The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1867-06-22
SOUTHERN RELIEF BILL.


The Oregonian, some two o three
weeks ago, asserted that a bill passed
'both Houses of Congress, appropri-
ating 100000 to feed the whites of
the South" We denied this state
ment. We admitted that Senator
Trumbull did move such an appropri-
alton, and it passed the Senate but
such men as spoon-thief Butler, of the
Radical party, killed it in the House.
Our contemporary berates US soundly
for thus denying his assertion-using
language which no bawdy-house pimp
and BLACKBOARD could exeel-but does
not furnish a particle of proof in sup
port of his position. The following
is the bill 10 which the Oregonian al
ludes:
Rssolred, That the Secretary of War be and
hereby is empowered and directed to issue sup
plies Of food sufficient to prevent starvation and
extreme want to any and all classes Of destitute
or helpless persons in those Southern and South
western States where failure of the crops or other
causes have occaSloned widespread RESTITUTION Z;
that the issue be made through the Freedmen's
Bureau, under such regulations as the Secretary Of
War shall prescribe and that the Secretary OF
War is hereby authorized and directed. through
the Commissioner Of the Freedmen's Bureau. 10
apply so much as he nav deem necessary for the
purposes aforesaid OF the unexpended moneys
heretofore Appropriated 10 supply Freedmen and
refugees with provisions or rations provided that
the expenditure shall not extend beyond the pres
ent appropriations already made for the Freed
mems Burean.
Now what does this bill, or more
properly speaking, resolution amount
to? 1t simply authorizes the commits
sioner of the "Freedmen's Bureau" to
furnish destitute or helpless persons"
living in the South, with supplies of
food sufficient to prevent starvation"
To a superficial observer all this looks
very well; but the action of the Com
missioner is so restricted that the
Government b~enefactiOns will practi-
cally amount to little or nothing. In
the first place, it Is left entirely dis
cretionary with him, whether any
white person shall receive any of
these aforesaid Hsupplies of food" at
all In the next place these r%ations
must be paid for out of the unexpond-
ed moneys which Congress had previ-
ously appropriated for the benefit of
freedmen J" and in no event can he
expend than what had already
been appropriated for the Negro Blu
Feau. In other language, Congress
has directed a Government officer to
take q little-if he thinks best-of
the food which Government had pro-
<yided for the negroes, and give to
some poor, starving white sufferer.
If the money designed to feed, clothe
and educate the negro has not all been
expended and s~quandered by hungry
officials, he may-if he deemit best
throw an occasional bone to a starving
white widow or orphan child. In the
resolution there is not a word about
<'SI, 100000 to feed the whites of the
zSoRth"-not a word. The whites
may receive something under this
resolution; but the probabilities are
that they will not get a solitary far
thing. Whether they will or not de-
ponds on the within or caprice of an
irresponsible Government official; and
he is restricted, in his operations, to
the moneys not yet expended on the
negro. How much of an unexpended
balance is there? Who knows?-
There may be a handsome sum, and
there may not be a single cent and
the balance, whatever it is, must be
shared with the negroes.
W. again deny, most emphatically
and unequivocally, that Congress eyer
appropriated 81 ,oOO,o 900 to. feed the
whites Of the South. 1t is true that
Senator Trumbull made sucha motion.
and it carried in the Senate; but it
was defeated in the House; and we
Opine the Resolution which did finally
pass will prevent but few, very few
white persons from experiencing ali
the pangs of actual starvation.
Referring to the sturdy Democra-
cy living in the eastern portion OF
Linn county, and not satisfied with
villifying us, the Oregonian stigma
ties them as the "stolid hard-shells
of the Forks of the Santiam." This
is not the first time this prurient abo-
lition bigot and zealot has DETAINED
the Democrats of that part of our
county; and yet, a truer, nobler,
more hospitable and patriotic people
do not live in Oregon. The hired
scribbIer and slanderer hates them be
u of their ol~d-fashioned, homely
customs and virtues and because
they love and reverence the Constitu-
ton as it came from the hands of the
fathers. That is all and nothing
more. Let him continue to hiss and
bite. It is not the first time q viper
has bitten a file.
The editor ofths States Rights Democrat says he