Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-04-23
SOLDIERS AID SOCIETY.
s5 BANK STREET,
CLEVELAND. Ohio. April %.

from our agents in the field and also by |
individuals coming from Knoxville and |
Chattanooga. A similsr demand made st |
the same period last year, was, as is we'll |
known, responded TO by all the branches |
Of the Sanitary Commission in 8 manner |
which will never be forgotten or under.
valued by those who felt the benefits Of its
prompt assistance.
Our own effotts as a society added no
little to the generous tide, and from every
part Of our organisation assistance was
offered.
Our friends will now bear in mind that
the time when contributions Of this class
are Of such priceless value, is rapidly
passing, and no effort should be spared at
present to procure and forward liberal
supplies Of vegetables. The purchase Of
material for manufacturing hospital cloth
ing might be better dispensed with for a
brief period than the subject Of the oppor-
tunity Of expending the same amount In
supplies, which are now more imperative
ly required. Potatoes can be purchased
to much better advantage by many of our
branch societies than by us, and no outlay
would be put to go immediate service IS
ss that required for this use.
SOLDIERS HoEE.
In the press of matter consequent upon
the fair, we have omitted 10 publish our
customary reports of the Soldiers Home.
We may well congratulate ourselves on
| the results and present condition Of this
| institution, which, under sn efficient Sup
| eriutendent and Matron, seems 10 accom-
plish all that we hoped for when its plan
was FIRST contemplated.
The local position Of our establishment
has excluded it from the attention Of the
Public; that, to most Of our citizens, the
| Soldiers Home is little more than q name,
with only the associstiuns Of its printed
reports to give it substance and reality,
We feel that while in all other respects the
position Of the Home is the only one adopt
ed to its purposes, we have yet suffered
| from the want Of the personal interest
which other benevolent institutions enjoy.
The interest Of our people, We are conf
| dent, would be Wakened by closer in
spection Of the usefulness Of our institu-
/ ton, and any exerions well repaid by the
experience gained of its results.
We shall now most thankfully receive
contributions for the Home table. Our
former arrangements have not permitted
our feeding the soldiers within the build
iugs, and consequently meals were fur
nished them at the Dining Hall at our ex-
pense, but under our present management
| the inmates are provided with good food
served in comfortable manner in the Home.
| Anything therefore which can add to the
plain fare or make it more attractive viii
prove most acceptable.
Our friends in the country-msny Of
whom visited the Home at the time Of the
Fsir-could assist us wonderfully by do
nations Of country luxuries, and we assure
them they can never have better oppor-
tunity Of serving the soldiers than in this
| way. Won't the mothers Of some Of those
tired, hungry boys Whs found rest and en-
| tertainment st our Home, send il some
fresh butter, eggs or vegetables to help
along the good work and feed the next
corners.
The number Of meals furnished by the
Home during the month Of March was five
hundred and eighty. Hereafter we propose
publishing weekly statement Of the num-
Der Of men received and entertained with
their names and regiments.
WHEREIN THE SANITARY COMMISSION has
| 10 OOhPLAlG VE TIE EUhhlO-
From the Buletin.l
The amount Of support which the Com
mission has, almost from the outset, re-
ceived from the public in all the loyal
States, has, we need hardly say, been
something unprecedented. Voluntary
contributions for humane object we're
never before made on such scale, within
the same period. The great fairs, which
are taking place in various parts of the
country, are the most extraordinary, as
well as most magnificent, exhibitions Of
beneyolenoe Of which there is any record.
The quantity Of stores and the sums Of
money placed ct our disposal is immense.
They have not, go fer, enabled us to meet
all the demands upon us; but they 30 far
surpass, both in amount and in the slacrity
with which they have been bestowed, all
other contributions in the whole history Of
charity, that the nation is sstoBished st the
extent Of its own efforts for the relief Of
suffering, and the rest Of the world is be-
ginning to be sstonished also.
This being the case, what have We to
complain Oft If We have only to ask in
order to receive; if every village, town
and city responds to the least Of our calls,
what more do we want II the public is
doing more to aid us in our work than any
public ever did before, and more than we
ventured to hope for when we began it,
what do we mean By the heading Of this
sriicle2 These are questions which will
suggest themselves to most people the min
ute they glance at this page, and they are
just the questions we want to answer.
As the enterprise in which we are en-
gagged grows in magnitude, as the amount
OF stores sent to us and as the amount Of
money given us, or promised to us, in
creases, the spirit Of criticism on the part
of the public, Of course, rises higher. The
more there is entrusted 10 us, the more
| jeslously we are watched. The larger the
field Of our labors, the greater number Of
points Of attack are presented to our enc
mics and detractors. When the Sanitary
Commission is in every bOdy's mouth, and
when the population Of whole cities is
working or giving to swell its stores, the
streets and wharves encountered with its
supplies, Of course 8 greater number of
people than ever are anxious to know what
comes OF the money, and are prone to doubt
! the wisdom or economy Of those who spend
| il. And sll this is most nstursl and most
reasonable. Nobody ought ever be entrust-
ed with even one hundred dollars Of the
public funds. not to speak Of hundreds Of
thousands, without having all his opera
tions carefully scrutinized, and fully and
fesflessly criticIsed. So far from feeling
this criticism to be irksome, we covet and
encourage it. Wewsut to keep it up. We
want the public 10 know what we do, and
| a. -. - IA Tn- IA