The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-01-09


going to Tennessee, South Carolina and yir
o. ria than to Vermont or New Hampshire.
The repor. ofthe Police Commlssio ners, which
we published tie other day, exhibited the
normal condition Of ! certain GLASS of tho poor
of this city, especially these who live in tene-
ment houses and in the damp and mouldy SUBJ
terranean habitations that abound in certain
localities. IF that report shows the wretched-
ness Of this class Of the poor in moderate sea-
sons Of the year, what must it be in such sharp
and biting days and nights as we have latterly
experienced Some narrow-souled philan-
thropists may argue that these miserable people
are sufferers through causes arising from their
own vices and 'debaucheries, and hence are not
proper objects Of Christian charity. To all
such We submit that these poor creatures ought
to receive more consideration at their hands
than some others; for they have abandoned
Gods laws and are abandoned sinners among
men. They are thus doubly objects of charity.
In that bestowal of the charities Of our Christian
benevolent societies, therefore, this sinful and
miserable GLASS of human beings are entitled to
at least some consideration; for the bitter cold
pinches the vicious as cruelty as the virtuous
poor.
Thevirtuous poor! We have, alas, too many
Of this class among u.s. We have them in all
the lower grades Of society, and in some Of the
upper ones. Many Of the latter in former
years lived 10 afluence, but from one cause or
another have been reduced to poverty. Among
the middle classes there are very many truly
Christian and worthy poor families. Among
this class are those dependent for their daily
sustenance upon the earnings which O widow
and elder daughters may obtain to support
younger branches of the same family. This
class reserve to the latest moment the procure
ment Of winter supplies, if ever at all
able, Of provisions, fuel and clothing, and
as the piercing weather now upon
us was precipitated almost without warn
ing their distress is truly pitiable. There
are, too, the wars horrors. They did not end
upon the battle field; but they have followed
bereaved families to the threshold of their hum
have stalked in among weeping widows and
scantily clad children, budding before few
embers Of cheaply bought faggots, like SILVER
ing skeletons around the glimmsring ashes Of
a tomb. Many OF the distresses Of the families
Of deceased soldiers would be relieved If the
government would speedily pay to their sur
viving heirs the amounts due them. We re-
peatedly hear Of instances whore widows and
children have been left unprotected and I'M
provided for by the husband and father having
fallen in the service of the country. These
families esp scially deserve the attention Of the
pay department at Washington, and we invite
It's officers to the performance Of that duty at
the earliest practicable moment
But what are the rich doing In this starving
and freezing hour for the poor Of all
grados end olsssoss What our Chris-
tian benevolent societies doings Where
are all our charitable associations Large
amounts Of money are annually subscribed
in the different churches TO aid the
poor Of thcir several parishes. Where are these
philanthropists nows They should understand
that If they have no poor In their own parishes
it is no sin to 60 beyond and relieve suffering
humanity wherever they may find it. The rich
while enjoying the warmth and comforts Of
their splendid apartments and tho substance
Of their abundantly supplied larders, should
remember that the beggar perishes hard by
their palace doom; that the vicious, rendered
more desperate by the fortunes Of their condi-
ton, are rushing faster and faster into crime
and moro swiftly to perdition that the
safeguards which surround the worthy
and yirtuous poor are gradually crumbling
away; that the once opulent are losing faith In
the gospel teachings they once listened to from \
the richly velveted pulpits Of royal edifices
erected In honor of God, and arriving sadly ct
the belief that the purple and crimson Of those
stained glass windows are but the droppings Of
the blood of . sauctined and mourning Sa-
viour.
The rich have 1t In their power 10 amelio-
rate the sufFcrings Of these people. Now In
the time TO do 80. Many Of them are, no doubt,
great sinners; and here viii they find abundant
opportunity to do Q little good for the much III
they may have done. The charitable societies,
the churches, all organizations that pretend TO
have followers In the train Of the white robed
angel Charity, should seize the present occa-
sion for showing their reliance in the holy
edmonton, "The poor 10 have always with
YOU"
The SKATING SEAsoS AND THE HEALTH