New-York daily tribune., 1862-04-28
THE NATIONAL SANITARY COMMISSION
AND IT'S AUXILIARIES AND co
WnuEEpl
WORKERS,


AND IT'S AUXILIARIES AND CO
WORKERS.
To he Edifor of The ". Y. TTibln.
SIR: Some confusion exists in tie public mind in
regard TO the relation which various local bodies Of
relief for soldiers called Sanitary Commissions bear
toward each other and to the National Board known
as The Sanitary Commission"
In june last, the War Department instituted " Tho
Sanitary Commission as National Board having
immediate official connection with the Government
a. special facilities derived from il TO aid in pre-.
serving the health and minis'erng to the sickness Of
our army wherever il might be- East or Wet, North
or South. Tho Board immediately surveyed, by its
agents the whole ground, sent inspectors and relief
agents to all important points, estsblsbed depots Of
stores East West, and South; formed auxiliary
associations for the procuring Of supplies or the local
transportation of them, and faithfully endeayored to
methodzo the benevoence Of the country toward
each and every corps and regiment Of the army. or
course il took time 10 got this plan into action and
efectual operation. But at length auxiliary
associations subordinate 10 It's plan were established
At Chicago, Cincnna Louisviile, Columbus, Indian
atolis. and Cleveland in the West, and at Boston,
Providence, Hartford, New-IIaven, New-Yors,
Newark, Philadelphia and Baltimore, in the East,
while depots were opeued, with agents in charge, at
Ship Island Pot Royal, Fortress Monroe, Nashville,
and Cairo, and moderate stocks OF supplies sent in
charge of relief agents with every advancing column.
The only exception to the full cooperation Of e1-
isting "Salitary Commissions with the National
body. /, found in the St. Louis Association. known
q, The "Wesiem Sanitary Commission" and in
the State Association in Iowa The special activity
Of the wnr in Mssouri, early in the campaign, and its
distance from Washington, made an independent
commission wet a tas Mississippi, de,irable in the
oyes Of Gen. Fremont and several distinguished and
benevolent citizens Of 81. Louis They thought they
copld M, more efficiently under special gran; from
tho Military Department OF their own region, nnc
although thi. invaded the nationality of he Sanitary
Ass. cation proper and was complained # by then
~ "A grievance, yet, the wonderful local .cncie'
of tha, body and the excelleut service j. led II
the hospital. II Missouri, foon oyercane a. ;e op
pos.ion a. fsst excited by liz independent e,t'ude
The Sanitary Commission Was obliged 10 send agent
into Mip,.ri, while active operations continued
there, g. do no work Of iuspe,l'on, and continued
until ie,eat'yto 20 I. .nish the locsl commisson with
some portion Of supplies. But IN the main, the ST.
Loui. Sanitary Commission has, by independent sp-
real To- tie New-EnglSnd public for supplies snd re-
Gently to the Ncw-lork public for money sustained
own existence with little aid from the store
houses and no aid from the treasury o. the parent
body.
The other Nestefn Sanitary Commissions. self.
sustaining bodies, all have been in constant and sym
rathetic relations with tho national body-labornG
a md.
atinr. AZ Cincinnati, Chicago, Cleveland, and Lou
sville the example Of st. Louis.
II mus, be undertood that the Sanitary COmmis-
sion embraces both preventive and curative agencies;
thai il Knows no distinction in the field Of It's labols,
and IL as heartily Western as Eastern; that,
excepting Missonr where the work was taken out
OF it. hands by the efficiency Of the local Commission
which engaged 10 DO ali that was required by the
wants Of the sick soldiers in tha, region, IL has
covered the whole f.d. 1t will readily be seen
wa, an amour; Of plies and Of means required
for its wants and how well fitted il is to Learn by s
widespread apeBcics what s required ~ every pcint
aud bow bcs' TO sppy relief.
This explanation is due % tic Now-iork public.
In our Judgment il noi pioper t.-t any olc West
en- Sanitary Commission should onIoss iis sympa-
ihies where there are 10 many equally elective
Commissions in full and harmonious relations With
tie National Board; nor il it proper that lie Ma
,icnal Sanitary Commission should bo supposed to De
lee, Western than Eastern. The Sanitary COmDls-
sion receives into liz sorehouses and treasury what
is applied with impartial hand. TO each and overy
part of the Army, according TO its wunis. its &C
tyiy lie efficiency, and its expenditures Increase
every day. it, means must experience corEes'
rondng incr,nse 70 miintain its full and thoroughly
tested usefulness.
Nese- IoTk, Apnl -, Iso2.