The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1868-02-15

The FrerdneB's Bureau.
! On the I'd of March, less than wear aoo.
| the Argus said,--
Mbl!e differing widely from the Press
touching the political treatment which 1t is
tlsht ana wise TO observe toward the South,
we are happy to concur and unite with il
aud with al others possessing true charity,
III efforts to teed the hungry and clo'he the
naked. 1t must not be SAID that in this great
eountrywomen and CHI dren have been per-
IA Ied TO actually starve 10 death by hun
1reds and thousands. Yet this viii be thebact
nn4eSS timely aid on q large scale is afforded.
On the Both OF March the President approx
ed JOINT resolution ofthe wohouses OF Con-
greSs, authorizing the Secretary of War 10
issLe through the Freedmen's Bureau s;s,,n-
plies of iood sufficient TO prevent starvation
and extreme want to Ony and ali classes Of
destitute aad helpless persons In those South
ern and Southwestern States where a failure
Of the crops and other causes have occasioned
widespread destituticn." From A pril until
September inclusive the Freedmen's Bureau
accordingly issued 50,3ss pounds Of pork and
6.S092e6 pounds Of corn to 233,372
persons needing relief OF these
objects of charity e1,eo2 we're white
S8,25I were black; the color Of 55,213,
chiefly in Louisiana aud Virginia, was not
noted, but the whites were probably more nu
merous, as they appear to have been so far as
reported. Of course it makes not the slight
est difference what the color of these unfortn-
male people was, so lar as the duty OF the GOV
ernment was concerned. There was need of
help ION large scale," as tie Argus said
and the "Ru7lp Congress" employed the con-
Tenient machinery of the Ereedmens Bureau
for that purpose. OF course the Argus admit
ted that for once Congress and General How
ard had together managed to do a good thing?
We regret TO say, no--hom that time to this
we do not remember reading In the Argus
single line on this subject until last Thurs
day when we came across the following
graceful tribute TO the benevolence of Con-
gress and the executive ability of General
Howard
Nobody objects to giving the negro a fair
cnance-to protect him in his rights Of per-
son ana property and chances for a living If
he will work; but ii Is neither iair norjnst to-
ward the laboring white men of the country
to feed and pet the negro In silence. No
body wants to be taxed TO support negroes
too lazy 10 work, as is now being done. In
al! the large cities South there are swarIns OF
these filthy degraded oilers who are ted BY
the FIeedmen's Bureau, and the white peo-
pie Of the North have to foot the bills. Even
in Washington thete are some FIVE thousand
ofthese thrlttless creatures, living upon the
government, and doing nothing to help
themselves. Would a7hite people be cared
for in thGtAody? Of course not.
The Bureau has, to the extent of its pow
ers, relieved the destitute without distinction
OF color, through all the Southern States. Il
has been .he only agency by which the gov
eminent has been able 10 help those beggayed
communities, during their Transformation in
10 free societies. We are sorry to see the Ar
gus joining in the senseless cry which has
been raised against charitable Institution
which in its magnificent design and conscien-
tious management is so honorable to the
American name. M