The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-04-12
Clti0's Calamity.

An APPEAL FROM PROMI>FNt WASHINGTON Ia
DIES IL BEHALF OF HE STRICKEN PEOPLE.
WASHINGTON, April ll.-MrS. Blaine, Mrs.
S1crmgn, and a number OF other lldiCs
prominent in Washington society and well
known throughout the country, m1de the
following appeal to the people of the United
States in behalf II the sufferers from the
recent disastrous earthquake in Chic:
Washington. Ami II, 1SSl.-To the PEG.
pie of the UHued StqteS: The calamity OF
Chic touches the whole world. y disaster
which 10 human foresight could perceive
or prevent has laid Wa>le tie beautiful
island whose SONGS have been among the
world. most treasured possessions for five
and twenty centuries. \ single Sunday
afternoon destroyed The fruit OF sixty wears
of industry and turned pcaceful and plea.
SAINT city into a scene Of de>olltiOn and hor-
ror without one moments warning. By
the unparalleled and Irresistible forces Of
Nature seven thousand human beings were
crushed beneath their own happy homes :
ten thousand more have been eXtricltrd
wounded and diving. and forty thousand are
left wandering without roof or food or plan
for the future. Stricken by an unseen
hand, famished, appalled,, despalring,
the situation admits OF no delay. The SUI
fering is present aud pressing. No cOmmu-
nity could recover from so mysterious and
terrible blow except through the. slow
lapse OF time. Foreign Powers baye rushed
10 Chic with instant aid, but the shocked
and SOrrOwiul people must be nurtured
through many long day back to comfort
and confidence, to hope, home, and joys, TO
strength and self-dependence. In this sud-
den and overwhelming disaster the accre-
dited repre> entalives of the desolated pro-
vince have appealed - Us 10 implore the
generous assistance Of the American people.
We do not appeal to the American people.
They need no appeal in this sweet charity.
The New World insists upon IFS right to
stand and share with the Old. But gathered
in the national capital from all sections OF this
great land, feeling profoundly that the
kings business rcqureth haste, and conf
dent that in thus complying with the re-
quest Of our friends and neighbOrs from
over the sea we rightly interpret the eager
ness Of every American 10 minister not only
sympathy but promp; succor, we venture
earnestly to beg the pastors OF all churches
Catholic, Protestant, and Hebrcw-tO
take no collections IN their several
congregations at the earliest practicable
moment: and we pray the presidents OF
moneyed institutions to circulate su6scrip-
tIOn-paperS, that the rich may have imme-
date opportunity TO give OF their wealth
and the poor OF their poverty through the
channels that shall soonest XeIch the faint
ing sufferers whom nature could spare and
whom humanity must rescue.
The we'll known banking house OF Riggs
X Co.. OF Washington, has kindly con-
scented TO receive all moneys collected
for the purpose. and for convenience and
dispatch the several sums received will
be acknowledged IN tie daily papers
OF Washington. We ask from editors OF
newspapers tie favor OF giving this letter a
prominent place in their columns.
(>igned] Harriet :. Blaine, OF Maine :;
Ellen Ewing sherman, OF Ohio; Al
lie Key Pendleton, Of Ohio; Mary c.
Miller. Of California; Anna l.. Morton,
Of New York; Mary Montgomery Gibson,
of Louisiana: Lydia McLane Johnston. OF
Virginia. Mary ;. Logan, OF Illinois; Nal
vina f. Harlan, OF Kentucky.