The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1867-04-06
Children and Men starv'
ing!

Famine, gaunt and ghastly, usually follows
in the footsteps Of War. The poor stricken
South has not escaped the usual fate Of con-
quered countries During the four years Of the
late war the South was nearly all the time
the theater Of the unhappy strife. Her cit.
les and towns we're burned her once fruit
ful fields were desolatc her substance
was consumed and contending 80 long
against such fearful odds, she suffered de.
cimation of her citizens by the slaughter Of
the battlefield. When the war ended. she
was utterly PROSTATE. The army raids on
either side had stripped large districts Of
country of horses and mules the people
could not plOw without them, and so their
fields had TO lie waste. Often they were
unable even % procure seed for sowing
Their fences were destroyed, their orchards
cut down. The spectres Of .SaSuatioH glar.
ed hideously upon their eorFowing house.
holds-but what could they do? Their EN-
harrassment and distress wer9 increased by
the fact that the war had resulted in CON
plete revolution of their labor system, which
involved at least a temporary arrangement
Of industry and consequent dImination OF pro-
duction, To complete their disabilities,
there was a failure Of crops Of corn and cot.
ton in the South the past year. These
crops were their main Independence. 4
backward, cold and wet spring was followed
by a drouth of unparalleled severity. In
many places the farmer did not gather in
harvest even so much as the seed he had
sown. Thus an immense population were
left without money or provisions, IN the
midst Of an unusually severe winter. The
poor people have starred. They arc starr.
ing nolc The telegraph informs uB that
ffiy thousand have died of starvation in
Georgia al0nel This is perhaps an exag-
gerated statement; but there are at least a
million Of widows, orphan children and
manned and helpless men in the South, all
of them very poor, and many Of them actu-
ally starving for bread During our visit to
the South last summer we saw that the shad-
ows of Want and Famine were already dark
ening over that unhappy land. We met with
families who had eaten no meat for months.
Poor little bare footed girls, with pale and
pinched faces, clad in faded tattered gar.
ments, with no under-clothing, would ap-
proach US in the streets of Southern cities,
and beg few cents to buy little meal
Since then the failure Of crops has completed
their misery. They are starving
Yes, they are starvingl They cry for
bread, and that cry penetrates every feel
ing heart in the land. New York, Louis.
vile, Baltimore and St. Louis have respond.
ed nob1y to the cry of the perishing. Polit-
icaI differences are forgotten, minor
considerations are banished in the presence
of the fearful caIamities that have visited the
once opulent, generous and hospitable
South. Our people, who were so ready to
send food to the starving in Ireland, cannot
be Indifferent to the suferings of their coun.
trymen. One House Of Congress has voted
relief to be distributed through the agency
of Government officials in the South. Such
men as Horace Greeley and Senator Trum.
bull are pleading the cause of those that are
ready to perish. As the evidences of the
fearful amount of suffering in the South
reach the popular mind, the popular heart
shows a readiness to respond.
What will California do2 What will
San Francisco do Something has already
heen done in various parts of the State
About fou. thousand dollars have been sent
to us as the spontal. eous offerings Of beneyo
lence in behalf of the suffereIIs IN the South,
most of which has already reached its destI.
nation and broughtreIief to many homes oi
sorrow. These donations are still coming in,
as may be seen from the columns of the
Spectator. AS the necessities of the South
become more fully known, these contribu.
tions are increasing, and we hope viii reach
figure worthy Of California's we'll earned
reputation for benevolencc.
AS yet, no concerted movement has been
made in San Francisco. But there is eyi-
IDENTIFY disposition to do something if the
proper method of doing it were indicated. :
Our leading journals have called attention
to the subject, and urged upon our people
the duty of contributing to this charity
Individuals have handed us contributions in
our Office, and many are waiting for an eff.
fort to be made which will draw out the
sYmpathies of the whole community. II
has been proposed that hundred gentle.
men contribute lin currency one hundred
dollars each, which would at once make a
respectable amount, and would certainly re-
lieve much distress. If public meeting
were held, and an organization effected in
our city, the result we know would not
shame its good name. In the meantime
we shall gladly receive, acknowledge in the
Spectator, and promptly forward ali contri.
buttons that may be sent or handed to US
Parties wishing to give any particular direc.
ton to their benefactions, will have THEN
wishes faithfully observed in their distribu
ton. II Spectator, S -. S.