Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1866-01-28
From the Cincinnati Enquirer.
THE AFRICAN ELFPHANT.

Gen. Howard, Commissioner Of the
Freedmen's s Bureau, in his report Of esti-
mates for the expenses of his department
during the coming year, asks for an ap-
| preparation Of eleven million seven hun
dred and forty-five thousand nine hum
dred and fifty doilars-neariy twelve
million OF dollars. OF this amount four
million one hundred and six thousand
/ two hundred and fifty dollars IS required
| for commissary stOresi one million seven
! hundred and fifty thousand dollars for
/ clothing; three milliOh dollars for sites
/ for school houses and asylums; and two
/ hundred and thirty thousand dollars Tor
! salaries for assistant commissioners and
clerks Gen. Howard says he does not
Z consider the difficult problem given to
/ him 20 have been solved yet; but he
nevertheless trusts tOPrOvidence 10 bring
the negIO question 20 some good result
Besides the demand Of twelve million
from the Government, there is a large
unofficial demand upon the benevolent
Every neighbOrhoOd has, under some
name or another, q FreedInan's Bureau
or a negro aid society. Agents of both !
sexes, enjoying, we hope, good eOmmis- /
sions on what they collect-present the !
claims OF the freedmen to the popular /
attention set forth in pathetic terms the /
B.
wants, and appeal TO every feeling OF hu- /
manity, OF patriotism or Of religion that /
can be supposed 70 exercise a softening
influence upon the Cerberus that guards
the pocket.
Money for the poor and perishing ne
gro taxation by law; taxation through
social and ecclesiastical influences taxa
ton by philanthropic and religious swim
dlers and charlstans; taxation 10y silly
strong-minded women; taxation by pub
lie lecturers, benevolent minstrels and
Shakesperean readers; the daughters of
the h0rse-leech seem to be let loose upon
Us. and the cry, give, give, to have be
come one of our established institutions.
Before the war which, in philanthro-
pie contemplation, has produced such
multitude Of munificent results the ne
groes Of the South, besides supporting
themselves. were the producers Of an an
nual surplus Of about two hundred mil
lion dollars in value. As a class, among
the creators of American national wealth,
they stood with the highest. According
to their own ideas of freedom and happi-
ness, none were freeT or happier than
they. As a means for the annual aug
mentation of thewealth, and
ly of the comfort Of the whole people
none administered more essentially or
They We're the only order
Of the people which cost the Government :
The transition from an annual surplus
production of two hundred million OF
dollars to an annual expense to the Gov
eminent of twelve millions, and TO the
people in the way Of donations of an
equal amount, is a very considerable
change. We hardly think that it is nee :
assary here to enter into an argument To :
show that, in this aspect, the change has
not been an improvement. The benfits,
may he very great, but
.he benefits, economically, seem 70 be
quite the reverse. Let Us look Little at \
the philanthropic results;
Before the war the negroes Of the South
we're a healthy people. They multiplied
IN higher ratio than the whites. Want
md exposure and dangerous suffering L
through privation Of the necessaries Of
lie were unknown to them. II sick they
we're cared for and ii epidemic diseases -
prevailed among them the best Of medi- q
al skill was employed to check lis pro-
,ress and stay its rayages, ri
since philauthruphy got the uuper H
iand in the country and tsol the negroes
nto its especial care and keeping, no less.
ccordiug 70 the statements Of Gen.
Howard, than eight hundred thousand :
{ them have perished from disease, eN-
'1Sure and starvation. News recently
rom the South gives information that
he small p0x is raging among the survi- u
Qrs 70 . terrible extent.
The victims Of famine and pestilence /
ogether, the race Of Africa seems doOmed |
D sudden extinction and 20 all appear
nee, but short space of time viii inter
enc between the first and the last and
aost characteristic triumph Of philan- \
lIupY in the determination, under its ey
-gilnen, Of the victims Of benevOlence. 4,
lt needed no peculiar sagacity 10 know
hat when the American people took the
egrOes of the South rom their masters
lto their own hands, they won the
lrgest kind Of an elephant. Eight hum
red thousand dead, az many more dying,
nj the people called upon to pay twelve :
billions Of dollars in taxes 10 support
he remainder; a National Legislature
-ithuegr0 on the hraiu 90 the extent that, q
bllviDus 10 the wants Of the people, re- -
ardless even Of the appalling actualities
the condition oiIts prOtcge; foFgetful of ca
be distress which its extreme taxation is =.
reating everywhere, aEd ef the Auauoial u
risis thaJ overhaugs the country It is ea-
able Of seeing nothing but a gloIihed ~
egro which its own fancy has created: @
f worshiping nothing but golden des- -
IGy which il has built up for him TO !
l. own diseased and OyerWIOught imagi-
atiOu.