Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1867-02-07
RADICAL CHARITIES.

a meetlnS was uelu aG tue Soopei uioUi'o'e' H'S"
York, on the 25th ult., with the ostensibe object
of raising means for the relief of destitute portions
of the South Doubtless there are many persons
in the great city of New York, whose sympathies
have been really excited by the cry for help which
has recently arisen from some sections of the untor,
tunate South, and who are really desirous to dc
something for their relief 1t must be so in com,
munity already known for its argeness Of soul and
its previous liberal responses to the appeals Of the
suffering in all parts of the world. And when the
appeal comes from people whose patronage in
other years contributed no little to the building up
of their own prosperity, the remembrance OF for,
mer obligations naMst inspire the good people Of
New York to respond to it with gladness. 10 all
this class, to whom these remarks will apply, in
other words, to all who sincerely wish to help us,
our people owe real debt Of gratitude, and they
will cheerfuly acknowledge it.
But spirits of the baser sort were mingled with
the crowd who met at the Cooper Institute, in an
swer to the call of suffering widows and orphans.
Some were there, who came to gloat over the mis-
cries of a fallen people, whose glorious victories
have more than once made them trembe, and, un
der the guise of charity, to CRAFTY mean revenge
by insulting and false comparisons between the
cruelty of the South to her prisoners and the gene
rosity of the North to her conquered foes. Among
the good Samaritans there assembled, was Le'
vite, who sank below his prototype Of the scripture
narrative, in hardness of heart and smallness oi
soul. Rev. HENRY WARD BEEcHER made an
address on that occasion, the sole object of which
was to excite contempt for the South, because she
has called for help on those she once met on the
field of battle, and to express satanic JOY that she
has sunk so low In the course of his remarks he
said:
''The bread they 1.-THE Southern widows and or
phansl would not give our poor boys in prison,
their own lips crave for. Give them the loaf
give them the loaf The raiment they took from
our boys leaving them in the chilly winter to shake
and die for cold as long as your looms are fruitful
spin off the yards and send the clothes for their
shivering limbs.
Now the Reverend slanderer knew that what he
said was false, but he wanted to give stone, when
asked for bread, and he said it. Such charity as
this would be scorned by the most helpless outcast
on earth, and our people have not yet sunk low
enough to acceptit Mr.. BEEcHER may keep his
loaf and his cloth to himself our people prefer his
open hatred to his assassn-like friendship. Itwas
an unnecessary labor in him to tell the world he
hates us, for the world knows it. But, true to his
puritanc Instincts, he must push himself into the
front rank of those who are about to undertake a
praiseworthy Decd praise himself for his patroni-
zing mercy to his enemies, and turn the intended
kindness into an insult. Even when they wish to
do favor, gentlemen of Mr.. BEEcHERs kidney
cannot do it with delicacy they will parade their
overpowering goodness in so ostentatious man.
ner as to make it offensive. But in this instance,
the intention plainly was not to be kind, but, in
the garb of friendship, to strike mortal blow and
so it will be received at the South We would
rather perish of hunger, than to receive loaf
from the left hand, accompanied by such stab
from the right
The character of the Puritan church is not much
raised by this exhibition of its benevolence. Ex-
ultaton over PROSTATE enemy is despicable, even
in savage; but to mock at his distresses would
seem to be an adjoining element in the character OF
Radical christian At least, Mr.. BEEcHER has
long been and still is considered as shining light
in that pre-eminently pious church. For our part,
we prefer the friendship of the rattlesnake and the
mercy of the tiger to the charities Of BEEcHER and
his followers. From all such saints, "Good Lord,
deliver us"