National Republican., 1879-07-28

ncedy, and It cannot levy tax for that pur-
pose and If Il could could not collect il. AS
for the county government IL will take no
thought coneernng us, for II it did 1t would
result In nothing. The state can contribute
nothing for our benefit; what the Federal
Government can do remains to be seen.
The Appeal takes an altogether erroneous
view of the supposed inability of the city,
county, and State authorities to meet the
emergency While there is money in the
city treasury, why should the city govern
ment be so powerlcss? The question is per-
tinent, in Wow of the action OF the Federal
Government, which does NOT remain to be
seen. The Federal administration has al
ready donated over 100000 worth of army
rations, tents, and other public property for
the relief of the inhabitants of Memphis.
In making this donation the President vio-
lated the statute laws of the United States.
The property so donated was purchased
with funds expressly appropriated for the
support of the army, and therefore it was
in law misapproprniion of public moneys
and property; far more of misappropria-
tion than using money in the Treasury for
the payment of murshals' fees would be, be-
cause the law entities them TO fees for SER
vice performed. The Appedi and other
Southern papers threaten impeachment for
the latter misrepresentation, if the Federal
Administration should be guilty of it.
What have they TO say for the other misap-
preparation? The President and Secretary.of
War are guilty of it. We merely refer to
the action of the President to show that lie
and the people of the Northern States at
least regard the law of humanity as some-
thing higher thau constitutional or statute
laws. Is the STATE law and are municipal
regulations of such paramount authority i'll
Tennessee and Shelby County that neither
municipal, county, or State officials dare to
act contrary TO them in aiding the cause of
humanity?
Leaders and advisers who should share
the dangers fled-all honor to the few noble
hearts who remain at the post of duty.
Nothing has been done for the poorl Not
one word has been heard in their behalf!
Money i'll the city treasury and not one dol
lar of it can be used for the purposes of
humanity! God save the poor in the South,
! if Memphis, Shelby County, and the State
of Tennessee can be taken rs examples of
Southern generosity and chivalry. Let the
appeal Of the appeal for the poor of Men,
phis ring out in every town and city and
hamlet of the North, and let the North
again perform the work of humanity, from
which the wealth and chiyalry Of Memphis
have fled in n craven, selfish, and inhuman
host, and left two volunteer companies Of
colored men to guard the city property
Let Republicans especially enter on this
good work, for we feel satisfied that large
majority of the people who are too poor to
get away are Republicans-poor whites and
negroes, whose labor has produced all the
wealth of Memphis and Shelby County.
But whether Republicans or not humanity
should know no distinction, and while we
make the suggestion to Republicans, we
trust there will be generous rivalry on
the party of Northern Democrats to outdo
the Republicans in contributions for the
suffering South.
When we read the Appedrs article We
thought we would look into the resources Of
Shelby County, Tenn, and compare them
with the resources of two or three of the
, most wealthy and public-spirited counties
, in the Northern States. The reader will
, join with us in our surprise when he looks
over the following tabulated statement
which we have taken from the census re.
ports of 1870, and finds by comparison, that
Shelby County, Tenn, approximates il
wealth and resources in proportion to iti
| population very closely to the very rich ant
prosperous Northern State counties named
, We hope the appeal will verify these com
parisOns and make of them, as it were
whips of scorpions to scourge the craven
mean-spirited, selfish merchants and prop
erty owners of Memphis and Shelby County
who would not, and the State, county, ant
municipal officials who dare not help the
suffering poor of their own city and count,
, | in this dreadful present epidemic out o
II small portion of the abundant mean
around them. The following figures tel
the shame, the very depths of degradation
to which Memphian "chiyalry" has de
l..