The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1865-02-04

IKE SANITARY COMMISSION IN THE AR.
NY.-Having spent last summer in It's SER
call attention to facts which came under
his immediate notice. Being desirous Of
ascertaining the true state of feeling in the
army itself, he frequently putthc following
questions to officers and men, in hospitals
and in the ranks, and often on occasions
when his own connection with it was UNI
known. Eve at the North. sometimes
hear that the sanitary commission ia badly
managed. What do you think of it ?"-
The answers were various, and not aways
encouraging 10 one who had hoped inva-
riably to find w9rm and grateful conf
dence but the discrepancies were 80 we'll
harmonized by the answer Of an impartial
witness-a Corporal, who was on his way
home at the close of his term Of service
that it will be givei. as fan as possible in
his own words: awhile soldier is able
70 keep his place in the ranks, Government
takes care OF him. or he can take care of
himself, and any little help which the COM
mission can give in the way of extra com.
fort Is welcome. but makes very little diff
ference to him. As soon, however. az he Is
disabled, and separated from his command,
he is thrown upon the sanitary commits
eion. He owes to it almost every comfort
which he enjoys, and without il his chan
ces for life are small indeed. But as the
supplies are generally furnished to the men
through the surgeons, or their own officers,
they often fail TO give the commission credit
altogether. when they soon ind the differ.
ence. The general impression among those
who do not inquire into 1t 10 that the com.
mission might do more for them than It
doeo but there 10 scarcely one who, when
he goes out to light, does not feel stronger
at the thought Of It. As = rule, We think
that there IL nothing which could supply
its place 70 us, and feel that relaxing Of ei-
fort in ito supporton the partof our friends
At home will show that their interest in %
il falling"
The force ofthis testimony, coming from
one Of those thoughtful, earnest men who
are the peculiar glory Of our volunteer
army, cannot be fully felt without tho in-
tereeting details with which IL was advan.
ced and supported. To the writer, con-
6rmed az it was by his own experience,
Il brought full conviction and new heart
for his work !; and when, with regret, he
left it, It was with the discrimination Of los
ing no opportunity of serving it still. Let
him then call attention to the second ques-
ton, a. the keynote of his appeal.
I'm your opinion, how do the abuses in
the commission work compare with those
in the different departments Of army sup
plies, such - the quartermaster's or the
commiesariat
To this there was but one answer, that
there was nothing like the loss in the COM
mission which was to be found in any Of
the departments named. Now II We do not
hesitate 20 sustain the Government in MAIN
tanning our armies in he field, in spite of
the corruption which We know to exist in
every department which il needed to con.
tribute TO their efficiency, shall we not con-
tinue 70 sustain that auxiliary arm Of the
service, whose object is to save the help
less, and whose thorough organization and
fiexibility OF management enable it, ut least
in the judgment OF those whom it serves,
70 do work which nothing else can or
will dor There are many distrustfnl and
fainthearted, who are beginning to regret
the generous confidence which has hitherto
strengthened the hands of the commission;
and who are now willing to see it fall, in
the hope Of finding some more worthy aim.
oners Of their bounty. Will they not in-
qnire more closely into its claims and ne
cessities. and show, by renewed confidence
in it, that our sympathy with our soldiers
in the has not abated, in the midst Of our
own Christmas joy!-Corres. N. Y. Evcn-
ing Post.