The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1867-05-02
RANDOM THOUGHTS No. rs.
BY THE EDITOR.

One day last week the Cincinnati Gazette con-
tanned long communication from the South,
giving fearful account of the famine there and
appealing to the people of the North for charita-
BILE contributions, to keep the southern people
from starving to death. This is no new thing.
The different papers have been, and still are, CIV
ing well authenticated accounts Of starvation In
the rebel States. Congress came near making an
appropriation of one million dollars from the ma.
tional treasury to feed the rebels, and actually
did permit Gen. Howard to apply the funds ap-
propriated to the Freedmen's Bureau to this pur-
pose, as far as he deemed proper.
The question very naturally arises, why are the
Southern uhite people starving, while the negroes
are selfsupportlng1 Even at the very close Of
the war, when the white people owned all the
land, and nearly all the personal property in the
south; when they had enjoyed the proceeds de-
rived from the unpaid labor of the negroes for
ages; even then. and ever since, two white per-
sons have been supported by the Freedmens Bu-
reau for every one negro thus supported.
The only excuse offered for this pauperism Of
the white people Of the South, is that the ravages
of war destroyed their property, and left them
destitute and helpless This excuse isnot reason
able. All through the war, there was plenty of
food. There have been two full crops raised
since the war was over, and 1t comes rather la te
now to say that the war did all this A soldier
who was all through East Tennessee during the
war; told me that he could travel ten miles and
not see q single panel Of fence remaining. In
fact, there was more destruction Of property dur
ing the war, in East Tennessee, than in any other
portion of the South; and yet, in the same num-
Der of the Gazette in which read the fearful ac-
count of the famine, saw a statement that there
we're twenty thousand bushels of corn Accumulate
cd at Knoxville, awaiting transportation south,
and that the mountain region of East Tennessee
abounded in corn. Now. If The ravages Of war
caused the famine why is food abundant in re-
gion where those raVages were most destructive
It Is plain that 1t is because there were few slaves
In East Tennessee, and the white people had en-
ergy, and were willing to work.
All the old cry that the negroes cannot support
themselves is proven to be false. 1t is the white
people who are helpless. They are too proud and
too lazy to work. Hence they are starving. II
is astonishing to the high-spirted people of the
North, how stout, healthy people can be so lost
to all sense Of shame, as to beg. Great lazy trail
tors, loafng around doggeries, attending horse
races and gander pulings, swllling whisky, shoot
ing negroes and curslng Yankees, and then beg
giRg their daily bread from these same, industrl-
GUS Yankees. But the people who were not
ashamed TO steal the wages Of the negro, are not
ashamed to beg from the Northern mudslll.
How long will the honest laborer of the North
have to support the proud, lazy paupers of the
South in their ldleness? The rebel papers North
are earnest in their appeals. True, they were
much opposed to the Freedmen's Bureau, and
wanted the negroes to starve. Now, when trai-
tors are starving, their bowels Of compassion are
moved.
The Chlllicothe Adreriser appeals TO the rich
aristocrats on the Scloto Bottom TO feed their
Southern brethren. Perhaps 1t would be better
to send their corn to feed the rebels than to make
it into bad whisky to poison innocent people.
Whenever the rebels go to work, and behave
themselves deeently propose to aid them; but
not until then. d. NJ.