Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1863-11-13
FOR the Gazette.
THE LADIES' UNION LEAGUE OF
IOWA.O

For the Gazette.
"rHE LADIES, ,S TE.o > LEAGUE OF
Nh. EDIroR: It is but seldom that your
columns arc occupied BY lady contributors
but will you have the kindness to permit nj
| to call the attention Of the ladies Of Iowa tc
the above.named organization, and I will
promise brevity. First, this is no woman's
rights institution, or anything Of the kind
gotten up by those aspiring to occupy the
place of the stsrner sex. There is sphere
in which woman can act, and her influence,
like tho gentle dews of heaven, will be felt
and appreciated. The present is no time for
any to be idle. Disinterestednsss is coward
ice If not treason. But while our loved ones
have been as wall between as and danger,
and with their blood quenching the fame that
would devour us, and this noble fabric laid
BY our foro fathers, We have felt that we
needed more thorough organization to ena-
bic the ladies of our noble State more fully
to carry out the deeds of loyalty and kind.
ness; consequently some Of the ladies in the
Northern part Of the State have legally incor-
porated themselves BY filing articles with the
proper authorities, and adopted the name at
the head of this article. We have our Grand,
and Subordinate Councils, and during the in
terval between tho sessions of the Grand
Council the business of tho order is managed
by an Executive Committee of Ave, presided
over by the President Of the Grand Council
We have our signs, &C., by which we can
recognize each other, and also BY which we
can recognize gentlemen belonging to the
+" Union League Of America" Our League
is conducted entirely BY ladies'. Our Books
and Charter are printed. The Ritual is rec.
commended by Governor Kirkwood. who in
letter that have seen says, he has been
truly gratiied with its perusal and that he
heartily commends it to all thinking our in.
fluence would be strengthened and increased
by such an organization" Secondly, The
question may be asked what is our design or
what good will we accomplish can par.
TALLY answer the first question, but it is for
the loyal ladies of our noble young State to
answer the second. 1t is our design to throw
our whole, oar united influence, in .taror Of
rHE UNION. To have as little as possible to
do with those who sympathise with secession.
To aii our brave soldiers, and their families
70 this last feature wish particularly to d.
rect the attention Of my loyal sisters, as !
think it is not fully met in any other organi.
cation in the State. Our " Soldiers Aid So
cieties " and "Loyal Leagues" have their
and we wish them God Speed. But
would ask have not the families Of the de-
tenders of our country an equal claim upon
our sympathies. After awhile this bloody
struggle will be over. A nation will rejoice
in the restoration of peace. Men will return
to their peaceful avocations. The excitement
hat has for years kept the great heart Of So
,iety up to the highest tension, will then be
removed. How prone then to forget those
Who have sacrificed their all. Gone are their
learcst earthly hopes to secure the rich boon
o US. Already, in imagination, can see
hat long train Of carewoIn, heart. broken
Widows, clothed in the habiliments of mourn
n.y. The cold December winds drive the
lrifting snow and hail, through the broken
windows and crevices Of that lonely COT
Around few expiring embers mother and
Ter little ones cluster. For the third time,
With stihed sobs that little girl says, o mother
am SO cold and hungry, do give me one
mall piece Of bread and will 60 to sleep
look upon that mother, Oh ! how pale, her
ip trcmbles, the tear is in her eye, as she
eplies my darling, have no bread, come to
ne and l will keep you warm. And with
II mother affection she presses her daugh-
er to her heart, and the little one sobs, Oh
mother, ifPa had not gone to the war and
rot killed, we would have had a warm place
o live in, and plenty to eat. Did not the
,cople say when Pa went away that we
should not want for anything, but now they
rave forgotten us. OH Ma! don't cry, you
ook so pale I am afraid you will die too and
cave me and little Willie alone. Don't cry,
Ma, and won't ask for any more bread. Do
,ot say this is all imagination. and that Gov
,rnmcnt will provide for the families Of slain
soldiers. Government will do something
rave no doubt, but its operations are always
slow, seldom come st the right time, and
through tho dishonesty of it's officials, many
If its donations will never reach these objects.
There are even now, men SO contemptibly
mean, as to rob those who arc shedding their
blood for their country's cause! Yes, rob
hem of their pay while their families are
suffering at home. Even now there are SOL
lier's families enduring untold privations.-
One during the past summer lived for weeks
IN green corn and potatoes. Another, with
.ears in her eyes, told that no one but her
self knew what she endured last winter. But
Why, you may ask, did not husbands send
them money +? In the one case the husband
had not received his pay, and in the other it
was stolen, while in both cases the women
were too modest to become objects Of charity.
Our State is one of the fairest in the Union.
our soldiers as brave as ever faced foe
They have given US lame that will live in
history. Now let us heed that we are wor-
thy to share their fair fame. Let US have
that will live after the war is over,
A. III LII r