Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1867-06-19
Destitution I'm the south.

81
DesfItutioB I'm the south.
Appeals for aid for the starving an
suffering people of portions of tn
South have been responded 10 yer
. literally by the North, from the town
and cities of which vast quantities c
food have been sent, and are still bein
/ provided and daily shipped. But it is
deplorable fact that the rich and prou
rebels of the South are very indifeFen
to the wants Of their own destitut
poor, and indulge in all manner of ex
travagances while their poor neighbor
are perishing for want. We copy tn
following from the Memphis Post, o
June s.
| The wall of the suffering and thl
destitute comes up from almost ever
State of the late ''Confederacy." Tit
result of the war has been to leave the
people of many sections poverty
stricken and without the means to sus
tain life. Destitution, want and wot
stalk through the land, and gaunt mis-
cry daily brings its victims to the grave
In Alabama, South Carolina and Mis-
sissippi, the greatest destitution pre-.
walls. One of the morning papers oi
our city recently published the follow
ing extract from letter
Between Montgomery and Atlanta I haveseer
people selling their bedding for corn. The des-
in Alabama M ot
render; daily rati0ns are served to sixty thous-
and Of the most needy. In addition, there are
about 20. 600 who are on the verge of distress
corn furnished. and order the agents to sell part
Of the foreign charity for the purpose.
It commented on it, for what pur-
pose? To appeal for relief for the suf-
fering7 By no means. 1t asked not
for help for the distressed, but appealed
to the dark and baleful spirit of hate.
1t sought to keep alive the fire of mall
ice and revenge. Its first comment
was in these words:
The people in st ~ &, s. a a.
rut1on OF large portion Of the South is TO be
found in the atroeious conduct of the Federal
armies. in utter violation Of the rules of civil
lized warfare.
1t winds up with this response to the
efforts which have been made in the
North to save men, women and chill
dren of the South from starvation:
The mercifuI and generous among their peo-
pie may well be ashamed OF the inhumanity Of
and Cincinnati. and the pitiful aims
given By some other cities. New
York. even, greedy as she is Of the Southern
trade, has not done q tenth part Of what she
should have done. to relieve the distresses Of
women and children Of the same blood with her
own people. Blood thicker daa tsater! BAIL
The telegraphic dispatches of Satur-
day brought Information that a vessel
had sailed from New York with h0o
fttndred and ninety thousand bushels of corn
for Savannah, Charleston and Mobile,
and that the much-abused Freedman's
Bureau, by its benefcent operations,
was saving the lives of the people of
South Carolina, Virginia and Georgia.
Much has been done in the North to
relieve the distress prevailing in the
South; but much more ought to be
done. Such Venomous articles, how
ever, as that we have extracted from,
have doubtless done much to repress
generous feelings and to diminish the
amount of contributions. When those
who led the people into their present
and who claim TO be their
especial leaders, thus repel and sneer
1t the efforts to relieve the distress
caused by their acts, is it any wonder
that charitable impulses should be
somewhat chilled
But what has been done in Memphis
10 demonstrate that "6lood Is tsicksr hdn
eater 2" We have had a round Of fairs |
and festivals and picnics this season.
Costly flags have been voted TO steam
boats, magnificent clocks to wealthy
silver pitchers and gold-head-
ID canes 10 retired merchants, elegant
silver services to fayorite hotels, dia- !
nonds rings to popular young ladies I;
and thousands upon thousands of dol |
lars have been in this way layished up |
1n costly ornaments, to stir up compe- |
tition and raise funds for various pur-
poses. These purposes have been gem
orally of a commendable character
with the erection, or adorn- |
nent or aid of churches-purposes |
which should be literally snd gener.
ously aided. But in times like these,
should not something be done also to
ieed the starving and clothe the naked? 4
Some pertinent questions, in this con-
lection, are asked bya a correspondent
IF the st. Louis Christian Advocate, and /
which are applicable to other churches
IS well as the one he names. He says:
Well. is it truly a source of Contamination
hat the enormous amount Of $4,000 is 70 be /
expended IN the immediate erection By the
members Of the n. s. Church South, Of two fne
leW churches. as stated in your last Issue. when
Z the same paper ycu gayetW0 columns of ire /
utable proof that in the State of South Caroli- /
IA alone there are tens of thousands Of persons
With neither bread nor meat-absolutely stsrE.
rood and true members of his same NJ. Z,
church? lti not barely possible that the God
If this III. & Church South. and also the God
md nd Father t ot these people. would 9e better
,in-say little eornice hnish, few costly trap
,ings for the pulpit, gold-elasped Bibles. or car
,ets for the aisles-into bread for these starving
hildren 81 His. than IN thus decorating gaudy
empies for the aristoeratic Sunday worship of
he more fortunate, If NOT more pious well-fed
southern Methodists Of these churches? ,
Ii is not barely possible that both ministers
nd members of these new churches" may 90
ID FROM these costly decorations to be confront
q by an insulted. sngry God. who will COMO uud ,
hem BY calling upon these IsLnished people to
estify that II Was an hungered and you led me
.Ot; was sick and you. ministered not unto {
le?' We say, are. not these things possible
md If so, Is II not barely possible II that hour
dread alarm all the gAudy trappings Of all {
be churches in which We ever Worshipped I
Iould be gladly exchanged for the now seening l
OOr privilege of calling these people TO witness
laI we contributed not what injured u.s. not Y
hat even deprived Us Of the luxurie3 Of life. :
ut what We reasonably could. in answer to the :
rayersa and tears Of these starving children Of r
common father and common householdr
OF all the brilliant feLes and festivals
{ the season, how many have been de- =
oted to the relief of the distreses offs I
hose whose wall of woe is borne on
very breezei The tournament was
to have for its object the =
id of widows and orphans, but even }
lis was coupled with a restriction that
lowed that the humanity which die
tied it was circumscribed and limited. 7
he number present was estimated at *
N thousand, and the receipt must o.