The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1865-11-17
Aid and Comfort.

rate movement. which. if effectually
prosecuted, will do more to restore good
feeling between the North and the South
than all the garrisons in all the towns OF
every southern State 1t was for the
purpose of sending aid to to the desti-
tute white people in the South Hereto
fore our pbilanthrspists have appeared to
forget that there are lrhite inhabitants of
the southern States, and have thought
and labored only for the benefit of the
negro, but We trust that delusion
may be dispelled, and that hereafter sym
pathy for the sufferings of our own race
may move the men of the North to
more Christian charity of opinion and TO
more deeds of kindness to their fellows
than we have witnessed during the I'M
happy past. i|t.
Governor PARSONS, OF Alabama, was
present at the meeting in New YORK ana
drew a touching picture OF the condition
Of the people ofthat state ~.
Governor Parsons said that at the
time the Contederacy collapsed, the corn
crop of that State was. just in a condition
10 be plowed and hoed for the first time.
The black people, believing they were
free, determined to test the question of
their freedom. kno wing no way to do
this except by quitting work, and seeing
whether their masters dared order them
back. they abandoned the field, and the
consequence was the crop suffered, nst
at the turning point, and, besides,
dronth of uneNampled severity set in
The State is NO left with less than half
Ia crop of corn, while less than one-tifth of
II crop of small grain for breadstuffs was
raised.
If the same rate of iudigence exists
among the black population that exists
among he white, il Is manifest that there
are $50 900 people in Alabama who may
suffer tor food before the month OF March
comes around. No cotton to any extent
was planted, and the quantity produced
will be insignificant
HENRY WARD REECHER made a speech
endorsing the object of the meeting and
containing far more charity towards the
South and more generous spirit of con
citation than could have been expected
from such a source He said. We need
ed faith i'll southern men He was will
ling to trust them and believed they
were honest in saying they accepted the
issue Of the war" " He did not expect
them to change their doctrines at once"
General MEADE made a speech replete
with sentiments which do honor To his
character AZ soldier and man. He
said:
"As commander ofa very large army,
il has fallen to my lot to witness the ruin
which has fallen on large portion of
the country. can tell you that you
cannot conceive the distress which ex-
lists in the Southern States 1t is hardly
necessary to dilate on this point. Since
the rebellion broke out the men have
been engaged in war, and the women in
preparing for their wants They have
had no means of making money. Their
currency is now destroyed, and when you
consider these things yOu must see how
great is their distress The question is,
ought we to retierveit? Twill not reason
on the morality of the question, but Il riU
tell you Uhat are soldiers do. differ fghtiRQ
q battle. lrhen the dead and grounded lar
thick around as, ace did not ask arg questions
but zoe took tender care of such as needed It,
Ih0t should be your mOTulity The South
ern people have how ceased to be enemies,
and are disposed to be friends 1t is your
duty, rs Christians and citizens, and for
your material Interests, to relieve them |
General GRANT, who was unable to be |
present, sent letter which deserves high
commendation and is worthy the atten-
ton of all who desire to see return of
the former friendship which united the
people of all sections OF our common
country. He said:
However we NAV have differed from
our Southern brethren in the events of
the last four years, we have now become
one people and with but one interest.
The war has worked snch rnin upon
much of the south, thar without some
aid from those who can rive il. there
must be mucA suffering the coming win
ter. The work of your Commission.
willie it will give present aid where 1t is
so much needed, will also serve to heal
old wounds. Whatever is calculated TO
increase the friendship and brotherly
feeling between the two sections of onr
country, l heartily approve.
These things will do good. Even if
the iabors of the committee organized
for the relief of the suffering should fail
to administer to the wants of one hun
dredth of the sufferers, still the knowl-
edge that disposition to assuage the bit
terness created by the war exists among
the northern people, will exert much in
huence in restoring harmony If We
want the people of the South to respect
and be true to the government of the
United States, we must trust he@ and
treat them kindly And we must not
only display our generosity by endeavor-
ing to supply their wants, hut we must
first cherish for them sentiment of re-
spect for their bravery and proper ap-
probation of the sufferings they have
endeered, The struggle is over and, as
General GRANT says, 1--WE have now be-
come one people, and with but one in.