The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-08-17
HOSPITALITY FOR YELLOW
lever,

To the tliiur OF Inc Appeal,
Ia behalf Of a majority OF the people Of Memphis
ug beg 10 disagree with the harsh views expressed
IN Tuesdays issue OF your paper under the caption
Of Quarantine and Yellow Fever" that your as
sumption does great Injustice in presenting US IN an
attitude devoid OF human sympathy that self IN
tcrcst has bluntcd our sausib.ltics and cDwardce
made rs deaf 10 the wall, OF woe when the fell
destroyer held high carnival amongst us, the world
wcpt at our distrc1, and opened its doors whom We
Knocked aud welcomed rs We never can forget
the kiudne,seS shown us and our dead and dying.
And lor leading journal Of our cY . suggest the
adoption OF the lynch and shotgun policy" Is a
sad commentary on our Institutions aud disgrace
10 our civilization. while We DO not aprrchcnd
another visitation of the fever It I, not impossible
anl The precedent you propose ~ establish might
prove disastrous 10 our,o,yy, Hospitality, bcnoyo.
lcnco md charity have ever characterized the
Southern people. Ana We should hnvo all man.
Kind know that "thc milk ~ human kindness"
hlls our hearts ana We have oceans Of II 10 spare.
joins y. WuIrE
The meaning Of this letter by DR.. White
is that lac would, because Memphis was
succorcd and helped in 1873 aud 1878,
make her harborOi refuge for all persons
fleeing from yellow fever cpidcmics, at
the risk OF another such epidemic with all
its attendant horrors. Memphis il not
under any such obligations to the people
Of the other cities and States Of the Union.
Their help at critical iuncture in our
history did not carry with ii the promise
implied or tlcit on our part to open our
doors to smallpox, cholera, yellow fever
or any otller epidemic disease, and thus
render ourselves liable 10 again become
subjects Tor the charity aud commisera-
ton Of the world. On the contrary, the
people who 50 generously contributed
To the support OF our sick, dying
aud destitute people in 1873 and
1873 said plainly in their leading
papers You must, like sensible men and
women, see that this does not occur again.
You must clean up your city, sewer II and
avail yourselves OF every means and april.
ancc known 10 sanitary science 10 prevent
n recurrence OF these awful and dccim at.
ing cpidcmics II You do not II You do
not DO something o. help yourselves In this
wayn1d hereafter keep vgilint ward aud
watch to see that yellow fever is not Intro.
duccd into Memphis, that refugees DO not
run In on YOU aud scatter the dlscls,
among your unsuspccting people, We
shall look upon your sulIcrings, II an chi.
dcmic follows, rs just punishment for
your Indifference. aupincncss and willful-
ncS. No mistaken view Of hospitality
should induce the people oi Memphis 10
invite tho plague anl death. No man with
his senses would invites friend with connu.
cnt smallpox TO take quarters In his house
nj the risk Of the health aud lives Of him.
self, his vito aud his children. This was
the view tho people oi some Of the
country towns ia this vicinity took whom
in 1873 they wcp asked To be hospitablc
to Memphis refugees. Thcy met them
with doublc-barrcllcd sholguns and q Wig.
liant and rigorous law Of non.intcrcour ~.
and they were saved from the plague.
The people OF Memphis have lively
sense Of iavors received, aud since 1879
have proven II, 10y subscribing literally on
many occasions Tor thc relief Of communi.
ties that were suffering from fires, cyclones
and yellow icycr In this she did her
duty aud thus mcisuriby repaid
In kind anl In part the debt she
owes 10 mankind, hut she does not feel
called upon 10 ~ farther and make OF
Mcmphis again chnnrl.housc in order
that some s'lhsh Ulus,cy-whp know II
the awful fate that overlook "a In tho years
named through other rcfusccs-in order
that they may lind comfortable quarters
ior tho fever 10 incuha,c aud whence 1t
might spr,ai its cruel and dccimating
power. Hospitality does not H. In that
lir,ction. We ap not called upon 10 run
lac risks Of turning Memphis into dead.
hou,1 In order 10 maintain our credit ior
hospitality.