The Portland daily press., 1864-06-14
Tuesday Morning, June IA, 1854.
Bishop Simpsons Speech at the Opening
of the Philadelphia Sanitary Fair.

Bishop Simpsons Speech at the Opening
of the Philadelphia Sanitary Fair.
At the request of the President of the Uni
ted States, and in his behalf, l accept from
the honored Executive Committee the vast
treasures contained in these immense build
ings, the noble and generous offerings of the
citizens Of New Jersey, Delaware and Penn
sylvania, to be dedicated in the name of the
people, TO the use OF the sick and wounded in
our army and navy.
When look around this building, and wan
der through these departments / am astonish
ed at the multitude and the magnitude Of the
offerings, at the skill and taste displayed in
the arrangement, aud in the decorating, and
at the patient, persevering labor which has
been expended In producing these great re-
suits.
But why all this outpouring OF treasure
Why this universal stirring OF the national
heart? We are in war-earnest terrible war
with people OF the same race with our for
mer brethren, who have breathed the same
air OF freedom, who have been educated in the
same schools OF learning, who have been in
spired by the noble deeds OF the same hon
ored ancestry. But the leaders of the South
have torn them from us. They were weary
OF our constitutional forms. They murmured
at and feared the growing spirit of freedom,
and they broke the bonds of our ancient cov-
enant. They seized part Of our fair heritage
and have sought to found a government whose
cornerstone is human slavery. They have
erected their altar TO this dark Moloca, and
verify they have made their sons pass through
terrible lire; and more victims have been al
ready offered on this dark altar than were
ever sacrificed on the altar of that angry diety
OF old.
But the injury stops not there. The friends
OF the Union have risen in their might, and
have rushed to the rescue. The farmer has
left his plough, the mechanic his shop, the
man OF letter his desk, and the merchant his
Office. Tne noblest Of our brave young men
have been foremost In the thickest of the flght,
and though, amid the smoke and carnage of
battle, some of the stars have been dimmed
and some of the stripes have been torn, yet
the star spangled banner still waves and the
millions rally round the flag lLong con-
tinued and deafening applause.
But, alas, how many brave ones have fallen
How many are wounded To-day, in camp,
and in hospital and on the battlefield, perhaps
at this very hour, multiplied thousands of our
husbands, and brothers and sons are lying
ameng the sick and the wounded. Shalltheir
comrades cease from the battle strife TO care
for them, or shall other hands less able and
less skilled in war, perform these offices Of
kindness? Shall they be left to suffer and to
die neglected, or shall every attention which
humanity can suggest be freely given TO them
This question you, with others, are answering
by your donations and by your labors.
This land OF ours is a wonderful land. The
government has called for men, and they have
come from every plain and from every noun
tain, and from every valley, until more than
million have stood in martial array And yet
our crops have been sown and gathered, the
sound OF the hammer is heard in the shop,
and the hum of machinery in the factories.
Our wbarves are laden with goods; our cars
are crowded with passengers; every village
and town is enlarging its limits; our city
streets are full whole blocks are added to our
buildings; and still the crowded population
cry for room. atF Ffss
Money has been called for, and though the
government has called for hundreds of mill
lions its loans have all been earnestly taken.
We have been taxed, and the taxes have been
unmurmingiy paid. And, in addition TO all
this, the people come forward with their free
offerings by millions To aid and comfort the
wounded and the dying. lApplause.) This
Sanitary Commission has already collected, in
money and in values, more than ten millions
of dollars. And the Christian Commission
has also received and is receiving large sums
for its noble work.
Nor are these sums merely the offerings Of
the wealthy. Many of them have givan no5ly.
But the poorest vie with the richest In devo
tion 10 this cause. Females of limited means,
the laboring man, the working woman, teach
ers and children in our schools, artists and
amateurs-all have given freely. The old
grandmother, with falling eyes, has sat up on
long winter evenings busily knitting for the
poor soldier boy, and the little prattler has
gathered flower TO add to your collections
- -. -. II r.
oil have felt. All have friends who have
suffered or who may suffer, and the image of
loved ones cheers them on to labor. God has
touched every heart. He has written lesson
which the ages may read, that great wrongs
must terminate in great catastrophes; and
the people have resolved that, cost what il
may, the system which could not live within
the limits Of the constitution shall die beyond
1t! (Great applause.
remember when / was travelling on the
Pacific slope, to have Witnessed river taken
from its bed, half way up the mountain sides,
and its waters distributed all over the hill
sides and plains, and wherever the golden
sands were found, and at the side of every
rill, the miner stood aud gathered with eager
care, the precious particles. That same river
ere thus it was parted, had been formed by
hundreds of springs from the mountain tops
So 1t Is with your grand agencies. In the
great centres, you have gathered all the little
rills from the country aud from village, until
they have swelled into deep broad river.
Chicago and Baltimore, New York and
Brooklyn, ST. Louis and pittsburg, all gather
ed their tributaries and concentrated their
vast treasures. Philadelphia comes last but
not least. Here are the gathering rills from
Deleware and New Jersey, and from the
mountain heights OF Pennsylvania, pouring
their volumes into this great reservoir. Here
they shall be transformed by fairy hands
commingled and distributed, until some little
rill shall flow beside every sick and wounded
one In the camp and hospital, and returning
life, and health and love shall far outweigh all
the golden sands Of California's coast.
As we turn TO descry the signs of the times
think can see the light dawning over the
mountain tops. Our resources seem undmin
ished, while the reeources of the rebellion ar,
fast becoming exhaused. Its borders are con
tracing, its vitality Is waning, while with n
new fields OF wealth are ever opening Gu
vast territories, from Arizona TO Montana
from California to Colorado, are unyeinin,
their mines OF boundless wealth. and are wait
Ing only for the miners toll.
When this strife is over our national color
viii be green and gold, for greenbacks aud gol
will everywhere be at par tTremendou
cheering). Speculations may be rife for lii
tie while, men may trade In gold and try I
depreolsts our national currency but as Hoo
around me here am bold to aver that tho Ia
dies, always firm friends of union, will ever el
courage notes OF legal tender! (Applaus
cheers and laughter).
We have resources, too, In brave men. II
true that many Of them sleep in the DUST
Lyon and Baker, and Sedgwick and Wad