Cleveland tri-weekly leader. [volume] (Cleveland, Ohio) 1854-1885, 1863-11-17
NO. 14O.
Cleveland Freedmen's Aid Csmnis.ion.

| Cleveland Ereedmen's Aid Csmmission.
| CLEVELAND, o., November IL, 1868.
| To Auxiliary Associations, and Friendsof Free
dom and Humanity, ~ Northern Ohio.
/ By the Proclamation Of the President and
the advance Of our armies, hundreds Of thou
sands of our fellow men, heretofore held in
slavery, have obtained their freedom, large
portion of whom are women and children,
and aged and inirm persons.
They come within our military lines, bereft
of everything but their humanity, and in
their extreme dsstitution appeal to US for
garments to cover their nakedness, and pre-
serve them from death.
In addition to the able bodied men and
women, who can be employed in various ca
pacities by the Government and by indigidu-
ais, it is estimated that there are at least two
hundred thousand, (aud the number is con-
stantly increasingly whose wants, for the time
being, must be supplied by those to whom
God has given sympathy and means of relief.
In the department of the Mississippi alone,
there are fifteen eontrabasd camps, having
already gathered in them fifty thousand
freedmen. The Government has established
regulations for the employment, protection
and care Of these people, securing the enlist
ment Of able bodied men, the employment of
all others, able to work, men, women and
children, in various capacities, in the army,
in hospitals, and on plantations.
Engaged, as it is, in q mighty effort to put
down the rebellion, ne cannot ask the Gov
ernment to do more. The people must come
to the relief Of those unable to labor or find
employment.
Chaplain Locke, formerly our agent in
Northern Ohio, and now stationed at Vicks-
burg, writes under date of October 31st, as
follows: At Pine Bluffs, below Memphis,
are seventeen hundred, who are without food,
clothing or shoes TO an alarming extent, and
many are dying st that point for want Of
food, clothing and medicines. There are
twenty thousand at Vicksburg, seventeen
thousand at NatcheZ, and large numbers at
Little Rock and Miliken's Bend, many of
whom are in suffering condition, and theu-
sands must perish this winter, if not assisted
by the benevolent.
"The Governments is enlisting, feeding and
clothing all the able bodied black men, but
there are thousands Of old men, women and
children, who can only be reached by the be-
nevolent in the loyal States. Will they let
these poor creatures perish in this struggle
for freedom? I hope not. Let our friends
go to work in earnest. Help, friends Of hu-
manity, for Gods sake help now while His
poor are crying for help"
The Cleveland Freedmen's Aid Commits
sion earnestly appeal to all Auxiliary Asso-
Citations, and all communities and citizens,
to take hold Of this work at once. It is too
expensive to employ agents. Let Auxiliary
Societies call meetings without delay. Let
elergymen and leading citizens, without dis
tinction of sect or party, take measures to
organize associations where none exist, take
up collections in money, district the village
or township, appoint oanvassers to go through
IL = II -
clothing but money. It is not enough 10
give old clothes. Contributions in money,
and that not sparingly, must be made, if wa
would mset the full measure of this grsa
want.
We earnestly recommend that collections
be taken up for this object in all the churches
on the ensuing Thanksgiving Day, or as soon
thereafter as may be practicable.
The things most needed are straw ticks,
bed quilts, shoes, and garments for women
and children. Goods designed for general
distribution should be consigned to Spencer
& Msllen, Cleveland, Ohio. Goods designed
for any particular camp, should be consigned
to the Superintendent OF that camp, to care
Of Spencer K Mellen, as above, and all pack
ages should be marked "sanitary Goods"
Most of our railroads will send to Cleveland
free, and goods from Cleveland to Cincinnati
free. Beyond Cincinnati, freights must be
paid. Goods not specifically consigned will
be sent to the most destitute camps. Money
collections may be sent to our Treasurer, L.
F. Mellen, Esq, the receipt Of which, and Of
all consignments Of goods will be promptly
sV1as----a-Ie-1 - L;-e
BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
H. B. Spelman, PEST, L. F. Mellen Sec'g and
Hon. r p. Spaulling, Treasurer.
Hon. W. b. Castle, Augustus Fuller,
J. B Merriam, c. ]. ComstCck,
Moses White, Samuel Foljambe,
| James Christian, J. b Parish,
| Horace Wilkins, d. W. Gage,