The Morning herald., 1878-08-29
RELIEF FOR THE SUFFERERS.

RELIEF FOR THE SUFFERERS.
THE FOLLOWING APPEAL FOR HELP HAS
BEEN MADE TO THE IRISH CATHOLIC |
BENEVOLENT SOCIETIES IN THIS CITY.
ST. PATR1cK's CHvRcH,
MEMPHIS, Tenn, Aug. 10, 1873.
To the President of the Irish Catholic Be-
neyolent Union, and to the Presidents
and Members who compose the Societles
of our Irish Catholic Benevolent Union:
GENTLrMEN AND BROTHERS:
A public calamity has just visited US here
IA scourage has been imported into and fal"
len upon our city, which, but for Its bad
sewerage, is as healthy as any city In the
United States.
The Yellow Fever is raging in our midst.
It is pronounced to be of a" most viruient
type. There is no known certain remedy
against IT, except fight. Our Board OF
Health-a worthy body of our citizeus-an-
nounce to all who can do so to leave the
city as soon as possible. This advice was
not very necessary, for the terrors Of 1879,
when this dreaded plague was last imported
into our city, are still fresh in the memories
ofour citizens, and their exodus is immense.
| The stores are being closed, and business
suspended. A great panic is the consequence
and plague and poverty stare us In the lace
Under these circumstances our Father
Matthew Society is In dire distress. The
dreaded plague is not yet week IN our
midst. An ex-member of our Society," q
very worthy Christian man, who resigned
few months agc-was one OF its first vic
Tins RIP. Some of the members Of
our Society are now pIostrate, although we
do not believe that it Is, for certain, the
dreaded disease that Frustrated them. 1t
NAV. at any moment, fall upon them. May
| I hope that it shall not be 30 To prevent
it's flight from the city to the adjacent coun
try districts or elsewhere is necessary - Is
the only remedy.
About sixty of our members have fami-
lies. Almost all of them are artisans and
laborers, depending upen their days earn
ings, some having their little homsteads
here, Very few, if any, of them are able,
for want of means, to leave the city or
maihtain themselves for even few weeks,
and the probabilities are that more than
two months shall have to elapse before they
could with safety return to their little
homes.
Hence, plague, poverty and destruction
| threaten our members and society on all
sides. Our outlook is very gloomy. The
| timely preventive is best-the only-medi
cine. If assisted In time our whole Socie-
ty may be saved. All our members and
their families must at p''' he rem we'd from
the city to the country u.,vricts, where, un-
less they have already contracted the disease
they shall be considered safe. In this effort
our treasury shall be almost immediately
exhausted. But it is far worse to die breath
ing the infected air of the city than live
even in poverty amid the pure atmosphere
of the country.
But do not believe that poverty and
starvation, or plague and death, are to be
the lot of the members of our Society. No !
Union ~ Catholic union especially - Is
strength. This strength is power, which
is able to avert the evils which threaten orr
Society and it's members, who, In their de-
, votions to the interests of our National
Union, have never been, and never shall
! be, second to any other Society. Hence
, am not hopeless when appeal to each of
you to assist us.
A small contribution from each Society of
: our Union shall alleviate the distress which
affiicts our Society, It's members and their
many helpless families, save our Society
from destruction, enable us to become q
n source of charity and benevolence to our
neighbors, who are dying by plague and dis.
e tress, show to the world the power that is
ell to be welded by the cooperative effort o1
3 our National Catholic Union, and convince
a all our Catholic Societies Of the great bene
]. fit and membership in our grand Union
!. Hear our appeal! Assist us as soon as pos
"a sible. Our Father Matthew Camp must b
}. established tomorrow. shall, II neces
e sary, drag our members and others out o
this infected district to the country. He'll
h me Immediately. Show the power of Catho
RS lie Union, and believe me.
,fl Yours sincerely in Christ,
n WILLIAM WALSH, President
IA of F. M. 7. A. & B. s. No. 377 of our Union
st P.S. Contributions should be made pay
III able to the Rev. Martin Walsh, st. Bridget
ID Church, who is Treasurer pro tenn, an,
ii directed Vice President, Mr.. T. Consodine
so Main Street, (next Owen Dwyer's,) o.
to myself at St. Patrick's. We shall &C
knowledge them through our "Unio