Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1862-07-01
~ sanltary CommIsslen.

President OF the lnlteU ntQles canAtAft Notn-
mission, spoke before quite large audience
last evening, in the Lecture Room Of the
Second Presbyterian Church.
Or. Bellows said there was no place in Che
country whore he would rather speak than in
Cleveland; for here it was, at the very com
nenoement Of the WA, the irst, or almost the
first Soldiers Aid Society was established,
which soon became the pattern for others
throughout the country, and Ohio was the
only State in the Union where two large So
oieties existed-One at Cleveland, the other
at Cincinnati.
The FIRST year Of & war is always the most
disastrous, especially in an army composed
almost entirely Of volunteers, though at the
present time the army, as a general thing,
was in a better condition than could have
been expected. Upon the breaking out Of
the war, the Medical Department Of the Gov
eminent, like most all Others, was under the
control of very aged men, the chief officer
Of the Medical Department being over eighty
years Of age. At first an i'll feeling existed
between this Department and the Sanitary
Commission, though now, he was happy to
state, the best feeling existed, and they work
ed harmOniOusly together.
Almost at the commencement Of the war,
the want Of a Sanitary Commission was felt,
their duty being to furnish supplies for the
army, and thereby save the Government
vast amount of trouble and expense. But
this Commission must be established by the
consent Of the Government. To effect this,
the Doctor went to Washington, and laid his
plans before the President, who remarked
that it seemed to him like adding a fifth
wheel to q wagon. The Doctor replied that
il was, and it was the intention Of the Sani-
tary Commission to supply the new wheel
whom one Of the old ones gave out. The PeO-
pie demand it, and they viii have it. We
viii keep supplies for the sick and wounded,
and thus relieve the Government from a vast
amount Of labor.
The work Of the Sanitary Commission lies
in inspecting the supplies Ofths whole army.
For this purpose competent and experienced
Inspectors have been appointed, who have
inspected every regiment in the service (some
Of them many times over in regard to health,
and have instructed officers in their duty to
care for the welfare Of the men, and distrib-
uied upwards of forty different works pub
llshed by the Society. In this way a vast
amount Of good has been performed by in
structing officers how to care for the sick and
wounded, and for the regulation of hos
pitals.
The Doctor remarked that foreign papers
had done ample justice to the Sanitary Com
mission. Even the London Times had spoken
wen Of them, though this he thoughtR doubt=
fuI compliment They had also received
many hattering letters from eminent men in
France and Germany, all of them expressing
desire that we might continue in the good
work so favorably begun.
In Washington a Soldiers Home has been
established. Ten or twelve thousand soldiers,
many Of them discharged from hospitals and
turned loose to get home as best they could,
have already been cared for at this institution.
Here they are taken care of, their back pay
procured and they are sent to their homes re-
jOising.
At Cincinnati they have also established
admirable Institution Of this kind. Sup
18th clean, comfortable beds, and as
nished table as any one could wish.
,recently established, they have al
accommodated over $500 soldiers al
neinnati Home.
Notwithstanding all that has been
eth ~ IND r--,oE i 81
suffering among the troops
to God, that it will always
h suffering, and we must ex-
Df it, for it cannot be avoided.
bic band Of women who have
leh for our army, the Doctor said
sewed and knit themselves into the
Of the soldiers, and that their gooC
deeds would never be forgotten What tn,
women had done was no more than was to b,
expected of them, for every woman is Away
moved from the depths of her soul for thOs'
who suffer.
A strife had existed between different AID
sooieties to see which should do most ant
best. At first some worked only for the mel
from their own county or State. But now b.
placing supplies in charge Of the sanitar,
Commission when required, much more goo,
has been accomplished, than under the oil
rule. When the Aid Societies were first es
tablished many thought they would not lon
be needed, and that they would soon be mum
bsred among the things that we're. But th
women want to work, and they will work a
long as the war lasts, which from present ap
pearanees will be much longer than we a
first expected.
The Soldiers Aid Society Of Cleveland ha
supplied over ., 600 boxes, the average valu
Of each box being at least $50. Thus it wi
be seen what a vast amount has been give
away, and this is but triRe compared wit
what has been furnished By other cities.-
But yet We have not got enough to suppl
the demand. Last fall one store house &
\ Washington was filed with stores for the US
Of the Potomac army. Every one aske
what do you intend to do with such va
IpOunt of gOods2 But now they are a
,e, and We are unable to iIl the order
eOl / are daily pouring in.
tha Bellows concluded by returning b
DIN for the attention shown him viii
thanAs in the city, and to those who lister
stopplns lively to his remarks.
60 vol NTRADE.-There is great excit
1nE nc W,Rol market hereabouts at th
men The Wook buyers are now visiting a
I'M ~ ne country, and the contest betWe'
-. + very war; Heretofore the feec
-. bsen in the possession Of 8 few indiyi'
h1to ~ now every farmer has become WO
ualsl Du- -. ran rn frnr. An ln AZ. 7.