Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1864-01-01
MUSCATINE IOWA. FRIDAY, JANUARY l. 1854
To the Ladies' Aid Societies of
Iowa. ~.


To the Ladies' Aid Societies Of
Iowa.
At meeting Of the Board of Control of the
Iowa Sanitary Commission, held at Daven-
port the I'd and 3 insts the III dcrsigned
were appoin' ed a committee to issue brief
address to the Aid Societies Of the State, ex-
planning to them the action Of the Board, and
asking their confidence and cooperation. The
Board was unanimous in the determination
to be faithful to the Constitution and the
spirit of the Des Moines Convention. This
was the basis of all Our action. We provided
for depot at St. Louis, in connection with
the Western Sanitary Commission, and anoth-
er at Chicago, in connection WITH the United
States Sanitary Commi sion, where all our
goods are to be received, re-packed and pre-
pared for the field, and marked with the Iowa
State mark, that, so far as practicable, they
may be turned over to Iowa regiments, and
thus give them the satisfaction of receiving
goods from their own state, and often from
their own special friends. We bel eve this
may and will be done to large extent, and
the wish so otten expressed by cur people,
that it should be SO gratified. That this
may be made as practical as possible, we ask
that all names, marks, notices, &C.. that the
ladies can put upon 'hcir goods, indicating
their source and the interest of the ladies in
our soldiers and their work, be placed upon
their articles, that our brave men may thus
be cheered by greetings from home ard
friends. This is much more important than
many suppose, and We would call special ut
tentiOn to IT.
The practical working of our organ zation
is in the hands of our Executive officers, and
will depend upon their faihfulne>s and good
judgment. We believe they fully understand
that is their duty to b. imp .rtial towards
all interests, feelings and pr judices-that
they are to be parties to no factions or per.
sonal schemes. We believe they will be true
to their trust Should any of them fiji in
this, we desire to be informed of it, as they
will b.. held to strict accountability by the
Board of Control Rev. E. Skinner, Cores
ponding Secreta y of the Iowa Sanitary Com
mission, is our General Agent. We Relieve
nc will prove intelligent, fal hful and efficient.
We besieak for him cordial greeting an
active cooperation from all friends OF our
cause. Rev. G. g. Truesdell, our Recording
Secret'ry, with the care of large church
upon him, is unable to perform the active
duties OF his position, and has called to his
aid Mrs. Col. Baker, of Bloomfield, as the &C.
tive Secretary and Book, keeper. We think
all our people can give thei: confidence to
Mr.. Truesdale and Mrs. Baker thus united,
and may feel well assured they will be fairly
dealt by at Head Quarters.
All Agents appoiatsd by the State are made
Agents of our Commission, and will work ith
US. Mrs. Wittenmycr is now the only active
Agent in the field. No doubt others will be
appointed. In order to succeed, we must
have the hearty cooperation of all the patri-
oic ladies in the State Sanitary SUPPLIES
have never one half equalled the demand. or
been one-haif as laIg ge from our State as thew
should have been. We ask you, ladies, to give
US your confidence and earnest support. and
furnish our soldiers an abundant supply for
their wants. 1t is a work that will bless us
while it relieves the suff rings of our brave
men in hospital and in the field. We cannot
afford TO lose this blessing much less that
they should suffer from our neglect
If the officers of the Commission do not
manage to your liking you will soon have
chance to ELL their places with others. The
whole matter is in your hands and you can
control it. All communications, on the busi-
ness of the Commission, should be addressed
Iowa Sanitary Commission, Davenport
Iowa." All moneys should be seht to Hon.
E. G ark, Iowa City, and all goods marked,
Iowa Sanitrry Commission, care Western
S nitary Commission, St. Louis, No." OF
Iowa Sanitary Commission, care U. S. Sani-
tary Comm ssion, Chicago, H."
We would call your attention TO the SOL
disrs' families, scattered al over cur State,
many of them in want of the common n, ces-
saries of life. 1t is shame to our common
humanity that this should be so WHY are
they thus in wantg Simply because their
'atural providers and protectors are fighting
ear battles, and guarding our rights. They
we're under no higher Obligation to obey th.
call Of their country than tn. Sc who have re.
mained at home. But their patriotism II as
of higher order-they oheytd the summons,
and for this their families must suffer I his
ought not so to be-. We urge upon you, la
dies, the claims of those to whom we owe so
much. We ask you t. take systematic and
continuous action for their relief Give the
men at home no peace until they supply you
with the means required for this object. Es.
pecially urge upon your several Boards of
Supervisors to make lib, raj provision from
their County treasury. Visit them in pers,n,
and present the facts as you know them to
exist, and, if they are men, thev will hear
you. This is properly public charge, and
should be met, mainly, by pubic funds -
after all our authorities en- do, there will re-
man much that you alone can supply. We
have no more sacred duty resting upon US
than this. Let US discharge it as we would
wish it done to us.
The Board of Control is to hold another
meeting the goth of January, when we will try
| TO right a"y wrongs that may have been done
We will gladly receive any information or
suggestions from our friends that NAV aid US
in our work. Let US cast ASIDE all jealousies,
and, with earnest confidence and zeal, uni
tedly engage in the work, that We may d s.
charge our debt of Obligation to our soldiers,
and enjoy the luxury of doing good.
We ask the Press of Iowa to give this an
extended circulation.
N. H. BRA1NARD,l r..
JAMES WRIGHT, o0""'''ses'
Des Moines, Dec. 2lst, 1863.
EYFcrTIvr OrrICr Iowa ]