PHILADELPHIA, JUNK SO, 1804.
THE SANITARY COMMISSION.
ITS ORIGIN, ITS OII.IECTS, AND ITS WORK, NO. 2,
rnil E beneficent work done by tlie Sunitnry
-*• Commission may be classified under two
general heads, viz: Sanitary Inspection and
Army Relief. Of the nature and happy results
of the former, whicli was the original object
of the Commission, we gave some account in
our last number. We propose now to consider
the latter as fully as our limited space will
permit.
Army Relief consists mainly in the distribu
tion and application of the generous donations
made for the patriotic people of the country
for the comfort of their soldiers. Early in the
war, large quantities of vegetable food, fruits,
delicacies, luxuries and other supplies of a
character not furnished by the Government,
were sent forward to particular regiments,
and for the volunteers from particular States,
but owing to the absence of any organized
means for tlieir distribution, a very large pro
portion of them was wasted. Boxes and bales
of life-saving and life-preserving stores were
left to rot and perish in railway depots and
storehouses. In some cases regiments had a
great superfluity of these, and were obliged to
throw them away while others were suffering
because none could be procured. Thus the
generous desires of the people were being
frustrated, and full one half of their liberal
provision for the soldiers was lost.
To correct this deplorable waste, the sphere
of operations of the Sanitary Commission was
enlarged, and the Board allied itself to the
numerous Army Relief Associations and became
the almoner of their bounty. It is specially
fitted for this work, because it is officially rec
ognized as an auxiliary of the medical staff
of the army—because it enjoys the fullest con
fidence of the military authorities, and because
it works on a system carefully conformed and
subordinated to that of the army through
agents specially trained. Its modes of opera
tion also enable the Commission to prevent such
distressing occurrences, as one regiment or
body of soldiers having an excess of comforts,
while others are wholly without them. The
whole spirit of its system is national and
catholic.
Under the auspices of the Commission, what
had been a blind, blundering and wasteful
groping in the dark, took the form of organi
zation, system and business promptitude, and
the popular supplies for the relief and welfare
of the national soldiers, were administered
with certainty and great economy.
Our Daily :r, :k.
These points are so clearly and authoritatively
stated by General Rosecrans, written after the
battle of Stone’s river, or Murfreesboro’
that we feel no better service can be done to
the cause than to spread his letter before the
friends of the soldiers in these columns :
Headquarters Department of the
Cumberland,
Murfreesboro, February 2, 1803.
The General commanding presents his warm
est acknowledgments to the friends of the bol
diers of this army, whose generous sympathy
with the suffering of the sick and wounded,
has induced them to send for their comfort nu
merous sanitary supplies which are continually
arriving by the hands of individuals and chari
table societies. While he highly appreciates
and does not undervalue the charities which
have been lavished on this army, experience
has demonstrated the importance of system
and impartiality, as well as judgment and
economy, in the forwarding and distribution of
these supplies. In all these respects the United
States Sanitary Commission stands unrivaled.
Its organization, experience, and large facili
ties for the work, are such that the General
does not hesitate to recommend, in the most
urgent manner, all those who desire to send
sanitary supplies to confide them to the care of
this Commission.
They will thus insure the supplies reaching
their destination without wastage, or expense
of agents, or transportation, and their being
distributed in a judicious manner, without dis
order, or interference, with the regulations
and usages of the army.
This commission acts in full concert with the
Medical Department of the Army, and enjoys
its confidence. It is thus enabled, with a few
agents, to do a largo amount of good at the
proper time. Ever since the battle of Stone’s
river, it has distributed a surprisingly large
amount of clothing, lint, bandages and bedding,
as well as milk, concentrated beef, fruit, and
other sanitary stores, essential to the recovery
of the sick and wounded.
W. S. Rosecrans,
Maj.-Gen. Com’d’g Department.
Every line of that letter should be carefully
considered by the patriotic and liberal friends
of our volunteers. It is to the admirable or
ganization and large experience of which
General Rosecrans speaks that the country
is indebted for prompt economical and certain
distribution of relief, instead of partiality,
lamentable waste and fatal delay. It is by
virtue of that same organization, and the con
fidence and co-operation extended to the Com
mission by the military authorities referred to
by General Rosecrans, that the Commission
is enabled to administer its welcome relief in
the first hours after a battle is in progress
when its labors and supplies arc of inestima
ble value, instead of suffering a delay of days,
when their value is almost wholly lost. It is
to their mature experience that we are in
debted for the priceless knowledge of what
will be wanted, when it will be wanted, and
how much will be wanted; and that it is on
the right spot in the right time, in the proper
quantities, just when and where it is most
wanted.
We close this second article on the eubjeot
with this remark, that the total cost of the
distribution of the supplies by the Sanitary
Commission, is less than two per cent, of the
value of the articles distributed.
THE GREAT VASE.
Some one suggests that this vase should be
purchased for the Presidential Mansion, to be
used but not taken away by the successive
incumbents of the presidential office; that is
to say, that it should be part of the national
plate belonging to the people themselves.
The idea strikes us very favorably, for as a
present to a private individual it would be
rather a burden. Even our Presidents gene
rally retire to such very moderate establish
ments that so magnificent a work of art. would
be rather out of keeping.
Will some one then start “ The White House'’
as a place of permanent deposit for this memorial
of our Fair ? In voting for this disposition of
it, let every one remember he is voting to give
it to himself and his children forever. Every
other article of the Fair will go into private
hands. Let us give this one a chance to be
preserved .where it can be seen, that every
vestige of this great Pennsylvania Fair be not
lost.
TO OUR SUBSCRIBERS.
Some of our subscribers, as we are informed,
have been charged postage on their copies of
Our Daily Fare by the Postmasters at the
place of delivery. This is all wrong, and
such postage should be refunded, for we have
been enabled through the kindness of C. A.
Walborn, Esq., Postmaster of Philadelphia,
to make a special arrangement by which all
the postage on our country subscriptions has
been pre-paid here.
In every case where a subscriber fails
(through our fault) to get a complete set of
the twelve numbers, we will feel obliged if
such person gives us notice, as it is our inten
tion to supply every one of our generous pa
trons with a full set, even if we have to re
print some of the numbers.
LARGE ARMIES.
The best answer to those who fear that our
immense armies might, under bad and design
ing men, be tempted to destroy the liberties of
our country, is the reflection of Sir James
Mclntosh. He says: “ A small army may
have sentiments different from the great body
of the people, and no interest in common with
them; but a numerous body cannot. This is
the barrier which nature has opposed to the
increase of armies. They cannot be numerous
enough to enslave the people, without becom
ing the people themselves.”
If the present could be painted by the
future, it would probably appear to us brighter
than the past.