Baltimore daily commercial. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1865-1867, 1865-10-11
TUOmmunlcatl
American EmiO., Ganlmn isSiOn.

feflnlJ KIND reader, 10 call your most serious
attention to the work of the great national charity,
that is sought to be promoted by this Commission.
What is done by this Commission in behalf of refu
gees and others who have been rendered destitute by
the war, Is gratuItous-thesc persons being unable
either to buy insure payment for what they receive
1t IS national organzation 1t has the approval of
the Government. Like the Christian and Sanitary
Commissions, it has been called into being by the
emergencies OF war.
Members of this Commission from Baltimore have
visited various desoatcd portions OF the South, and
from persondl observation they assure us that the
condition of things is well calculated to call forth
d"erCs, commiseration. Ii demands iberality com
menscrate with our ability. " ar also in the daily
receipt of letters from ministers of various dCnOmina
tions and others in the South which excite the most
fearful apprchensions nf distress during the coming
winter, unless timely efforts are made to avert such
The Richmond Republic, loyal and trustworthy
paper says The poverty and sqticrings Of the peo-
pie III Virginia. great enough already to melt the
stemcst nature bid fair to assume proportions Of hor
T2r N the approaching winter which 1t curdles the
tie means Of snbsisiercc i, high: The wheat cro6
throughout the South Is comparatively failure, ana
Though the corn crop Is unusually fine for the area
cultivated yet the area owing to the distractions
planting from various causes is exceedingly limited
1t makes the heart bleed to think ofthe sutferings
which if some efficient measures are not adopted for
relief MAY he the terrible lot of thousands Of our
people when the rigors of winter shall aggravate the
horrors of the present destitution.
A letter from Rev. c. A. Raymond Judge of the
United States Military Court of the District of the
Peninsula Of rgna, to g. 5. Griffith, Esq, President
of MARYLAND tnicn Commission, says Perhaps in
no part OF the South, has there been more general
depriyations, and consequently there are now hut
few portions of the whole country whose future is
gloomy than the counties above us. This is NOT
because this has been u Su, ccSSiOn of battle-cldS
merely but from the fact that at the beginning Of the
war, under the influence of simple panic, nearly the
whole peninsula vas abandoned. Old men, widows,
and yOung-all fed from the imaginary cruelty of
their enemies After an absence of four years, years
of unparalleled want and suffering, the survivors
have returned to find their houses occupied by others,
Their stock consumed their personal effects and I'M
plementS of husbandry destroyed, " Many
are widows, many orphans, and the winter with its
seventies i'll prospect. threatens accumulated misery
They need everything especially bedding clothing,
wheat for seed, and implements. -
Persons and families in great distress are daily
making application at the office Of the Commission,
in person for relief During the last month fifty
four refugees and nine families were assisted at the
office, evidence being given that they were in state
Of destitution and distress. Thirteen hundred and
forty different articles mostly wearing apparel, have
been sent to different places in the South for gratui-
tous distribution through our committees. Eleven
hundred and fifty two dollars and siXtylve cents have
been expended for grain. clothing, medicine and re
tugeeS and such families aS have been reduced to
poverty by the war. Eighteen hundred books have
been sent to various places in the South for gratul-
tous distribution. OF these, three hundred were
Bibles, and six hundred and eghty-three were TeSta
ments and the rest OF moral and religious charac-
Tie present demands upon Us are greater than our
means to supply. The demands multiply as We ap-
prOach the winter.
The dwellings of thousands of helpless widows and
orphans from West Virginia, East Tennessee. and Of
other Southern States, whose loyal husbands and
fathers fell in battle for their country, and whose
blood minglcs with the blood of their comrades on
every battle field, have been burned and they are
now homeless and pennies in the land of their
fathers They ask protection from the pcting storms
of winter, and the of subsistence. at the hands
OF heircountymcn Must these widows pine in hope
less want and misery, and no generous hand stretch
forth to relieve their necessities? Must these inno-
cent and helpless orphans cry for bread and no one
heed the cry? Must they beg for clothing to cover
their naketness and NJ one respond to the request
May heaven pity The widow and atherlcsS, who are
in state of utter dcstituon, weeping by the graye-
OF their heroic dead with no local aid societies in the
community where they reside to relieve their wants
and with haggard poverty and torturing famine on
their track!
Reader, will you seriously consider this appeal and
listen to this call for hCp2 Will you contribute some
thing tonSSuage the widow grcta dry the orphan
tear? VIII You not see what can be done by an
auxiliary Commission in your place, OF by private OF
public contributions?
We call upon the patriot, by his desire of a united
country: the philanhr0pst. by has desire to alley iatt
human sutering the Christian. by his faith IN God
Word and his love for the souls and bodies ot mcn
and all by the memory of the heroic dead, and as
testimony of gratitude God for giving peace and
union, To come to the The effort Wear putt2
forth if il meets n generous response, will not only
relieve great suffering but contribute much to rebnd
the whole country together in the iraternal bonds o
| n common national brotherhood. Let the merchant
contribute goods; the manufacturer implements; the
| farmer grain; the publisher, books; ana all VIVA
they can, and the blessing of those ready to perish
will rest upon the benetactOrS. He that hath pity
upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord and that whct
he hath given will lie pay him again; The ll5era
deviseth liberal things ana by liberal things snail NJ
stand
Whatever is sent will be thankfully received by tbs
Commission and judici0uSly and grautOusly applied
Food clothing of every kind, bedding, grain and ag
ricultural implements, may be sent to q. s. Griffith
Esq, 81 West Baltimore street. and money to j. n
| Brown corner Calvert and Baltimore streets.
Maryland Branch Office:
Nos SO and 81 Hest Baltimore Street.
0FFICERS:
6. s. GRIFFIrH, President;
| Rev. G. Dickson, ID. D., wee Frestdcm-
| ). c. BRIDGES, 2ad
| Hon. j. NJ. FRAZIER, 3rd
| j. n. BRowN Treasurer, corner Calvert
| and Baltimore streets.
| Rev. T. ISRAEL, Corresponding Secretary.
| Rev. E. r. EsCHBAcH, Rec Secretary.
| Rev. Q. NJ Mcdowell, Financial 1gem.
| EXECUTIVE CoMMITTEE
| G. S. GRIFFITH, Chairman.
| WM. BRIDGES, j. Henry GIEsE,
| JESSE Tyson, J. n. BROWN,
| WM r. CANFIELp J. C. BRIDGES,