Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-05-03
SOUTHERN GRATITUDE.
One Painful Illustration Of a Lack Of II
in Memphis.


Cleveland t0.) Leader, April ISL
Several times since the close of the
civil war the yellow fever has invaded
the South and swept away its victims
by hundreds. Twice has Memphis
been a helpless prey to its rayages.
At every visitation of this fell disease,
the most %loathesOme and fatal known
to man save the Asiatic plague, the
appeal for substantial aid has come up
from the South, and never in vain.
Last year meetings were held in every
city and town in Ohio, collecting COM
mittees were appointed, money was
raised by thousands and sent forward
to the sufferers, not unaccompanied
by hero hearts and helping hands"
When the frostS ofapproaching winter
had put a stop to the ravages of the
fever, the hot, impulsive feelings Of
the Southern people broke forth in a
torrent of.words, expressing their I'M
dying gratitude for the sympathy of
the North.
The ink with which these marvel
GUS effusions were written is not faded,
even if it be dry, before an opportu-
nifty comes to test their value. On
the Sth of April, 1879, MI. Joseph
Bowdin, of Minerva, Ohio, wrote to
the postmaster at Memphis as follows,
enclosing a stamp to pay return post
Il have just been informed of the
death of Harry BOwdin and his wife,
who died in your place last October or
November of yellow fever. | am a
brother of his, and anxious to hear
something about him, and, therefore,
ask the favor of you to give me what
information you can i'll regard to his
circumstances at the time Of his death,
what business he was in, and any in
formation you can concerning him.
The last time | heard from him he was
engaged in the fish trade. By answer
ing the above you will confer a very
great favor"
A few days brought the letter back,
with the following Endorsement
This has been handed to me by the
postmaster. If you feel an interest in
this matter send me s., and | will
send you an answer to anything you
may desire in reference to Harry Bow
din. Yours, B. B. BARNES,
Attorney at Law,
Memphis, April II, 1879.
The people Of Minerva, and Mr..
Bowdin in particular, contributed
literally to the yellow fever fund
| when they heard the wall Help save
us, for we die" When they afterward
read the Southern gush, they we're led
to believe that "charity-another and
a better name for love'-had really
softened and left its impress on the
hate tinctured hearts of the Southern
| people. But when the above letter
with its Endorsed reply, came back tC
Minerva, and the contents were made
known to the people, they began tC
appreciate the value Of all these slop.
pings over of sentimentality. 1t is
only fair to presume that the post.
master of Memphis handed Mr.. Bow.
din's letter to the man in all Memphi,
whom he supposed most likely to an.
swer it in a kindly, Christian spirit
The answer being what it is, it would
not be wonderful if the philanthro.
pists of Minerva should come to the
conclusion that after all they had beer
flying in the face of a Providence
whose dispensations were directed
against a people lost to all finer sensi,
bilities which should distinguish mar
from the lowest of the brute crea.
ton"
The above was cut from a New
York paper, into which it had beer
copied, and sent to a Memphis gentle
man by a wealthy retired merchant
who is a friend Of Memphis and o
Southern people.
The following note accompanies TIN
slip, emitting names;
DEAR SIR: While passing from m,
country seat to New York YESTERDAY
the enclosed article attracted my at
tention, and as | feel unwilling that
whole community of grateful peopl,
should be stigmatized for the indis
erection of a single citizen, | deter
mined to enclose the article to yol
that your city papers may refute tn
charges as against your whole commu
nifty. Respectfully and truly yours.
We desire to assure the Cleveland
Leader and the generous people o
the North hal the expressions o
gratitude referred to were earnest an,
heartfelt, and we regret that a singl
individual should be found in on
midst to demand pay for such infor
nation as was desired by Mr.. Bowdi
concerning his brother. The actio
, Of one man may bring odium on
whole community, as in this case, an
We cannot help ourselves any farthe
B than to condemz the act. We hop
and believe there arc few persons i
Memphis who would ask or accept
, fee in a case like this, and we woul
ask the public not to regard us as
r set Of heartless ingrates and Shylock.
Those who desire information of tn
kind sought by the Ohio man shout
, write to the Howard Association
I which still keeps an.ofico open, or I
-, some Of the newspapers, and they wi
be sure Of a reply without charge.
@ Amour May 10Th l will have complete
. n handsome cottage on Rayburne avenl
that ! propose to sell to some %responsib
person on small monthly payments. Lar