Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1867-03-21
consnEssroNAL ALMs.


CONGRESSIONAL AIMS.
In the Senate OF part Of the United
States, on Saturday, the 9th Of March +:
HMr. Trumbull reported joint resolu-
ton, appropriating 81 900, ,OOo for the re-
lief cf the destitute people OF the south
west, Of any and all classes, to be ex-
pended under the superintendenee OF the
Commissioner Of the freedmen's bureau,
In supplies Of food. MIR. Trumbull said
Gen. Howard had called on the judiciary
committee this morning and testlfed
that unless something of the kind be
done. there would be actual starvation
among the disloyal portion Of the south.
The former appropriations had been SUI
fieiept to provide for the actual wants Of
the freedmen and loyal refugees but
under the resolutions passing them, no
money could be spent relieving the des-
titution of the disloyai. It was now
asked to extend the aid to all alike. The
recommendation Of the committee was
$685.. .O78 less than that asked by Gen.
Howard"
1t seems from the last adviees, that the
proposed appropriation was likely to be
defeated in the House. BoBAnH-HAY-
sAU, of MASSACHUSETTS,, proposed to
amend by appropristing that amount for
the widows aud orphans of the prisoners
who died at Andersonville. The charity
of Congress is like that Of the city OF
New York, where less was subscribed for
the destitute people of the South in three
weeks than had been contributed for the
IaIand of Crete in daV,
Mark the admission of Mr.. TRUM-
BULL: " The former appropriations hare
been sufficient to provide for the actual
,Ccnt Of freedmen and loyal refugees, but
under the resolutions passing them NO
MONEY COULD BE SPENT IN RELIEVING
THE DEsTITUTIoN OF THE DIsLoYAL."
The Freedmen's Bureau costs ta0eiUe mill
liens year bat the disloyaI women and
children of the Southern Provinces are
to this Congress of part of the United
States, wolves whom it is laudable to
starve.
Upon this matter the Chicago Times
says:
Ws cali the attention of republican
newspapers to this statement by Senator
Trumbull. They have frequently eircu-
lated the report that the government
was expending money for the relief and
support of " traitors in the south and
have had much to say in connection
with this rumor, originating with and
propagated by themselves, concerning
the ingratitude of the southern people,
under such circumstances, in question
- WI fah "a
ruling party might take in dispOsing Of
the lives, liberties and property Of the
" disloyaln in the south. Congress was
altogether too careful of the interests OF
the treasury to permit any of its funds
to be expended for the purpose Of re-
lieYing white rebels from death by star
vation. Says the philanthropie Trum-
bull:
1.-THE former appropriations have been suf-
ficIent to provide for the actual wants OF freed
men and loyal refugees but under the resolu-
fIonS passiuR fhem no money could 10 sns.it
in relieving the GestitutiON oi the d15i0yal."
As at least three-fourths of all the
negroes in the south during the war were
"loyal" to the rebel government, and
were not SO from eompulsion, but choice,
1t is little singular that congress should
have directed the expenditure OF funds
to provide them food while prohibiting
the relief of white men who engaged IN
rebellion. or all the patent twaddle and
absurdities with which radicals garnish
their prate Of southern l0yallsts, and the
necessity of so reeonstructlng the sopthr
eFn states that their governments shall
be in the hands Of loyal men, that which
assumes that the negroes were opposed
10 the Confederacy while the rebellion
was in progress is most cOnspicuOusly
g,l ok
two hundred thousand negres were
in our armies. 1t is doubtful
whether there ever were half that
number of effective blacks in the field.
Grandmother Thomas has skeleton regi-
ments by the score reported as full and
agents from all the northern states were
in the south while the war was going on
endeavoring to enlist negro troops, and
employing every artifice and argument
their ingenuity could invent to accom-
plish that purpose; but with all this, out
of the four millions Of blacks in the
south, those who were and are cOntinu-
ally Wanting oyer the loyalty OF the
freedmen, could only make a showing OF
two hundred Thousand black soldiers.
SuppOsing that there was actually this
number enlisted and serving as soldiers,
what beggarlS array OF loyalty IN
comparison with the whole number OF
blacks in the south does this feet present.
We have heard much Of the backbone
of the rebellion. Its backbone was that
covered by black skin. While the plant
ers and those following their fortunes
were fighting, the negroes were throw
ing up intrenehments, driving Confeder-
ate commisssnng wagons, taking care OF
hospitals, and doing the drudgery OF the
camp. More than this, they were rails
ing the food to supply the rebel armies
and taking care OF the wives and chill
dren Of the rebel officers and soldiers.
! 1t is nonsense to say that they were do
| ing this through fear. They did it within
| the lines OF our armies. They did II
when desertion was easy and they were
4 offered the strongest inducements to de
sert. Freedom, and what was to them
| the extravsgant pay Of soldiers, enOr'
NOUS bounties, and promises of home
steads after the close of the war, were
all ofared, and yet "the loyal freed
men ~ adhered to the broken fortune:
and desperate cause Of their rebel mas
| ters.
Congress knew this, but it made ap-
preparations of tens of millions Of dollars
for the relief and support Of black rebels
but prohibiting the officers engaged IL
distributing the bounty from giving foOC
to white rebel soldiers, though threatened
| with death from starvation. The resolu
ton for the relief Of destitutiOn in th'
south, which passed the senate on Satur
day, necessitated the exposure OF thi
hideous partiality and demagogueism.