The national Republican., 1862-10-02

Meeting OF the General Relief Associ a.
tt0n.
This Association met last night, Major Por-
ter In the chair. Mr.. Farnald from the select
COMMITTEES on organisation reported the fol-
Resolped, THAT it 10 the sense Of this conveu
ton that the several relief associations within
/ the District Of Columbia be requested to ap.
point one delegate from their associations e re-
ence upon all matters pertaining to the sanitary
condition Of our soldiers In hospital or else.
whore, which committee should meet and or.
ganize as early as practicable.
/ adopted.
Mr.. Fernald, from the investigation commit.
| tee, stated that the committee were not pre-.
/ pa cd to present q formal report. He thought
| much good had been accomplished since the
| labors OF this committee commenced.
The surgeon general had treated the com
mittee with courtesy, listened to their sugges.
| tons, and adopted many Of them, and many
Fsreforms had already been introduced.
| ject OF tea, reported that he had visited the
oommissary, and found that the tea which he
has 10 as good Ms any family In the city uses;
| ana the surgeon can, at auy time, make re.
QUESTION for the samo., Il poor tea is furnish.
pidity Of the surgeons In charge.
Mr.. Fowle, the Secretary, desired, at this
point, to read the following correspondence
Mr.. JOHN A. FowLE,
Secretarypf Massachusetts
Relief Association.
DEAR srR: was very much mortified to see
| In tho Star of yesterday evening, serious and
oalumnous charges against the chaplain Of
:Eckington Hospital" 1t seems that some
person or persons calling themselves patients
| Of Eckington Hospital have solicited my reno.
val on tho grossest and most serious charges.
| utterly Inconsistent with the sacred character
OF a minister OF the gospel; and mn association
calling itself suppose Uhrs ian ana formed
chargea to the world, without any investiga.
| tion or personal knowledge Of the charges
| brought or complaints made, whether founded
| or uDfounded, and IL he Ia a man Of character
and sensibility, he must trust in God and pa.
tisntly endure il.
| The fact Ia, there Ia an under carrent AT Eek.
tngton Hospital, growing ont Of the fact Of ihsre
| beiDg R0mish influences there with some sub.
jsets, who could make mischief any where.
| have furnished myself with certificates of
my surgeons, and the testimony Of the Rev. Mr..
| Winchester, a Massachusetts man, and am
happy to say my friend. am willing, sir. to
take you, or any other man Of yonr assoc ation,
| through the tents and rooms Of my patients;
not doubling thai shall get great many more
| TO testify for than against me. The Protes stants
are my friends; the others are impudent and
often disrespectful, aud require to be held In
awe by just robuke. These last, | doubt not,
Il
supercsded by 4 priest.
With this explanation leave the matter, and
| request Of you, as n fair and honorable man,
| to mako such atonement as you can for the
great modification which you, rs the secretary
and agent Of your association, have publicly
inflicted, without hearing, upon the chaplain
| Of Eckington hospital who was recommended
to his appointment by men Of high character
and standing, ono Of whom was Representa-.
| tive from Massachusetts,.
Very respectfully, Z. II. PowsLL.
WAsHlsGroN, Sept. ~, ls'a.
Rev.C. H. POWELL,
Chaplain Eckingion Hospital
DEAR SIR Your note, without date, has Just
been received. In reply, | would state that
am not the secretary Of the Massachusetts
Relief Asso ociatlon,' and the paper you refer
to, and Of which you complain, was read be
fore the Union Soldiers Reliof Association
of which WAS secretary.
| have too much respect for the sacred Office
of chaplain, 10 wish to countenance the least
thing that shall bring unjust oensure on II OF
any of those who hold the position OF chaplain
before the investigating committee Of The
|"Union Association" and request them to In
Quire into the cause and trrth Of tho petition
which was read heforo tho association last
Wednesday eyening. Perhaps 1t may be proper
Tor me to say that the document was handed Il
me from spectacle source, with desire tina
| II should be read for tho Information of the ~
scciation; and was entirely ignorant Of til,
, divided state of feeling at lexington you speai
, Of relative TO yourself and your services.
My friends, who know my opinions on th
subject, will bear mo witness that l have nj
ways advocated the appointment Of chaplain'
10 our hospitals, and / have repeatedly sat
r that the position Of chaplain here was ono o
great spiritual Importance; his opportunitie
. for giving good advice and pouring words O
a sympathy and consolation into the ear of sick
and dying mon; his example; his daily anC
r weekly ministratOns of the Gospel among tn
+. soldiers; his presence, and his prayer and III
3 neral service, when the last sad rites aro per
/ formed over the brave men who have giye
, their all. their life for their country; and the
, sending the little winged messenger, by mai
10 tell the sad. sad tale OF sickness or death I
"Ioyed ones at hone.n Oh how sacred IN
b duties; how blessed the privilege to do all this
Truly, It is u position Of Importance and srea
, | responsibility; and blessed, thrldS blessed !
:, the man who 10 thus situated, and does HI
duty, following the example of his blessed Mas
5 ter.
. II Ia my privilege to know chaplains who Thu
I discharge their duties, and this | think Ia whs
'. the Christian community expect of army an
r hospital ohaplains and trust that after this In
4 yestigation shall have occasion to do as 20,
q reuuest, .'mske atonement for the mortihcs
tion il hicted )" and assure you 1t shall b6 doh
r openly and with tha utmost pleasure.
:. am, respectfully, yours.
81 JoHS A. Fowls.
n MFR. FoWIe then offered the following
:. Reso!ced, That the correspondence submi
ted by the secretary Of this meeting be refei
r red TO the Committee on Hospital Abuses, Il
0 investigation, with Instructions to report AT
,, future meeting.
eI Rev. Mr.. Powell made some explanations
10 his position. He WAS astonished that this al
socii.tion shoult publish mans name In sue
manner and especially one holding his 81
I. cred uifice. He was charged with using intoi
n. icating drinks. He had been Nm advocate
Or temperance. His own surgeon could tssti
w that the charge Ia false. He was opposed
o. those outside Influences. He did not acknow
n, edge their right TO investigate his conduct. u
m was responsible alone to his surgeon. II WI
Q, such outside and revolutionary Influences
w this that once deluged Franco N blood, and "
ii. ought To bo warned againsi ;hem.
uI knS surgeon had a right IL orl-T suGh 4
or investigation Ms IL proposod, hN, he eGnu
is consider II degrading TO his p0G!tion and OH,
I'D 10 appear bafOre such committed.
le Mr.. Fernald did not think this assu1iati,
We should be arraigued for what has been. ina
o. vertently perhaps, read by the secretary NJ
re- published by the reporters. The gentlems
RS should And tault with the secretary and u
re reporters.
ngI Mr. Powell wanted to know # tho press Il;
descended SO low as to degrade the high OH
of minister Of the gospel.
Mr.. Van Vleet wished to say n word in VIM
J.; cation Of the press and the reporters. Il "
N, the duty Of a reporter to make faithful re
N. ord OF the proceedings Of public meeting
70 They would be rscreant to their duty II III