Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1864-12-10

and ruin IN It's track Bat this societr
IS an oases IN the mighty desert Il Is
the shadow OF great rock in a wesrv
land With the greatest reverence. /
conceive that it may be 6tly eomparea
with-and it is to the suffering soldiery,
= river of the water OF life, sueh as
John saw flowing through the city of he
living God. On either side Of the river,
was the tree OF life, that bore twelve
manner Of fruits, and yielded IFS fruit
every mouth; and the leaves of the tree
we're for the healing Of the nations
This river spoken Of in the divine ora-
eles, doubtless represents the chareh Of
the living God on earth. The twelve
manner Of fruits represent the twelve
graees This great Commission Is 10
the suffering soldiery q river of relief.
vending its way through the cities and
eneampments, with the tree of beneyo-
lenee on either side of il, bearing its
twelve manner Of fruits, and Welding it's
fruit every month; and the leaves OF the
tree are for the healing of the armies.
These, Sir, are some of the fruits
Of the Commission. And all this
Is the work Of woman. Is she not ''ths
connecting link between men and
angels9' "When we approach her
lovellness, so absolute she seem-and IN
herself complete; so weIl to know her
own, that what she wills 70 do or say,
seems wisest, disersetest, best. All
higher knowledge in her presencs falls,
degraded wisdom in discourse with her
Ioses-discountenA and Ike folly
shows Authority and Reason on her
wait, as one intended first, not after
made. Occasionally, and 10 eonsummate
all, Greatness Of Mind and Nobleness
their seat build il her lovehsst, and
create an awe about her, as g guard
angelic placed God bless her, she
was the last At the cross of the suffering
and dying Savior, and ths FIRST At bis
sepulchrs. She is the first to weep with
those that weep, and to rejoice
with those that rejoice The
first to hear and respond TO the
calls Of suffering Humanity, and
she Is first (earthly) in the hearts OF the
soldisry.
While we are delighted, Sir, at the
contemplation Of having borne some
humble part in au enterprise so noble
and glorious IS that II the Sanitary
Commission, and that our action has
been recognised and Acknowledged by
the State Com mission, in elegant terms,
through you, their skilled and able rep.
resentative, 10 the presentation Of this
splendid banner, vet we DO not prize
IT alone for the manner in which il comes
to Ius, nor do We estimate Il for lis in.
trinsic worth alone--these are consider.
ticns from which we derive real pleas.
ure But, Sir, the State Commission
has not only given evidence Of its impar.
TALLY and beAihcence, in conferring this
honor upon Us, il has also displayed the
greatest wisdom in the selection Of the
glh To the American citizen there Is
associated with this emblem Of bis na-
ton, the entire History of his Govern
menL Beneath this banner Washington
aud his compatriots gathered In their
terrible struggle, 10 wrest from the Jaws
Of oppression the liberties they trans
misted to pos.erity. Under its protection
the citizen, for near century, has been
recognized and respected throughout
the civilized world Beneath ia ample
folds the sails Of American commerce
have whitensd every ssa, and the bold
and enterprising American has, in Sc
eurity, traversee every land. Upon thia
banner the nations Of the world have
been taught 10 look as the emblem Of
freedom, pointing thu oppressed of every
land 10 home and an asylum from
tyranny. Thess, Sir, are. .contemplations
which thrill the American heart.
Yet above all this, ], is beneath this dag
that the Union host-the American le-
gions.-are to-day marshalled These
lsgions have borne il for near four years
in the defense Of the country and
It's altArs II was while following this
Gag the soldier lost his health. Il has
been in the forefront Of the terrific con
Hict bearing this banner on 10 triumph
aud victory, thai thousands Of our gall
lant brothers have fallen and sealed their
devotion 70 the great cause With the
best blood of the land II is TO sneeor
and rescue from untimely graves the
soldisry who have met disease or recsiv'
ed the leaden death in defense OF tbia
flag, that the Commission has its exis-
tence- Il is then, Sir, Of all others, the
most appropriate testimonial that could
have been presented The Sanitary
Commission is TO The Government poE-
srfal ally in this great struggle for the
Republic. Ita Office is not only 10 I'LL
the thinaed and dscimated ranks Of the
armies, By restoring the sick and wound.
ed 70 health, and 70 their places in The
line IL is also by the action Of the
/ Commission that thsss armies are en-.
eourAged and inspirited 10 their onward
march; nor viii these legiOna halt until
treason shall have found its native bell
and this banner shall have been borne
by the GnriYalIsd soldiery Of the UuioE
oTer the last battlemeut Of the enemy
and until Il shah again wave proudi]
and defiautly over the soil OF this entire
! Repnblic. When this shall have beer
done, and not till then, the soldieEy vii
once more return 20 their peaceful avOea
tiops-to their homes, their families
their wives, and their children An6
around their hearth.stones they will re
count their tolls, hardships, and dangers
They will tell Of the hundred battles il
which they have engaged, and exhibi
their woasds received in defense Of fh'
old banner; and never will they forge
to mention, vita eyes fllsd with tears o
gratitude, the deeds of love and mere
performed BY the great Sanitary Con
mission. "And generations jet unbori
win riss sp and call you blessed" A
the immortal name Of Washington
stands so inseparably connected wit
American independence that you can
not mention the one without suggesting
the other, 50 viii stand associated Wit
this flag. for sIl time to come, the nam
and deeds Of the Commission, while Il,
. soldier te&ckss bis offspring 70 love an
defend the flag, be will teach them ais.
to revere and cherish the name al
memory Of the Society that eheered biz
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