The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1863-11-27
An Appeal for Aid for the Freedmen

every loyal citizen and itlenh Oh mummy
IL is our duty to see that tho hundreds oil
thousands of our fellow. beings whom tho
Presidents Proclamation has made free,
do mt suffer for the want Of tho neccssarios
Which our bounty can supply. May 1t never
bo said to our shame, by the enemies of hu.
,nan freedom. that We advocated the emar.
tho President had proclaimed il, left them
to perish. The present destitute condition
of multitudes of the freedmen OF the Rebel
States, while il affords no valid argument
in Il favor Of Slavery, or against the policy OF
emancipation, is ono of the many dcplorab'e
incidents Of tho civil war in which our coun.
try is now involved. and, ns such. should
call into renewed exercise the Same noble
and sell. sacrificing spirit which has actuatod
the loyal men and women of tho North in
so many works of bonevolence aud mercy.
We hope hat Auxiliary Frcedmen's Aid SO.
cietics will DO Immediately orgariznd in all
the Townships OF this County, or that. in
the absence of such Societios. our Soldiers
Aid Societies will exert themselves to
raise contributions ia aid of tho freedmen
CLEVELAND FREEDMEN's AID CoMMIs.
SION. CLEVELAND O.. Nov. 18Th 1863.
To .A"ri'in,y Associations. and Friends u
Freedom and Humanity ia Northern ohm:
BY tho Proclamation of the President and
tho advance of our armies, hundreds OF
thousands of our fellow men, heretofore
held in slavery, have obtained ;hcir free.
dom, n large proportion of whom arc women
and children, and aged and infrm persons.
They come with n our military lines, be.
rGtt of everything but their humanity, and
in their extreme destitution appeal to us
for garments to cover their nakcdness, and
prescrvo them from death.
In addition to tho able-bodiod men md
women, who can DO employed in various ca
pacities by tho Government and by individ-
two hundred thousand, land the number is
constantly increasingly whose wants. for The
bang, must be supplied by those to
whom God has given hearts of sympathy
and means of relief.
In the department of tho Mississippi
alone, there arc fifteen coutraband camps.
already gathered in them fifty thou.
sand freedmen. The Government has cs.
regulations for the employment.
protection and caro- of these people, securing
tho enlistment of able bodied men, the EN-.
ployment of all others, able to work, men.
women and children. in various capacities.
in the army, in hospitals, aud on plants.
tons.
Engaged. as il is, 10 a mighty effort to
put down tho rebellion, We canno ask the
Government to do more. The people must
to the relief of those unable to labor
or fad employment.
Chaplain LOCKE, formerly our ngont in
Northern Ohio, and now stationed at VIcks.
burg, writes under date of October 3lst. as
follows AT Pine Bluffs, below Memphis,
arc seventeen hundred, who arc without
food, clothing, or shoes. to an alarming OK.
tent, and many are dying at that point for
want Of food, clothing and medicines. There
arc twenty thousand at Vicksburg, seven.
teen thousand at Natchez. and largo mum.
bers at Little Rock and Milliken's Bend,
many of whom are in n suffering, CON
dition, and thousands must perish this win,
tor, it not assisted by tho benevolent.
"Tho Government is enlisting. flooding and
clothing all tho lied black men,
but there arc thousands of old men, women
aud children, who can only be reached by
the benevolent in the loyal States. viii
they lot these poor creatures perish in this
struggle for freedom ; l hope not. Let
our friends 60 TO work in earnest. Help,
friends of humanity, for Gods sake help
no'0 while His poor a-e crying for help"
The "Cisuslaud Freeimens' Aid Commits.
sion earnestly appeal to all Auxiliary As.
sociations, and all communities and citizens,
to take hold of this work at once. 1t is too
expensive to employ agents. Lot Auxiliary
Societies call meetings without delay. Lee,
clergymen and leading citizens, without dis
%tinction OF sect or party, take measures tc
organize associations in places where none
exist, take up collections in money, in dis
trict, village or township, appoint canvassor
to go tn, ough tho districts and solicit no
only second hand clothing. but money. |
is not enough to give old CLOTHES. Coutri
buttons in mOHeV. and that not spariugl,
must DO made, if we would moot tho full
measure OF this great want.
We earnestly recommend that collection
DO taken up for this object in all tho churcl
es on tho ensuing Thanksgiving Day, or 4
soon thereafter as may be practicable.
The things most needed are strap tick,
bed quilts. shoes and garments for wome
and children. Goods designed for genorr
distribution should be- consigned to SPENCE
g. MELLEN, Cleveland, o. Goods dcslgue
for any particular camp, should be COT
signed to tho Superintendent of that cam
to care Of SPENCER & MELLEN, as above. an
al packages should DO marked "Sanitay
Goods" Most of our Railroads will send
Cleveland free, and Goods go from Clev,
] NM m Vi M 4 n . tI.-