Proceedings at the Second Anniversary Meeting of the Loyal Publication Society, February 11, 1865/Report of the Executive Committee
REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE
COMMITTEE.
The Executive Committee respectfully presents the following report of their proceedings during the past year.
The Committee constituted at the last Annual Meeting consisted of—
William T. Blodgett, Chairman,
|
Christian E. Detmold, |
Charles Butler, |
|
Geo. Bliss, Jr.
Two months since, Mr. Geo. Gibbs resigned as a member of this Committee, in consequence of an intended absence from the city. He has been associated with this Committee since the formation of the Society, and has been one of its most useful and active members.
The acknowledgments of the Committee are due to the President of the Society for his attendance at its meetings, and for the active assistance he has rendered the Committee in cordially seconding all its efforts.
The Presidential election occurring during the past year, the occasion has been opportune to develop the usefulness of the Society, and we have every reason to believe its publications have exercised an important influence.
Although the means placed at the disposal of the Committee have slightly exceeded those of the preceding year the increased cost of paper and printing have made its resources comparatively less; but by printing cheap editions of some of the publications best calculated for popular reading, the number distributed has exceeded by nearly one-fifth that of the preceding year. These cheap editions, distributed chiefly among the U.S. Hospitals, were, No. 46—"How the War Commenced," in English and German, and No. 49—"Patriotic Songs";" both highly popular pamphlets.
The series of publications has been less by ten than that of the preceding year, but for some of the numbers there has been a very great demand, and large quantities have been printed. Of No. 54—"Our Burden and Our Strength," a pamphlet of 40 pages, and No. 56, an abridgment of the celebrated speech of Alexander H. Stephens, of Georgia, nearly one hundred thousand copies have been printed.
The total number of documents distributed by the Society is 470,000, (being 70,000 more than the previous year,) at an expenditure, including all contingent expenses of ($11,793 23) eleven thousand seven hundred and ninety-three dollars and 23 cents.
For some weeks previous to the Presidential election, a package of documents was daily sent to the Army of the Potomac, to be distributed by a gentleman who, by permission, visited the field for this special purpose. The Committee believe they were carefully distributed and proved very useful.
All the U.S. Military Hospitals in Indiana and Ohio, and most of those in this State, Maryland, Kentucky, and in and around "Washington city, have been regularly supplied.
Numerous State committees, clubs, and associations, have availed themselves of the publications of this Society. In some cases the cost of the paper and printing has been paid, but publications have always been sent in excess of such cost.
The Proportion sent to the various States was as follows:
New York City . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
120,075 | |
State of New York . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
83,175 | |
Washington City. The Army and U.S. Hospitals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
51,700 | |
Indiana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
49,000 | |
New Jersey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
32,000 | |
Pennsylvania . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
26,300 | |
Illinois . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
19,500 | |
Ohio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
18,700 | |
Massachusetts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
10,600 | |
Delaware 10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
7,500 | |
Virginia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
6,700 | |
Connecticut . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
6,500 | |
Louisiana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
6,500 | |
Kentucky . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
5,500 | |
Maryland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
3,500 | |
Other States . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
16,000 | |
Europe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
7,000 | |
470,250 | ||
The recipients have been, through express and mail:
U.S. Hospitals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
3,032 | |
Private individuals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
2,300 | |
Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
730 | |
Clubs, Leagues, and Political Associations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
326 | |
| 6,388 | ||
The sales of the publications have increased during the past year, as will be seen by the report of the Finance Committee, showing an excess of nearly $1,200 over those of 1863.
The acknowledgments of the Society are due to Mr. John Hoey, of Adams' Express Company, whose liberality has enabled the Committee to distribute thousands of documents they could have sent through no other channel, without a large expenditure to the Society.
Complete sets of our publications were sent to eminent persons in Europe: these were cordially acknowledged in letters expressive of great sympathy for the national cause; these letters were printed, and form No. 70 of the series of publications. Five thousand copies of the pamphlet "Our Burden and our Strength" have been sent for distribution to the Union and Emancipation Societies of London and Manchester, and to the liberal clubs in Great Britain. Receipt of these has been acknowledged, with assurance that the pamphlets were carefully distributed, and had a powerful influence in correcting the prejudices existing on the great issues now distracting our country.
The members of the Committee desire to express their gratification at the great cordiality and unanimity with which the operations of the Society have been conducted, and to acknowledge their obligations to the Publication Committee, whose labors have enabled them to issue a series of publications so meritorious and creditable.
This Society was organized to counteract the baneful influences of publications which were at the time insidious and dangerous; but which might at this time be transferred to loyal pages, as specimens of delusive fallacies and sophistries, now exploded, like the associations from whence they emanated.
The Loyal Publication Society has now become a recognized element in diffusing loyal and valuable information on the great questions which agitate the country. Some characteristic extracts from letters received by it are appended to this report, and show how its efforts are appreciated. During the coming year the efforts and influences of the Society will continue to be directed to counteract all treasonable teachings calculated to weaken the loyal sentiment of the people in the support of our Government. It will be our desire to present to the public publications prepared for this Society by the leading minds of the country.
All of which is respectfully submitted.
WILLIAM T. BLODGETT,
Charles Pontez, Secre ary pro tempore.
Extracts from Letters.
From the Union State Central Committee, Indianapolis.
"The Committee is under great obligations for the kindness and assistance of your Society. Please tender the kind regards of the officers of this Committee to the officers of your Society."
From Herkimer Co., N.Y., Jan'y 25th, 1865.
"I am under great obligations to you for the publications you have sent me. I have found these tracts of great importance to me in preparing sermons, addresses, and for reading at the meeting of our Loyal Leagues.
"I know also that they have exerted a very powerful influence in our rural lodges.
"I spent some weeks last summer with our soldiers before Petersburg, and I found that your publications were gladly received by both privates and officers. Their replies were, 'Thank you, this is just what I want, where can I get them?'
"I know that the Society has done a noble work ; you doubtless hear this often, but pardon me if I add what I have seen and do know.
"Your work is not yet done, you have witnessed one triumph greater than the world has ever seen before; and to bring this about your Society has done much by furnishing information of a character so soul elevating and reliable. Much is yet to be done; when peace shall return there must be a re-establishment of the true principles of a republican government. It is my prayer, that God will still give success to your efforts."
From Evansville, Indiana.
"You have the thanks of the Loyal League for this donation. More than this, the country owes a debt of gratitude to the Loyal Publication Society, and to the gentlemen who have so efficiently superintended its management.
"The influence of their publications in this Congressional district has been very decided, tending powerfully to reduce the copperhead majority, which has always reigned supreme."