The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1867-03-19
Southern Relief.

The widespread distress ana destitu-
ton Of the Southern people Is daily be-
coming more and more apparent. In.
vestiCations and inquiries made for the
purpose of ascertaining the actual con-
dition of the South, reveal an amount
of positive want and suffering that is
almost incredible. 1t is not simply that
nersons heretofore accustomed to plenty
aud luxury are reduced to the plainest
and scantiest fare, but vast numbers
are in danger of perishing from actual
starvation. The past exemption OF our
people from anything approaching the
calamity of general famine makes it
d;fficult for those who are living in
ease and comfort to appreciate the ter
,ihle situation in which the Southern
neonle are placed. Their land has been
de.olated ny the ravages of fearful
and destructive conflict, Of which it was
for four wears the theatre; the means OF
the people were exhausted in the strug-
ole. and the failure of last years crops
completed their impoverishment.
Months ago their entire sustenanee OF
Of last years production was consumed,
and since that time thousands and tens
ofthousands of people who have known
,nluence. have depended for support
prou the contributions Of the charita-
HE Of more favored sections. To add to
their distress, the supply OF these con-
rjba,ions has been temporarily cut OF
by III. recent floods which broke all
railroad communications by sweeping
away the bridges and inundating the
country. .-r
The idea that any portion OF the peo-
MI, of a country, SO fruitful of all the
prceSsaries of life as our own, should
be- perishing for food, is one which no
portion of our people can patiently en-
tertain. II is the noble impulse of the
generous, a. it is certainly the plain
duty of all. TO assist these sufferers. 1t
would be our duty to aid any human
beings similarly situated, but it is es-
pecially incumbent upon US to be gem
.rous toward those whom the fortunes of
var have placed so completely at the
mercy of their conquerors. Whatever
NAV be said of their motives in the re-
cent struggle, they periled and lost
their all in conducting it; hunger, DESC
lation and death now reign in their
households. and he is worse than brute
and more than demon who at such an
hour would stay the hand Of charity by
recalling the memories of the dark and
bitter past.
Throughout many Of the Northern
cities the people have been responding
promptly TO the requirements OF duty
aud from the abundance of their stores
have given cheerfully and freely. Have
our own people no sympathy for the
suffering, no pity for the perishing,
that they cannot emulate the example
Of other localitiesi Cannot we do
something TO assist the general effort
now being made for Southern relief and
succori We have the means il we have
the disposition. We are not usually
piggardly in our contributions for char
table purposes, even when the duty Is
less clear, and the necessity less urgent
than in the present instance We ear
ne,tly trust that among the many sub
aan,ial evidences of sympathy now
being forwarded to the impoverished
aud suffering people of the South, there
may be found some generous token Of
our own liberality and cOmmisera-
tion. To this end cannot some of our
public-spirited and large-hearted citi-
iens inaugurate a movement for CO.
operating with the various Southern
Aid societies now in existence through
out the country! r.....