The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-12-09

FROM A SPEECH BY BENJAMIN F. BUTLER, AT
cHARLEsTowS, MASS, IN 1859.
Let US look at another thing by which pro-
pose to show that while Republican friends have
been SO busy looking after the interest Of the
negro, they have neglected the interests of the
v bites. The subject 10 which | would now call
attention, has been already alluded to by the
chsiImsn-the evils are nowhere shown in
clearer light than in our system of pauper charity.
According to the statistics furnished by the
present state Legislature, as a report of their
own committee, it is more dangerous to spend a
year in a Massachusetts almshouse than it would
have been to have led the charge of the Zouaves
at Magenta. see that this statement strikes some
Of you almost with dread. Let me repeat. There
was a larger proportion of the regiment which led
the attack OF the battle of Soferino came tout
from the battle than there were of the paupers OF
1858 who came out alive from the State aims.
honses OF Massachusetts,. (Sensation.)
Allow me TO give you the figures. How many
was the average number Of paupers IN the state
almshouse during the year 1865? Twenty seven
hundred and some odd. How many died In the
year ending October, 1858! six hundred and
sixty-siX-ODe ia every four. Every fourth man,
woman ard child that went into the State aims
house of MASSACHUSETTS died and was buried 10
the Potter's field of psuper's burying ground.
Three hundred and forty one children, under the
sge of i've years, died In those charnel houses,
and the physician of one of those houses says he
goes mol expect 10 IeEI DuL lLIGC Ccul. vi Tue
children brought there under one year old Three
out of hundred-all the other ninety-seven go to
a nameless grave.
Why this whole commonwealth fel. outraged
because there came a report from Kansas that
Elk OF eight men had been killed; and our mothers
and wives and daughters secured the country for
old clothes and other comforts to send to the
people of that territory. (Laughier) 10 the
same year, three hundred and odd children, OF
Massachusetts, SOIL died like dogs in kennel in
our own smshouses. while We were weeping over
the imaginary wrongs Of Kansas (Cheers.l
again ak. my friends, ut not time that we looked
at homer Where is Mrs. Stowe! Where Is Gree
ley in the Tribune? Where is the extra philsn.
tbropy of the humanitsrisnsy Where is that de-
nouncer of great aud good men, Wendell Phil
lips Where are all these men who regulate the
affairs OF the people altar OIL Is there not ample
room for their charities here az homeg One hon.
dred and sixty. FIVE children dying at BridgewateT;
enc hundred and fifteen at Tewksbury, and one
hundred aud ohSat Munson! Forty infants dead
in two months Oh but they were white chill
dren! (Iaughter) Why LOOK after themy
do not wish 10 harrow your feelings further by
going into statistics. ! only ask you If 1t Is not
line We ceased TO look after the wrongs of the
negroes at the South. and look little after the
people al bono But il sny KNOW Nothing frie ud
% mine will say that is of no consequence-'hat
these people. or the largest portion OF them were
merely Irish paupers-to him / answer that the
great ajOrity Of them were native born citizens
Of Massachusetts, entitled TO every protection
Massachusetts, gives to any of her citizens, and
the very largest proportion Of them we're born on
this continent. If am told hist, "Oh. these were
the old the inirm and the SICK" | have to say
that Of these G6l ,34l. more than half were under
five wears Of age immortal souls brought into
this world aud placed in the care of Massachusetts,
charity, Massachusetts philanthropy; and they
have gone TO God who gave them, and 1t is for u:
10 render sn account for them.