Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1863-11-12


TnE Fourth Ward people. as is them
style, lead of in the patriotic and eharit-
BILE work of looking after the poor among
the soldiers families.
Boring the public with q plea, whether in
behalf ofeharity or anything eies, is not
10 our taste at All But there are OBJECTS,
we have the highest authority, not to say
COMMAND, for urging in "season and out
of season" Ifpatriotic charity is not one
of them, then we have mistaken the text
altogether.
The Fourth Ward people can start this
thing at their meeting tomorrow night,
but they cannot carry it through unassisted.
The question is, will not the people gener-
ally take hold2 The good name of our
city, not to speak of the highest interests
of tho service, are to be protected and
advanced. tits all folly to think We can
carry on great war to put down great
rebellion, and not feel its burdens. 1t
is as little rs those who stay at home
and sleep on coy pillows, aud sit
around comfortable fresides, and make
more money than ever they. did in
their lives, can do to look after tho necessi-
ties of those helpless ones left behind by
the men who are in the camps from our
midst. The soldiers of these families get
their pitiful thirteen dollars month and
their homely fare-and that is all in the
way of remuneration. But, in addition,
they get, whAt2 Hardships such as We
know nothing about. Around whatsOrt of
fires, under what sort OF covering, in what
kind of beds do they sleep, even when they
are permitted to sleep? How is it with
them when it rains, and sheets and freezes
and blows2 How is with them in tedious,
cold marches, tired, footsore, hungry, sick
and depressed in spirit? How is it in the
dangers of picket, scout and battle? Are
all these deprivations, sufFeripgs and bur-
dens not enough for them2 Must there be
added tidings from homelike this:-"Those
for whom you are undergoing ell these
things are letting US want for the simplest
necessities of life. We have no coal-no
bread-no meat-no shoes-scarcely any
covering for our bodies by night or day"
How many families may be writing
such words TO some toil-Worn private SOL
dier-who, just as he gets his letter aud
reads it, is ordered to go out in the rain
and mud and stand guard at some exposed
place not far from where the enemy are
Ioitering2 We hope, as yet, there has
been no occasion for any such letters, and
We further hope there never will be. Our
people are as kind and patriotic as most
other people. But here, as elsewhere, it is
busiuess-everlastiug business, private
business, and it is nobody's business to,
look after charity. But the thing has got
to be different. This idea of putting every
thing into the pocket that comes to hand,
and looking eagerly for more, will find
itself, at the needless rate it is running,
suddenly and peremptOrily checked some
day; and that day will be when soldiers
hear the cries of their families and indig-
nantly revolt. For polioy's sake, leaving
humanity and patriotism and all that is
creditable out of consideration, shall we
let want struggle on and on until it reach
es such point2 Certainly not. Every citi
zen in our midst, with heart in him, will
say no. Butiti is no use to say NO, unless we
are willing to act ont the word. A thous.
and noes, be they ever SO warmly said, viii
warm no cold fresides. "Fine words hut
ter no parsnips.n An organization fos. the
winter should be started that will INCLUDE
the city and the county, And when started
itshould comprise good active men who will
make 1t business to see every person who
is able to give anything tO'-thei common
fond. The people, outside thisci.y, in tn,
county, have doae comparatively nothing
for the cause in the. way of giving. Thu
half of them, except for the increased price
they get for everything they have to sell
and pay for what they buy. do not realiz.
that there is trouble IN the land. A few
men IN this city have borne the brunt OF
almost all the giving that has been given
We could call over the roll ia . very short
time. Is it to be this way all through
We hope not But II win be unless thost
who arealWays giving see TO it that other
also contribute. No dozen or two of mel
can carry through tho necessities of tn
months that are to come. 1t ought to b,
a city and county matter, in which every
body, whether loyal or iisloyal, should a
least be importnned-
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