Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1865-10-12
For the Journal.
SEPT, 2
CROAKERS.

1t is the croaker's privilege to
choose his own subject, and the Leg
islator's duty to act in the premises
of the needs of his constituency, to
provide for the helpless needy, by
enacting wise laws of relief in be-
half of those who can not help them
selves. At this time, we cannot
name class of persons whose con
dition is more gloomy, than that of
the soldiers poor widows, with fsmi-
lies. of three, four. and five children
all to young to earn what would feed
one Tho war oyer, the liability to
draft passed by, our citizens abate
their charitable sympathies and cast
grudging reflections about what they
have done, and what they still are
compelled to pay in taxes, to create
reliet fund. All very natural, every
one loves to enjoy his own, and can
remember the dollar he gave in
charity much better than he remem-
bers the need that induced the gilt
Let US take common case and con
slider it with all the facts attending
A. was laborer sometimes rented
land and produced living for his
family, in that way The war came
on, A. volunteered in 1862, lef5 his
wife in a rented house, with four
small children. and seant means to
live until the first pay day. Wear
and use without additions Soon made
sensible diminution in all the &C
cessories of the household. In 1868,
A. was killed in battle, and then it
was that sympathy was kind, and
charity generous, but all things come
to an end, and one year revealed the
true condition of the widow and
children, charity exhausted and
dried up, avarice, grudging, and
snatching for the last dime of her
pension, and she regarded as a com
monplace poverty, and stricken wild
ow, that no one feels bound to re-
lieve, and if she should missapply
one dime of her means, every one
takes the liberty to censure. Itmay
not be amiss TO enquire, which gave
the most to their country, the widow
A. or farmer B. who pays tax of
thousand dollars. 1t is stated in an
old book, that q widows mite is
greater than all the rich mans
wealth. We have seen men lavish of
their money, when buying of from
the draft, we have heard their pro-
fuse promises to volunteers, and
families Of help and care, in their
absence, but when the crisis was
past then they felt free, and their
obligation cancelled. And since
charity has got quite cold, and ava
rice keeps warm and strong AS.
widow sorely feels the need of friend
ship and protection. AL are willing
that she make for herself and chill
dren living ii she can, but pass by
on the other side, saying / have
given thus and thus, much, for the
war, and charities, and if / continue
now that peace and safety have
come, gain nothing, and my chill
dren may yet go to bed supperless,
and settle IN the world without pat
rimony.
Now let us make up the account
of the widow AS. receipts for two
years, 90 month pension, $40 of for
fees, s74,O0 back pay and bounty,
shorn by fees and costs to $1,000
reed from township trustees s9I,OO
from company donations s25,OO
one winters wood rharitably Oe
slowed equal to $3.50, amounts to
S297 90, from which deduct $500,
dollars, paid Doctor and Apotheeary
in one case of sick child, and