8 Silks, manufactured...................................'. .. 22,456,899 00 Soap, perfumed and otherwise........................ 102,152 00 Umbrellas, parasols and sunshades................. 40,107 00 Wood, manufactured, as furniture, etc........... 390,170 00 Wool and worsted, manufactured................... 25,244,481 00 Total...............................$74,148,736 00 We cannot surely dignify the wiping out of these figures with the name of sacrifice. It has been said that all this is but an evidence of the heartlessness of our countrywomen—a proof of their indifference to our sacred cause. This is unjust to them, and absolutely false. A few there are, frivolous women, who live but to be looked at, whose ears, like their hearts, are deaf to the cry of ow noble patriots now bleeding for their country, who would have fiddled with Nero while Rome was burning. Let us leave them to the contempt they deserve. Beyond these, the hearts of our loyal countrywomen beat as true to the great and sacred cause of Union and Liberty as do those of our soldiers now fighting and dying for it upon the battle field. We never shall know the extent of the sacrifices these women have made towards it, but we do know that they have cheerfully given up husbands, and sons, and brothers — their most precious offerings. Let these monster Fairs, lately held throughout the loyal States for the sick and wounded soldiers, tell their story; let the records of the Sanitary and Christian Commissions give their testimony; go to the Soldiers’ Aid Society of every village; go into the hospital, aye, even to the battle-field, and you will find thousands of true, earnest women working cpiietly and faithfully at their self-appointed duty, year after year, supported by a love of country which knows no sacrifice too great to make for it. Friends, we have been thoughtless, heedless, extravagant in our expenditures—because ignorant. We are so no longer. Thank God ! we have found something more we can do for our country. New York, May 30, 1864.
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