that their
men, charged with disloyalty to the rebellion
have been hanged in front Of their own dwell
lings; that their children, interoeding, have
been shot; that mothers, imploring mercy, have
had their infants stabbed at their breasts; and
that the rich and the poor alike are PROSTATE,
smitten and suppliant from their very destitu-
tio0.r
Such are the horrors which have driven and
are driving these distressed white refugees TO
Cairo by hundreds and by thousands. They
are suffering from exposure, from want Of food
and clothing and from sickness, and the num-
Der Of their sick is rapidly increasing. The
government supplies them "rations Of -four
and bacon, with fuel and the occupancy OF one
small barrack," but furnishes them neither
stoves, medical attendance nor transportation
usyo"u VIC Pos@ HEVsso SvnsiSN"OuS saw
done much to tighten the lsbors Of the "Relief
Association" but the work is increasing upon
their hands beyond their means.
The Association, therefore, calls for relief.
We submit their appeal to the attention Of
Congress; for Congress, we think, should do
something for these most unfortunate of all
our suffering people, these utterly homeless
and destitute Southern white exiies at Cairo.
Meantime, as this circular informs us, money
for their relief may be RENTED in drafts to
A. B. Stafford, Treasurer, Cairo Relief Assoca-
ton; and goods through the Sanitary Commits
sion, marked "white Refugees, Cairo, Illinois,"
We call upon Congress and upon our abolition
philanthropists to turn their attention for q
moment to these "white refugees" and to give
Them a. we'll as their black brethren, a helping
hand