The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1863-04-25
Saturday Morning, April 10. 1868.
The Sanitary Commission.


TESTIMONIALS FROM THE ARMY OF THE
CUMBERLAND.
MURFREEsBoRo, TENN, Feb. s, 1868.
DIR. A. N. READ, Inspector U. s. Sanitary
Commission.
Sir,--I desire to express to you, and through
you to the generous and patriotic donors sus-
tanning the Sanitary Commission, my high
appreciation of the work Of love in which you
are engaged. As have visited the various
hospitals in this place, and looked upon the
pale faces of the sufferers, and marked the
failing strength Of many manly form, have
rejoiced In spirit when l have seen your be-
nevolence-enbodied in substantial forms of
food, clothing, and delicacies-iudiciously and
systematically distributed by those who are
officially connected with the army. lf the
donors could only know how much good their
gifts have done, aud could but hear the bless
ings invoked upon their unknown friends by
these suffering ones, they would fully realize
the divine proverb-"It is more blessed to
give than to receive" We would advise all
who wish to extend the hand of their charity
so as TO reach the suffering officers and SOL
ders who have stood between their slowed
homes and foul wars desolation." To commit
their offerings to the custody of the United
States Sanitary Commission, an organization
authorized by the Secretary Of War and the
Sufgeon-General, having the confidence Of the
ATNly, duu duOtuiiiE uHtNt ouu SApCuitious
medium of communication with several dvis-
ions Of the army, free of expense to the donors
and entirely trustworthy in its character. 1t
Is worthy of special note that the goods in
trusted to the Commission are distributed to
those who are actually sick or convalescent,
and this is done under the scrutiny Of the most
responsible person in its employ, and through
regularly established official agencies In the
army. Ifthe patriotic donors of the several
States would direct their contributions into
this channel, it would save much expense OF
agencies, blend the sympathies Of the Union
men of the several States, and prevent unpat-
riotic distinctions In the patients In the hospi-
tails, who are from every regiment and every
State. Side by side they fought and were
wounded, and side by side they suffer In the
hospitals; and this Commission, through ap-
propriate agencies, extends its aid alike to
the sons of Virginia and Pennsylvania, Ohio
and Kentucky, Indiana and Tennessee, Michi-
gan and Missouri, thus giving prominence to
our cherished national mOtto--"We are many
In one.' As an illustration: An agent of a
Wisconsin society came TO a hospital with san
itary goods for Wisconsin soldiers, and went
along the wards making careful discrimina-
tion in behalf Of Wisconsin soldiers. but soon
saw that this was an ungracious task, and
handed over his goods to the United States
Sanitary Commission. Learning this, one of
the Wisconsin soldiers said-"I am glad OF
that, for it made me feel bad when my friends
gave me those good things the other day, and
passed by that Illinois boy on the next bed
there, who needed them just as much as
did; but made 1t square, for divided what
got with him." Brave, noble fellow his was
the true spirit of soldier of the United States
We have common country, language, relig-
ion, interest, and destiny, and we should more
closely weave the web OF our national unity,
30 that the Genius Of Liberty may, like Him
"who went about doing good" wear a seam
less garment We believe in the constitution
al rights of the States, but we must emphati-
cally believe in our glorious nationality, which
like the sun amidst the stars. has surprising
glory, and is Of Infinitely greater Importance
and should be appropriately cherished in every
form Of development
s+ e - GRANVILLE MOODY,
Colonel Commanding 74fh Regt. Ohio Vol
Infantry.