The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1863-11-10
Home for Soldiers Orphans

and most influential citzehs vi ."e A'"'P"S
State. cIergymen, lawyers, physicians, mer-
chants and men OF all professions, trades and
..6ncs. DIR. VALENTINE MOTT is the Prcsi-
dent and Dr. DAVID p. HoLToN is the Cores
sanding Secretary and General Agent. In
,he list of Vice Presidents and Trustees we
notice names whose reputation is confined 10
no State but is as wide as the republic OF let
tiers OF the field Of humane efforts. The CHIEF
labor of the Association thus lar has been TO
establish and swell a"Patriotic Fund" which
is safely and profitably invested in available
shape, to be used at the proper time in estab-
fishing the "Homes" for the orphans oil patrl-
etic soldiers aud sailors TO which we have al
ready referred. This fund-now considerable
ia being swollen by proceeds OF lectures
given by distinguished speakers who donate
their services, by publication of interesting
facts and historic incidents of the war, by the
proceeds of the organ of the Association-the
Journal of the Institute of Reward-and by vol
untary donations for that purpose. large
norton of the work of this meritorious move
ment is performed by ladies. The following
circular explains portion of the modus ope-
randi:
HISTORIC COMMITTEES.
In behalf of Orphans and Half Orphans of
Patriot Soldiers and Sailors, it is recommend
ed by the Institute of Reward that IN each
school district. town or ward, Committees or
Ladies should be organized TO preserve IN
written volumes the records oil events III the
soldier life of the volunteers in their respect
i've localities.
The plan adopted in many places is:
lst. To tabulate in a blank volume of suitable size
the Names ages. natiyi y, occupation and other
items Of all soldiers and sailors from 'he gwen
I'd. 10 record the general disposition of the sew
eral companies or ships TO which they may be at
tached and the Il aiding features connected with the
labor of those divisions respectively.
%, ,,iv;d~oIs IN the Army and Navy as NAV be of
general ipterest-to credit collate and record such
letters extracts Of letters and other evidence OF the
noble deeds of the defenders of our nation as may
prove of special local interest form valuable addi-
ton to American biography and history
Portions of these contributions are publish
ed under the authorization of the Executive
Committee, forming one of the characteristic
features of the journal of the Institute OF
Reward"
This periodical, embracing interesting Incl
dents In American History and Biography, al
SO educational and philanthropic items, and
being the medium of communication between
the benefactors and recipients, the Institute
and the public, has become an accepted and
useful visitor to its patrons, and remunerative
10 the Institute.
4th In the event of the death of these soldiers OF
sailors leaving children the Historic Committee viii
find their records special bond ofsympathy toward
the needy orphans, and will, as Foster Parents
make such provision for their proteges as in the or
der Of Providence, best they can.
1t is well known that on the I'd OF July,
1862, Congress passed an Agricultural College
bill, appropriating to each State sin quantity
equal to 10000 acres of land for each senator
and representative in Congress to which the
States are respectively entitled by the appor-
tionment under the census of 1860" This
land is to be sold for the establishment of an
Agricultural College in each State, the leg
flature of which shall vote to accept the grant
and to comply with the conditions on which
1t is made One of these conditions requires
the establishment of an Experimental Farm.
Since the passage Of this Agricultural Col
lege bill by Congress, the Institute of Reward
have seen in its provisions the means by which
its own great purpose may be made attainable,
and that too in way to gladden. every loyal
and benevolent heart. They ask, therefore,
in securing the Farms contemplated in the
Agricultural College movement, that States
will be sufficiently liberal in the amount Of
land secured, TO allow room on the Farms thus
secured or in connection with them, for the
establishment of the State Orphan Home, and
application will be made to the legislatures of
the different States to grant authority TO the
Institute of Reward to establish such homes Oh
the Agricultural College Farms, the outlay to
be met by the funds already accruing, and to
be raised by subscriptions to be solicited from
the benevolent.
In several of the States the necessary au-
thority has already been granted-in none has
it been refused. New York has taken the in
itiative. Every dollar contributed to the In
stitute will be devoted to Home in the State
from which it was received. As the Cores
~pondng Secretary proposes to visit our State
on the assembling of the legislature, to lay
this whole matter before the appropriate com
mittee, it seems unnecessary to say more in
this connection.
Miss SARAH l.. VANHoRN, agent to solicit
donations, appoint Historic Committees and
canvassers for the Journal Of Institute Of Re
ward for Orphans of Patriots, is spending a
week in the city to further the objects of the
Association.