The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1867-04-19

States from doing a noble, generous,
and praiseworthy act. Doubtless some
who were rebels will be relieved by
this bill; but will not stop to ask my
self the question, when human being
is in danger of starvation, what his
past life has been, much less to scan
closely all his acts and recall to memo
ry those deeds which would tend to
arouse in my heart anger, hatred, ven
geance, and all that is wicked in hui
man nature, when charity, love to our
fellow-man, and all that is akin to the
| divine attributes should alone be in
voked
Among the noble works that the
Christian people of this nation are en-
gagged in is that of raising money and
sending missionaries into heather
lands to feed, clothe, enlighten, civil
ize, and Christianize those people. And
in the midst of this glorious work, so
creditable to us, and which will re-
dound to the enduring fame and hon
or of our nation, in the midst of all the
civilizing and humanizing agencies
that are working out the amelioration
of the condition of man, are we going
to cast so dark stain upon the honor
of our country, and so huge a blot up
on the civilization of the age, by plac-
| ing it upon the record of this House
that the Congress of the United States
refused to give bread to nearly sixty
thousand starving people who live un-
der the same Government with US?
Sir, there is no one who looks upon the
crime of treason perpetrated by the
leaders of the late rebellion with more
horror than / do. believe that the
people of this country have not yet re-
allied in all its fearful and frightfu
proportions the enormity of this mon
strous crime of treason against the Gov
ernment. But the people who are to
be reached by this generous act, rebels
though they may be, are of that class
who were always to be pitied rather
| than condemned. mean the deluded
masses of the people, who, if left to
themselves, would never have engaged
in the work ofrebellion, but were made
| the tools of their more artful and de-
signing leaders. And now, when
through executive clemency the lead
ing traitors escape punishment, and
the wealthy ones are pardoned and
have their valuable estates restored to
them, would it not be cruel indeed
were we not to meet the demand for
| bread for the starving poor?
But it is urged that we should with
hold this charity because the southern
people are unwilling to contribute to
| alleviate the wants of their people, and
/ because the Legislature Or mississippi
have contributed $4,000 for the defense
of Jefferson Davis. Suppose this be
true, does it follow that because they
do not do their duty that we should
initiate their example? If they are
determined to persist in their folly,
which has brought such widespread
destruction and devastation upon our
country, muss we necessarily be guilty
of gross act of inhumanity?
/ concur with the gentleman from
Minnesota Mr.. DoNNELLY that this
will prove a most powerful measure of
reconstruction that it will carry con-
| viction to the minds of those heretofore
| deluded people that we are not dispos-
ed to deal with them in spirit harsh
ness and vindictiveness. But whether
it accomplishes this or not it matters
not. l maintain that it is a high and
solemn duty resting upon us to do this,
and we should perform it regardless of
other and minor considerations. But
short time since the civilized world
ephilanthropist, Mr.. George Peabody
for the relief of the destitute poor of the
| South. If such an act is commendable
in an individual, is it not equally so in
a nation? If acts of disinterested be-
nevolence and charity render the name
of an individual immortal, would they
not lend imperishable honor and re-
nown to nation? 1t will be remem-
bered to the lasting credit of the Uni
ted States that they have been prompt
in meeting the demands made upon
them for the suffering poor of other
countries. Let us bear in mind, though,
that while acts ofnational charity form
the brightest part of country's histo-
ry, that national honor may bedimmed
| by acts of vindictiveness and barbar-
ism.
Sir, among the acts of the four event
full years of civil war that will stand
out conspicuously upon the page of his
tory is that of General Grant, who,
when the forces of Lee were driven from
their strongholds at Petersburg and
Richmond and were compelled to sur
render to the resistless legions of the
Republic, ordered rations to be dealt
out 10 a beaten and vanquished foe. If
amid the reverbations of the guns
which had just ceased their work of
death and carnage. the commander of
the Union armies could deal out ra-
tiOns to an armed but beaten adversa-
ry, cannot the Congress of the United
States, now when war no longer exists