Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1864-01-15
For the Enquirer.
HELP FOR THE WOUNIED-AN I'M
PORIANT PROPOSITION

.
but there are some things eminently needed
in each separate department, Of general neces.
sites. Allow me to call the attention of be-
ncvo!ens citizens to subject Of great imror-
tance to thousands OF our patriotic braves in
that field where the heart Of true manhood
finds ample scope f3r all it's better powers:
| At the present tine there are not less than
TEN THOUSAND disabled soldiers who have lost
their limbs il this hcll-inspired war. Who
has not met in hiS 6aily walks, the Empty
Sleeve" so touchingingly sung, in lines not
init rIcr 70 tie Song Of the Shirt and has
not Observed, as he passes along, the "ddsent
boo:," yet to be sung in some thrilling mea-
sure, hy one of Gods own poets: And who
does net often wish as lie meets and passes
thesa noble sufferers, with silent homage
that he had it in his power, by some divine
I art, to touch the sawed bone and make it grow
| again. to bring bone to its fellow bone, and
ciothe them anew with sinews and flesh. and
make the 'lame man leap as an hart!" Who
| has not studied Jobs defence, when wrong
| fully arcused, and heard him say: :" was
eyes to the blind, aud feet vas 70 tho lame"
and n4C sGGrGay siS heu fox the eXquisits
l. Joy of performing such Offices for tie blind
and lame?
There ;s, however, an unproductive and ida
sen.imentalism cherished in thousands OF
bosoms and evinced III frequent moistenin :,
of the eyes, as some story of-tho sorrows Of
Siberian remoteness, Or Of centuries long laid
| to sleep, is hung over in luxurirus par
| lOrs, end for q moment the heart is wruns
| with anguish at tho thought that the sYmps-
| thizing reader Ind not lived then pnd there
70 put forth the needed hand, offer the cheering
cyrdial speak the unsttcrei word, do the
generous deed.
0, human weakness. Men sigh that they
| lived not to fight in the battles, skirmisAes
rather cali them, Of our revolutionary fathers.
! They imagine if they had enjoyed greater Op.
portunities they would have sc.ed nobler
part. How mistaken. There never was
greater age than this. Never such battles
| Tough. before Never such openings for use
| fulneas. Every m,n, woman, child my ill
some sphere. do soma needed deed, perform
some unusually worthy act; speak inspired
| words into hearts that are nigh to faintinS,
| bind up the broken spirit, cause tho dunlb u
| sing aud make the lame to walk. And, be.
nides. I will say, after having had much TO do
with the channels of benevolence for many
years, that, excepting very small!
number, never knew the people OF
large SO generously disposed and ready 10
aid the needy and destitute. and to contribute
their substance, money and personal services
for the advancement Of every ,worthy enter
prise, every just claim. THO heart Of the
Confederncy throns with divine emotion sa>
cred resolves engirdleits spirit; iuexdnguish-
able fires glow on its affairs. 1t lives; it is
an inevitable BIRTH il grows; it cannot die.
With all its faultsit is rhe most virtuous na-
tion Oh earth to-day. We covet no nations
silver, or gold. or flag, or constitution :; ships,
forts or so:t Our beautiful ensign angs it
self in the ioyousness of vital passion on the
breath Of Heaven as flag Of perpetual truce,
and, like an incarnato prayer of the deeply
wronged, watts its pure foldsin ceaselcss in
vocation to God for peace"
Not blood, nor ,minion, nor ambition, nor
other gains than God approves not the des'
sructiOn Of others, but cur own inherent right
to life, liberty and the pursuit Of happiness
Just claim 70 be what Heaven ordaius is oil
we ask Ia this great inevitabil!s7-this on
ward movement of the age-eTerywhera wQyk
calls us hundred.tongued TO toll five can
not lead armies, we may lead the blind who
lost their vision in the bloody strife. Ii we
cannot offer our limbs in the holocaust de-
maudod by the blood,thirsty spirit of our
bar5arous invaders, may we not furnish the
poor substitutes Of human contriVauce to
those who need them ? II we cannot storm
the deadly breach, may we not staunch a
gaping wound? There is no time nor place
for idiers now. 1t is the object Of this conf
munication to ASCERTAIN whether we may not
take this matter in band o. once and relieve
the needy. / said there were TEN THOUSAND
su 9erers who have 49, their limbs in battles
recently. So think intelligent observtrs.-
- 1 L. loo Iao ,pin ~
that the observer often fails to detect the loss
endured or the loss supplied. But these
limbs cost large sums of money A poor
Young soldier in this city gave his little all
several hundred dollars-tor Leg, and twas
so imperfect piece of work that it was found
upon trial to be useless-so leg and money
are both gene. Thousands have no means to
purchase with, while others canno. obtain
them for the want Of the Information necessa-
~ This subject demands the attention of
the good people of tho country at large.
propose then. that Society" Guild, or
m "Ass ,ciation," shall be organized in this
city, composed of the distinguished and tho
undistinguished, Of all the Confederate States,
with President Vice Presidents, Secreta-
ries, Treasurer and Executive Committee;
and, az 8 parent or central organization. shall
arrange for similar organizations in all the
Confederate States The association shall
raise funds, and have made or imported such
artificial limbs as may be needed by those de-
prieed Of theirs, and presented to them, not
as IN oct Of charity, but conferred as an not
of esteem and grstitude-a nations gratitude
and respect Generous men are anxious now
to make large donations to the treasury. To
name the subject is the only speech required
to secure sufficient funds.
Nor need remind you that it will require
more than million Of dollars to meet the
necessities of those whose cause plead. AT
one time thought it would be well to con-
noct the arrangement with the 'F eteran S0l-
diers' Home" enterprise: but they ase dis
tinct interests, and can be better managed
separately. The Homo" il pow 10 congo.
nial hands. With the powerful influence and
measures the Surgeon General, DR.. Moore,
will, with the honorable Secretary Of War,
bring to the establishment Of that desirable |
institution, together with the Legislative
aid it will receive in the States and the do
day, open its doors to the victims Of the bat
tie field.
But the Legacy Association can commence
at once the bestowment of its good CtIires on
its noble leg-atees, vino will not be left to
shoulder their cratch and show how fields
we're won ;" but, perchanco, on fields yet to
be won, illustrate the gallantry of the true
soldier, and the gratitude Of the true man.
We pause for q response. What say the peo.
Pile? Citizens of every Confederate State are
here. Csunot On organization be effected p
An undertaking so obviously right cannot be
postponed without positive wrong.
Respectfully yours. c. X. MARSHALL
RrcuuoSD Jan 10 1864
SIEGE OF CHARLEsToN-The Mercury" of
the llth says:
1t was exactly six months on yesterday since
the Yankees landed on Morris Island, when
the siege of Charleston may be said to have