New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-05-17
LnnfT1nyAf. ARRIYAIR
FOR DfMENisHING TnE USE OF
IMPORTED LUxURsEs.

A large and enthusiastic audience Of ladies
assembled yesterday the Cooper Institute to listen 10
addresses in connection with the objects OF the above
association There could not have been ess than $500
ladies' present and the railing In front Of the platform
hung with samples n the various articles Of home
manufacture, which it il proposed to substitute for
those Of foreign importation Some time after the hour
named in the bls for tho meeting TO commence, Mr..
WV r. DODGE appeared the platform 20 request
that the ladies II The Executive Committee then present
would step into the anteroom for conference foI lew
moments with the spcaRefs.
Mr. PEER COOPER proposed that the chair be taken
by President King Of Columbia College, which was
carried unanimously and the Rev. s. II. lying was ap-
pointed Secretary Of the meeting
President King aid he had had some experience in
presiding over masculine meetings, but never ct such
meeting this, and in such cansc. The object OF the
meeting was that the Of tie land. should aid In
great national cause and by some acts OF personal
scfdenal point that supposed 10 no very dear
10 the female heart-the point OF dress Iney OF the
ether gender always assumed that women dressed LOT
them, and, therefore, when IL was asked that during
the continuance Of this war they should abstain as
far possh from all indulgence IN articles VI luxury
In dress AID adogn themselves with The isbres mat We
ourselves produce, and present Themselves TO Us as
American women be could assure them IN the name OF
the masculine gender that they would be still more
lovely and stn more honorcd. lApp.aase.1 They
would not forget In inaugurating thu. movement 10
imuSre tho Divine blessing and therefore he would call
uTon tho ReY Dr. Vinon to commence the proceedings
Prayer was then offered up by the reverend gentle
man, after which the President called upon
Mr.. PETER COOPER Ia address the meeting.
Mr.. Cooper remarked that this meeting had Tor its
object the formation OF Union that must commend IL
self the heart Of every patriotic lady At this time.
whom hopes Of freedom for ourselves and our poster
ity threatened by Tire West despotsm that ever
dirgraoed civilized nation all ought TO contribute 10
strengthen the arm OF the Government Nothing could
be mOre terrible than that such and such nsti
buttons the Rebel Confederacy should be allowed to
fonrish IL would be sign that tie sun OF American
Freedom was fast settling in clouds and darkness lie
was sadly afraid that the present altitude OF the North
exhibited that pride which goes before destruction
and that naughty step which precedcs fan, for the
wdrld had seldom seen such degree of prodigay and
ex:rayagance that which was now spreading It's in
iueace over land. The question tor consideration
WAS what could they what should they do u their
country from the dangers which threatened its life
The uye VI pride aud fashion can only be overcome by
solid union and there IS no union that can be hrmer
aad u.orc powerful than union vi ladies; and they
were ctci mined they might easily IN short time save
tho country from what was now wasted-an amount
equal 10 the whole expense 0f the war.
The PRESIDENT then called upon
Professor HITCHCOCK, who said they were not there
thai. day consider for instant whether all they
could do suffer should BE- contributed Ia the holy
cause for which tho nation was now coniending. The
only question was one Of ways and means, how most
wisely and effectively this could be- accomplished. The
subject had two aspects-a material and spiritual. As
the had body and sou!--war had muscles, and
these muscles be fed and tits organization Of
ladies proposed to assist IN feeding them not by qnix
oc crusade against importation. AZ had been falsely
alleged bat only against that moety,of the excess Of
impOrtaons expectations that had 10 DO paid for
in gold. What that excess was he would show them by
statistics. la the year ending June 80 letV We
exported specie TO the amount Of nearly s5e oVVo In
l the beginning Of this cruel war the balance OF
trade the ether way and we imported specie 10 the
amount VI about SIC 3lJ0JJ The people instnetyely
economical. but by and by the war bronght its own
alienation and they began 20 Indulge themselves again
In luxuries and what TIE result, IN tie year leo2
the amount Of specie exported was about go 5000
tween that date and 10 day, they exported nearly
s55UUJD OF specie and he should not be surprised II
this year the balance against us amounted 20 10 or 70
millions OF dollars The practical question was. would
tho women OF America destroy TINT balance existing
against usi Ii could DC done II u was only made fasL-
onable TO do IT, There were ladies' there prepared TO
pledge themselves 10 abstain rom purchasing articles
of foreign Importation so far as convenience permitted
and II their example copied these o. OOo 90
agnins would be- annihated III SIX months. IL this
NOV ement were carried out they would gold
tumbng with Il crash and the credit OF the country go
ing up and they wanted "a see Uncle SANS grecnbacks
as ,uod IN gold dollar for dollar Some OF their i'm
porting friends might lee! little Troubled, out he |
would promise them that their loyal importers would
mol let their hearts break their loss OF business and
~ to q cir disloya Importers II there were any In New
York they would leave tlem 20 tue monopoly OF their
eries over their losses. Applause. But the matter
had another aspect spiritual one. when the streets
were filed with manned and wounded soldiers. with
collins robed with the countrys nag. with hearts
with fuuereal tread, and with faces saddened
with grief for them to be- sweeping the streets
it'll Lyons silks and costly yelrets and flashing In
ewery IL was not decent. II was not betting 1t was
,sheinc IAppiauscj There was not On earth u
more gotiko army than that Of the Potomac. and there
.ould he no deeper agony borne by 1t than what was
,aused by the Extravaganza, tho ivolity the vanity
furnishing behind II. they thought on the weary
march .eould you not be sober while We going
,ut 10 die, Tits wac matter in which American
women could greatly assist the credit Of the country
md above all TO the army by the spirit they might
xhibt Applause. The PRESIDENT said the next
peaker would be. |,
MN. T. DODGE, esq, who. after remarking on the
attending the inauguration OF this move
ncnt ,ad the ladies here asking themselves aux
ously what they could do 10 aid those noble men who
we're struggling for the perpetuy OF Nation. This
vas the outbrst OF oyery w0mnns heart In this house
that II il was necessary they would make any sacri
ICE for the safety and perpetuty Of the country. The
uestion was what was necessarily Prof. Hitchcock
md referred to the expectations entertained at the
eakpg out OF this Rebellion by the business mel OF the
ity who expected ~ sacrifice at least one half Of all
bey were worth. and all were for retrenchment and
economy But when that printing machine which had ,
cen pouring greenbacks fairly into work the
merchants began to feel differently whom they summed
% aud instead Of loss ut the end VI the year found an
Inc gain. Then the husbands and the fathers
aid TO their wives You ought to have silk dress
nd new bonnet; don't mind labout the prce-get !
God one-get good one And the evil went or, j