The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-08-26
To the Officers and Friends Of the
Minnesota Branch Sanitary Com.
mission.

The Executive Committee have recently had
their attention called TO a new class OF needs in
connection with the soldiers. There are found
10 be very imperative home wants. Those pa
triotic men who have gone to the front, very
many of them have families. wives and chill
dren TO be provided for in their absence Our
State is young. Manufactures are not yet de-
veloped. agriculture is the main resource.
This limits the sphere of employment and vir-
tually excludes from seIf-dependence large
class which in the Older States might readily
support themselves. Besides in consequence
Of our remoteness from the seat OF war, our
people reap but very little of the financial bene-
fits of the war. There are no foundries, no ar
senals, no dock yards. no machine shops, no
cartridge manufactures stimulating trade and
invoking and remunerating all sorts of indus
try. Wages are good-men, and especially
able bodied men have abundant resources in
themselves. But these mothers who have to
keep households together and supply all the
wants of their little ones, feel only the pres
sure of the high prices without being able to
avail themselves of any of the corresponding
advantages. Winter is fast approaching, and
at the current rates of all the necessaries of
life, clothing, food and fuel, there must be
great suffering among Us unless timely aid
is rendered We have no sympathy with
that refined spirit Of selfishness which
for 1.-THE sake Of getting rid of doing any,
thing anywhere, is always quoting the adage
- charity begins at home" but it is fact new
ertheless. Our first service is to the needy ones
right about us. Each man is to work ever
against his own household And surely there
is no way in which we can show sympathy for
and encourage our brave men in the field 80
well as by taking care Of the loved ones they
have left behind. Moreover, it needs to be i'm
pressed upon rs over and over again that the
men who are fighting our battles are under no
obligations of service which are not equally
binding on rs. The least we can do is to make
ample provision for their wives and children.
The Executive Committee therefore deem it
rot merely matter of generosity, but of SIM
pie justice 10 devote portion of their Sanitary
receipts to this channel of needs. Though
they have not determined the precise amount
which ought to be appropriated for this pur-
pose and cannot well do it without more spe-
cifc information, it is thought that one half at
least Of all future contributions should be be-
slowed upon needy soldiers families within
our State; and they recommend that associate
managers and all Others who feel an interest in
this matter, residing in the several counties,
pursue the same course.
Take measures at once to ascertain the con-
dition OF every soldiers family liz your county
and then minister according to the necessities
OF each. If money is raised among you for
Sanitary purposes, first see te Il that there are
ct home no soldiers families destitute and suf-
fering, and then if you have money left for
ward it TO our treasurer for general purposes.
When you have ascertained what is the con-
dition OF those made poor by the war in your
respective towns and counties, we desire you
Immediately 20 make up a statement for us.
Do not wait one for another but in each town
let the work be undertaken Immediately. send
ing the facts as soon as possible to the Asso-
ciate Manager Of your county, if you know Of
one, and if not mail directly to us.
In this holy service may we not Justly ap-
propriate the words, "Inasmuch as We have
done it unto the least Of these ye have done it
unto me-?
In conclusion permit US to commend this or.
ganization once more to the considerate regard
of the community. Are the friends of the sol.
diers doing all they can for them? Now is the
time. While they are sacrificing SO much for
rs, let us not withhold our most generous ben
efactions from them and theirs.
For the Executive Committee.
w. L. WILSON, Cor. Sec.
Win papers throughout the State please
copy.