The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-03-10
Teatirnoniaia.

Christian Commission tair at San r ..sss'ar,
co lately voted agoldpen, made ~ a is monds
az goose quill, and furnished win oiA'''o4s'
to President LiRcoln.
If the above be true, the manasins coulnl'
tee Of that fair have every reason to be asnan-
I'd of .na;r ao,,on President Lincoln wants
no such testimonial. His manly simpn0.ss
and re,ubIican planness of habits anu lua
rars render him as completely inuineien' ~
.rcb fripperies as a man well can De- anu he
49, far too much common sense not 10 per-
live the extreme improperly OF such mis-
snnropriation of money which was contribu-
ted for yery different purposes. The Chris
tian Commission and kindred organizations
receive large sums of money most freely and
generously given, but they and all connected
with them should remember that these funds
are committed to them in trust. to be expend-
ed purely for those charitable and benevolent
purposes to. which they profess to devote
them. To divert any portion of such funds
from their legitimate object, and employ them
for the qualification OF private feeling, no
matter how honorable or natural that feeling
m Nv be. is to be uniaithfui to the trust eonAded
to them.
Aud while we ara on this subject we canncct
| refrain from saying few words in relation to
testimonials in general. They have become
50 common among us that they have almost
ceased to have any value. They are of all
kinds and descriptions, from service OF plate
to an ink-horn, from a jewelled sword to a
walking-stick, from yacht or dwelling
house to tobacco-box or an album; but the
idea is the same in all cases. They are a sort
OF doucear, an extra fee for faithful service
which has come to be expected as o matter of
course. - =
Now we lave nothing to say against the
principle involved in this practice. Ii people,
givers and receivers, like this sort of thing,
there is no reason why they should not indulge
i the fancy under ordinary circumstances. But
Just now, when there is SO much suffering 10
be relieved, SO many heavy expenses to be met
1 aud SO much debt to be paid, would 1t not be
as well to practice little ecocomy in tho ma
ture and quality of these giftsp A testimoni
al which is to express a sense of the gallant
| or faithful conduct of some public servant
should not be withheld; but it can be made
quite as honorable and worthy of acceptance
| without absorbing money enough to provide a
years support for the families of half dezen
disabled soldiers. Once upon a time, when
war suddenly broke out between Germany
aud France, the treasury OF the former coun-
| try was SO nearly empty that the government
had not the means to meet the expenses OF the
war. An appeal was made to the people, and
they came up, mobiles and citizens and peas
ants, bringing to the mint all the gold and sil-
yer they possessed. The great unlocked their
stores of cosby plate, the humble gave the lit
tls trinkets and ornaments which were their
most cherished treasures, and ladies brought
their jewels, all moved by one impulse of pa
triotic devotion to the Fatherlsnd. The treas
ury was replenished, and those who had con-
tributed to the work received from the gov
eminent rings and bracelets of iron, stamped
with the national arms, and bearing the in
scrlption, II exchanged gold for iron." Their
! descendants at this day cherish these simple
j pledges of nations gratitude as the richest
of their heirlooms, and exhibit them with a
pride which the costliest jewels could never
]. awaken. We recall the story for the benefit
of "whom il may concern" rg