acle to feed this multitude? I can not ask you, "Is it safe to
leave them in the hands of the Government or the city?" I have for six
years _plead_, as for the life of them, with both. None but God knows
how earnestly I have laid their claims before officials in the highest
departments. By the _greatest_ efforts, and with the sympathy of a
small number of friends, who in Congress see with us, and have from
the beginning, that the repudiation of this claim _must_ call down
upon the Nation the just judgments of heaven, we have secured the
special appropriations up to this time.

The history of the past warns us that unless the people, their
constituents at home, recognize this duty, and work with us more
earnestly by organized effort, and generous heartfelt contributions,
the Government will ignore their claim altogether. Indeed I trembled
at the prospect of this immediate result. Excepting the few noble men
and women whose sympathy and aid I would have, and ever pronounce
unparalleled in the history of benevolent work--_but for these_,
Congress might well say, "The people do not demand it. They _do
nothing_, why should we?" If you say, "Provision must be made for
them, they must not be left to starve and die, like Andersonville
prisoners," then let us agree upon the best measures to relieve them,
and put an end to the system of slow starvation under which so many
have this winter suffered and died.

We need and _must_ have a hospital-home building to gather in the
scattered, helpless ones, who now live alone, and in distant
localities. With such an institution we could with far greater economy
than ever before, provide for them all. But I have trespassed too long
upon your patience. I thank you and all the friends in Philadelphia
for timely aid during the past winter, and trust you will lay this
before your yearly meeting soon to convene, as an appeal for help in
the future. Hoping to hear what you think is our duty in this
emergency,

Faithfully and lovingly, JOSEPHINE S. GRIFFING.

ROADSIDE, NEAR PHILADA. 5mo. 1st. '70.

MY DEAR JOSEPHINE:--Thy several sheets were duly received and read
with heartfelt and thrilling attention. It may seem neglectful that no
acknowledgment has been made before.

I have waited hoping to have more than a _mere_ acknowledgment. I took
the letter to our meeting, and added somewhat to the appeal made the
week before, by our earne