Jefferson on Helping the Less Fortunate

[Given the continuing repercussions of Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita, I thought this quote from an 80-year-old Thomas Jefferson was most relevant. Does this also remind you of all the American treasure that has been wasted overseas?]

"It is a duty certainly to give our sparings to those who want;
but to see also that they are faithfully distributed, and duly
apportioned to the respective wants of those receivers. And why
give through agents whom we know not, to persons whom we know not,and in countries from which we get no account, where we can do it at short hand, to objects under our eye, through agents we know,and to supply wants we see?"

-- Thomas Jefferson (letter to Michael Megear, 29 May 1823)

Reference: Jeffersonian Cyclopedia, Foley, ed. (134); original
The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Washington, ed., vol. 7 (286)