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to suffering humanity as any ten or more of opposite opinions.  Hence every opportunity is sought to defame and misrepresent my action, in any connexion I have, even from public spirit, with the United States Government. 
The ground of the present excitement against me is, that I have favored the black people, in recommendations for Rations. I have had but one principle to follow in such cases, and if I have erred, it is the result of being deceived, after the most thorough scrutiny. My rule is, to give recommendations to the destitute irrespective of character or color, wherever it will not encourage indolence and immorality, and there is actual destitution.
I have long been of the belief, that the issuance of Rations, was demoralizing, and had tended to retard the industry of the country, and nourish a spirit of dependence, which is not only degrading the people, but giving rise to fraud of the grossest character. An uproar about feeding the poor, is an easy stepping stone to popularity, and some of the very public men who are so vociferous in their solicitations to you, do so with no other motive, than to gain favor by fomenting discontents against the Government. And, I do not hesitate to declare to you, on my personal knowledge of facts, that the greatest benefit, that could be done the Country, would be to stop, at once,

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