No. 54.
Mr. Partridge to Mr. Fish.
(Petropolis,) Rio de Janeiro, January 22, 1872. (Rec’d Feb. 23.)
Sir: In connection with the interest expressed by the President, in his last annual message, in the condition of the population in the Southern States, and the measures he recommends for their relief, I have thought it would not be unacceptable if I recurred to the condition of those (women and children) who came from those States to Brazil, after 1865, and still remain chiefly in the province of San Paulo, simply because they have lost everything and are without employment or the-means of returning.
Our Government has very generously offered free passage home to such on board any United States vessel returning from this station; and all who could go in that way, have already gladly availed themselves of this liberality. But those who suffer most hardship here, are those who, personally, deserve it least. I refer to those families of women and children, who have lost here those relatives on whom they depended for support, who cannot be accommodated on board of a man-of-war, and who are without the means of paying passage home.
Your No. 16 informs me that there is no appropriation from which any sum for such relief could be drawn. In consequence of the very many letters addressed to me by those persons in Saint PauFs who have hopes that something can be done for their relief, I venture respectfully to submit to you whether the President would think it expedient to ask of Congress, or could afford from any fund at his disposal, a small sum, say three or four thousand dollars, which would secure relief and passage home, at half rates, to the most pitiable cases, at least, if not to all who cry for help.
I am aware that this is asking the Government to relieve persons, or rather their widows and children, from the consequences of their deliberate folly in leaving their own country in vain hope of finding a better one; and if men alone were concerned, I would be silent. But if the sad history and present condition of many of these women and children could be known to the President, I feel sure he would most willingly do, in their behalf, whatever, in his judgment, expediency and the proper policy would permit.
I have, &c,