M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1865-04-27

festntatlVPs, ~"
Mar. 1865.
\ ~ ,u i..' --- -T.
Mr., SPEAKER = After 80 much pa
tisan.IegiSlation tits gratifying to fnt
lat last, one importlnt measure atf1c
ing the interests Of the State at largI
in tho iurtherance Vi which | am abl,
TO co operate with fellow member,
on the rther eide OF this chamber.
( will as briefly rs possible present the
reasons why | .hiuk this General As
selnbly ought to pass the bill to estal
lish a soldiers home. And first, d
base my opinion on TIE ground o
simple Humanity. This consideration
takes the question beyond and above
the range Of political antagOnismS;
we all meet here on comnon grounh
OF Sympalily--"one touch Of nature
makes the worl9 akin" The State
Of Ohio has taken proud y promi-
nent position among her sisters in the
care OF ll.u unfortunate and afflicted.
Her benevolent institutions are her
crown jewels. They have been the
objects of her tenierest solictudo,
her most liberal bounty. She has Ia
ken to her heart tho lesson Of the
great student OF humanity who said.
"Tho Qua'ity Of mercy ID not str .ined;
1t droppeth rs gentle rain from heaven
|. Upuu the place bon5Ath. II is twice blessed.
And truly has it beem twice blessed
blessing the chiIdsep ot her care
with comfort and health aud hope,
and blessing the good commonwealth
herself with tho love Of her citiz ms
and the admiration of sll good men.
Without considerag for tho PRESENT.
any peculiar claims Of these"Jisabled
soldiers" by reason OF their services
TO ,he State, | ask where ia there u
class more directly within the Opera
tiuh Of that principle which lies at
the foundation vi all our benevolent
institutions than the class spoken Of
! in this oiIls W ho arc to be taken care
OH Soldiers, vino by reason ol dis
ease Vr some other affecting viilta-
ton of Providence arc disabled,
IRON taking care Of themselves, and
are left dependent upon the kindness
! Of their fellow creaturJa. tervent-
! ly hope, fellow Representatives, that
none OF you who are tn vote Tor Or
against this measure may be called
upon to known tie misery Of being
thrown helpless on the mercies of a
selfish world, or have cause to sigh
over "the rarity Cl christian charity"
Oar noble State has w;sely y provided
that her unirotunate ones shall not be
lett dependent on the uncertain
chances Of local bounty. She has ta
ken her stricken children iuto her
own keeping and provided for them
pleasant and permanent homes, where
under the supervision Of her own OF
ticers tho blind are-in some sens Q
given a second sight, the deaf made
to hear, the dumb 10 speak, and the
clou on the brain of the idiot is turn
eI with "silver lining Sir, We have
been able through these blessed in
s'rumentalitics TO minister to a
mind diseased" and by the passage
Of til act we will "pluck a rooted
sorrow from the braiu'' Of many des
ltitute families whose loved ones have
come from the wars, shattered in
health or broken in frame, longing
tor a "hone" where they may rest in
peace and plenty. safe from the anx-
ety and distress that wait on want
1t has been said that this Bill al
ftcss only few OF the solliers that
II majority Of them are not included
in the class spoken oi and that Of those
who are very many have fslriIies and
friends vino can provide for them and
would much prefer to do 30. | grant
lit: and favor the measure for that
very reason. Public benevolent iu-
stitutions are neither intended nor
adapted to supply the warts of large,
but Of small aud rccpti0nat classes.
Wherever large bodies OF people,
who are neither diseased, nor bsrett
OF any oil their natural faculties or
powers, suffer destitution, it is the re
sltIt Of aocial wrong-of errors in the
structure and organization o. society,
I which call not ior benevolence but re
form, Take the women and children
who have become poverty stricker-
aud their number has been Increased
enormously during the war-who
ere unable at best, 10 earn more than
a scanty gpittance, and in innumera-
Bile cases lave been forced by dire ne
eessitr into the rahks Of those unlor.
tunases who hsye turned all our large
.;,:oo nod toupc into uaru hrothalo =, ,