Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1867-03-27
Interesting Congressional Debate on
the Southern Relief Bill.
In the House of Representatives, on We

In the House of Representatives, on We'd
ne,day last, the Senate's joint resolution for
the relief of the destitute in the Southern
and Southwestern StGes-directing the Sec
retary Of War to issue supplies of food suii-
cient to prevent starvation and extreme want
among the people CT all classes, and appro-
priating one million Of dollars for that pur.
pose-came up:
Mr.. Fernando Wood opposed the bill, for
two reasons: First, because he was opposed
to the distribution of aims by tue Govern
mcnt; aud secondly, because he was satisfied.
from recent observation in that region, tnat
there was MP such destitution there as re-
quircd this measure. The people there re.
Quired nothing from the North except protec-
tiun for their civil rights, and Northern capi-
tai to develop their industry.
Mr.. Williams, of Indiana, opposed the join:
resolution, because the charity Of the Govern.
mcnt could be better applied to the widows
aiid erphars OF the North, made such By the
rebels. II any were to suffer from dcsitu-
ton, let it be, said he, the disloyal, and let
God Almighty populate that country VITA
people loyal to the flag.
Mr.. Donncly advocated the measure as a
measure Of reconstruction and calculated TO
allay ll-fecling. He believed it would extend
into regions where no other agency favorable
to the Government could reach.
Mr.. Kelly also advocated the measure rs
one which would say to the poor people Of
the South that while the Government would
restrain those who had done them wrong,
they themselves should not suffer from waat
if the Government could relieve them.
Mr.. Banks offered an amendment, setting
aside $4,000 of the amount for the distribu-
ton of seeds among the destitute Of the South
by the Commissioner Of the Freedmen's
Bureau.
Mr.. Miller moved to amend that amend-
aent by making the amount $4,000, and
spoke il support Of it.
Mr.. Chanier denounced the measure as be
ipg designed, not to aid tho poo people Of he
South, but 10 keep up the Freedmen's Bu-
reau. He characterized it as black wolf in
sleeps clothing, and as purely political
measure, conceived in no good spirit.
Mr.. Boyer trusted the bill would pass
promptly, and by large vote. lie referred
to the vote by tie British Parliament, twenty
years ago, OF fiiiy millions of dollars fer the
relief Of the starving people of Ireland, wlile
here it was proposed to appropriate only one.
fiiieth part OF that amount for the relief Of
tie starving people Of the Snuth. If gentle-
men on his side of the House objected to the
Freed mems Bureau as 4 means Of distrIbu-
ton, it should be rccollected that that was
the most available uieans at hand Tor that
purpose. If more money were required, &c
would vote for it. II this measure we've not
| Il, ,orAr
oIuions Of sympathy fr. tue people OF Ire
land from the gentleman from New York
(Mr Wood) or anybody else. In reply TO 81
question from Mr.. Wood, lie declared tnai the
analogy G.tween the people of Ireland and
L,c people of the Souh was complete. Both
were suffering under political persecution as
well as under material necessities. he had
no. expected to hear any opposition to The
bill from his own side OF The House. lie bad
thought it was {. sort Of test question 10 s;c
whether the majority of the House had not
Sumdcrcone. complete ossihcation of the heart.
Nlr. Chanler replying 10 Mr. Boyer's criti-
cism on bis position. remarked that he (Mr.
Bpyer) had discovered the proper term for
his own diseaso-ossiiicati0n not OF the heart.
bu; Of Tie brain.
Mr. Boyer reto-ted that Mr. Chanler would
never suffer from that disease. In his case tie
disease wcn,d lie, not ossiicaton. but soften
ing of the brair.
Mr. Chaner remarked, that whatever intel
iiecnce lie had would not be exercised in
miSrcpresentng bis friends.
Mr. Boyer said that as he had uninsentlon.
ally misrcpresenled Mr.. Cbanler, ne asked his
pardon, and trusted he would always under
stand him better hereafter.
Mr. Butler offered substitute, which was
to strike out all after tie enacting words, and
insert provision appropriating one million
dollars. to be expended under the direction Of
the Secretary Of War; in relieving the widows
and children of Union soldiers starved to
deah in the rebel prisons Of Andersonville,
Sal sbury, Libby Milcn and Belle Isle.
H. declared that he believed in the princ-
pie of being just before being generous. and
that until the Government was able to make
some provisions for those TO whom lis sub
stituic alluded, he was not for putting bis
hand into the pocket of the already overtaxed
North in or;ier to be generous to the untaxcd
South. He had supplied, for many months,
10 New Orleans, :ooo to the starving wives
and children Of rebel soldiers, but in order to
do SO hc had not drawn dollar from the
Government, but had taxed the rich of the
South 10 feed the poor OF the South; and he
was still wiling to GO as f'r as the fa:ihest in
that direction.
In opposing this measure he referred 10 the
recent appropriation by the Mississippi Legis
la,urc Of $4,000 for the defence of Jefferson
Davis in y trial tia: won!d never take ll.ce.
Mr.. Boyer asked Mr.. Butler whether lie
,honaht that . season for denying aid to starv-
ing women and children.
Mr.. Butler replied that the Government
could only deal with people as communities,
not as individuals.
Mr. Boyer put the question in another way !:
Whether the poor people Of Georgia should
be made to suffer on account Of the politica!
action Of Mississippi.
Mr. Butler replied: BY. no means; adding,
that If Mississippi had been alone in'such
manifo> a.ion, he would be content to deprive
tha, State Of am benefits under the bill. The
ladies If Texas had recently SOLD a large
quantity of Confederate uniforms, and what
had they done with the proceeds ? Had they
devoted them to relieve the poor in their
midst? No; but they had sent the amount
az an endowment to the college ever which
General r.. E. Lee presided. He had also
noticed the present of pair Of game chick
ems to Robert E. Lee, and thought it would
have been better to have boiled them for some
of the starving children about whom gentle
men appeared so anxious. Laughter. He
wished toe let the. people Of the South know
that as long as they followed men who had
led them to destruction, destruction could on
ly be the result; that they should repudiate
their old leaders, and by course of leglsa--
ton which would divide the land among all
the people, obtain leliei.
Mr.. Logan opposed the measure, regarding
it as nothing more than side dodge toward
pensionug the one-armed and one-legged
rebel soldiers and the widows of rebel soldiers.