The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1867-03-29

| uuu I)GlL Isle.
Mr.. EEDRIDGE I desire to know
whether the gentleman from Ohio con-
cedes to the General Government the pow
er affirmed by the gentleman from Massa-
ohusetts, Mr.. Butler.1
Mr.. BINGHAM. 1t is too late, Mr..
Chairman, for the gentleman to address.
to me an inquiry Of that sort. | have TOO
often during the session just closed and
before, declared IN my place here that the
States lately in insurrection are as exclu-
siVely under the legislative power of the
United States Government, until they
shall bo aG lin, restored to their constitu-
tional relations with the consent of Con.
greSs, as is the District of Columbia, to
admit Of doubt about my position on that
question. But that is aside from the
present discussion.
The gentleman from Massachusetts ad
mlts that he has no constitutional objcc-
tons to urge against this bill yet he OBJ
Jccts to 1t, and offers here substitute
which is to exclude from the charitable
consideration of this Congress everybody
save those who are already provided for
by your existing laws in twotold, three
fold, tourfold, tivefpld the measure of re.
lief proposed by this bill. Sir, for one 1
trust that so long as reason holds place
10 my brain | shall never forget that
education and charity are at least the
cheap defense of nations,
1t is enough for me to know that with
in the jurisdiction of the common Gov
ernment of this country there are men,
women, and children who are suffering
firm famine, lifting up their haggard faces,
stretching forth their skinny fingers, and
asking for leave to eat of the crumbs that
fall from your well,suppled tables, "Tell
it DOT III Cash publish it not in the streets
Of Askelon," that tho American Con-
gress, having the control of such resour-
ccs as never before acknowledged the
sway Of any other government, will per-
ngia sixty thousand Of their coputrymcn
| to perish for bread within the limits of
their own jurisdiction. Especially let not
the Fortieth Congress be false to the re-
cord of the Thirty-Ninth Congress, and
intcrpose to proposition Of this kind any
such quibbiing objections as have this day
been insisted upon.
If the widows and orphans ofthose who
persisted at Apdersouvile and Libby are
not Already sufficiently provided for by ex.
isting Legislation am ready to vote out
Of the ustooal Treasury additional sup.
plies. But, sir, by no pretense of aiding
them am | going to be diverted from con-
tnbuting, so far as may be able, to car.
~ into execution this bill, which has
come to us from the Senate, where it has
been passed by an almost unanimous vote
Of our own friends.
Mr.. FARNSWORTH. desire to ask
the gentleman, with his permission,
whether he does not believe that if an in
vestigaton should be made there would
be found throughout the northern States
sixty thousand persons who have not in
their possession bread for the next year,
and who have no prospect of having it
unless they earn it and il SO, would there
not be just as much propriety in our vo-
ting money to supply them with bread
as making an appropriation TO supply six.
ty thousand southern people
Mr. BINGHAM. III understand the
gentleman, he is inquiring of NE whether
he voted IN accordance with his oath and
the requirements Of the Constitution du-
ring the first session Of the Thirty. Ninth
Congress, when he voted to appropriate
S7,OOO,O00 for that very purpose.
Mr.. FARNSWORTH. l did not ask
the gentleman anything about our consti
tutional right to vote money in this way
Mr. RlNGHAM Well, sir, | under
stand the gentleman to ask me about our
power to make such an appropriation !;
and | say that it is too late for any Re-
publican member of the Thirty-Ninth
Congress to raise that question. In the
Thirty-Niuth Congress we did this very
thing; and | propose to follow that
example in the Fortieth Congress.
Mr.. FARNSWORTH. Tho gentle
man does not meet my question. l did
not raise any constitutional question at all.
| simply asked for light in regard to the
proprlety OF congress voting money Tor
this purpose.
Mr.. BINGHAM. Well, sir, if there
is no constitutional objection, l think no
man living in the nineteenth century, in
the serene light of Christian revelation,
can question the propriety of feeding the
poor, or can stop to haggle and inquire
whether the man furnishing at his door
has been his friend or his enemy.
He will not forget the divine teachings
of our Master, whose intense holiness shed
majesty over the manger and the straw !;
who by His own lips commands US to love
our enemies, and by the tongue of his
Apostle enjoins "lf thine enemy hunger,
feed him if he thirst, give him drink
l trust gentlemen will make no more
question about the propriety of this meas
ure. 1t is not question of propriety,
but of duty. 1t is enough for me to say that
the Christian warrior, Major General
Howard, the Havelock of the American
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