The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-01-09
PITY FOR TIE POOR.
The Beginning OF Great Reform
Movement In Mississippi.

Correspondence of The Appeal.
CorrEEyILLE, Miss, jan. THE fol-
lowing memorial was read before the
Supervisors of Yalabusha County at their
meeting here today. Il had been advcr-
tiscd that the poorhousc, whore the pau
pens are kept, would be let out at public
ou,cry and the paper was against the
measure:
"llaving been requested by some Of the
citizens OF this county to present to YOU ut
this meeting their views ON the subject of
letting out the care Of the poor and desti-
tutc. persons now in. and 20 be In. what
is called the poorhousc, and being un.
nvoidably compelled 10 be absent today |
am forced 10 take the method Of present
ing these views in writing, although il
would be- much easier 10 speak than 30
write them, Nero II possible for me 10
do So
There IL no axe TO grind In this matter
80 iar as the persons ! represent aro con-
ccrncd, but our whole aim and intent is
the common good Of the county, the true
interest Of the people, and humanity and
kindness To our unfortunate brethren,
who, through poverty aud not through
crime. nro compelled to be- a burden on us
Our religion aud our civilization, our
sense of duty to our God aud 30 our neigh
bors aud our own innato solf respect, all
teach lis llint charity il one Of the greatest
virtues charitable not only ~ indiyid-
unls, hut ~ a community, ~ "a county, us
State. This principle is NJ well recognized
by our laws that tho Board Of Supervisors
ol our various counties are clothed with
tremendous power Ia the care oi the poor.
That while la other matters they ARE linn
tied 10y set forms aud east iron rules, vet
In this respect they are practically all.
powerful aud unlimited. They are 10
care for the poor, the manner, the way
and the means are left entirely to their
judgment They may have poofhousc
or they may not. They may let them out
or they may not. In short, they may deal
with them In almOstany manner their civ
ilihition, their conscience, their duty aud
their judgment may dictate. Under our
lave, YOU ano responsible alone tO Him
who charged us 10 feed the hungry and
cloth the naked, aud who further said
The poor you have With YOU always As
have said. YOU are not restricted In this
matter as la others You may contract
either publitly or privately You may re-
joct bids with reason or without reason.
On you, and ON you alone, rests the great
responsibility of the kind aud humane
treatment of the poor aud destitute. You
are clothed with full power, aud u yun fail
10 use II the burden IA on you, aud every
sigh ui distress or tear ol anguish which
YOU could prevent coming from these nm.
iortunatcs will bc iound enrolled against
you when the books are opened on that
last great day. OF course, and naturally,
you wish 10 work on some regular basis
and recognize that two great ends are to be-
attained. u) The humane and kind treat.
mcnto Of the poor. (2) No unnecessary cx-
pcnso to tho county Oi nll systems de-
yisod. the leasing or letting out Of human
beings 10 the highest bidder has proved 10
be- the most inhumnn aud dcmouililing II
WAS not much used with the poor, ns they
wcrc regarded M innocent, though un.
Fortunate. lIut IL was extensively tried
with the criminal and convict, and civil.
zation has stood Rghnst aud hurfiici NJ
the result So much W that IN every State
in the Union the people are almost unlnl.
mously demanding the abolition Of the
system. II, then, u ~ inhuman aud wrong
10 apply this system 30 the criminal. how
much worse IL II 81 apply u Ia the poor,
who should have our sympathy Instead Ut
our condcmnntiun2 And there h no fcu-
son 10 think the system will work any bet
ter with the poor than with the crim-
inal. The man who will treat them
wOrst IL able o. mako the best
! bid. The man who will treat them
kindly, cannot compete with the man who
will treat them badly. The maE who will
caro- ior them, attend 10 their wants aud
minister 10 them when sick cannot posi-.
/ bly, bid against the man who will neglect
them. Nor h the care Of TIE poor IN this
county ~ oppressive to our people NJ 10
! Justify any resort 30 such harsh measures.
! Indeed, tho amount spent On our poor in
! this county ~ ~ small that no taxpayer
can feel H. II il as impcrcepublo 10 him
| a. the weight of gnai on the horn ui an
| OK. For ail these reasons lor ihC cake II
our humanity, for the sake Of our religion,
! our good name, our Hcll.fcspCCl and our
| duty 10 our God aud 10 our ncighhor, We
ask this Board not 10 let ont these poor
unlortunatcs TO the lowest bidder, but TO
give some good man the contract TO care
Tor them, as thoy should be cared for, and
10 allow him fair aud reasonable price
for their kind treatment. Respectfully
rs. VI. Ross,
"For Many Citizens
In compliance with the request con.
tanned In the above, and after several long
pe,itions had been presented, the Board
pnyc Mt u. Davenport, the gentleman
who cared for them In 1883, the position
Of keeper ot the poorhousc during lssD,
without letting II out 10 the lowest bidder.