--We rejoice to hear that
Vice President Stephens devotes a great part of his time in personal visits to the hospitals, and to the rebel and consolation of the sick soldiers.
The proudest intellectual effort of his life never reflected on him so much honor as this noble and much needed humanity.
It reflects credit a lot upon the wisdom and upon the bebehavoirs of the man. There is no military position of the
Government which is more important to the of its cause than the hospital, for any army may be strengthened by an efficient medical administration as greatly as by a victory and demoralized as completely by an in medical administration as by a defeat N it from the favor and friendship of officers of any class, or of all classes put together, that a Government derives its strength.
As well might it be imagined that the giant oak trees upon the leaves which adorn its twigs or the parasite which often embraces it to its destruction.
Its foundations must be embedded in the popular heart, in the affections, conti and respect of the masses, or it will structure built upon the sand, which the first tempest will level with the dust.
We therefore, to see so eminent a public as
Mr. Stephens manifesting his interest in behalf of the sick and wounded soldiers of the army, those gallant representatives of the great southern people.
Nor is it beneath the dignity of his high office thus to devote himself to a so unostentatious and unpretending to the great men cannot afford to be otherwise "haughty to the humble, and we have come up start officials who treat the privates in the army as if they were beings of an inferior races.
The sovereigns and princes of
Europe have not an example of personal attention in pestilence, even to the humblest of then subjects, which has given more strength to their, thrones than the standing by which they are surrounded.
In the promptings of his sympathizing
Mr. Stephens has pursued a course which will add still greater popularity to the now Government, and so temper the martially of its rising stars as to illustrate the be and the chivalry of the
Southern character.
We do not know
Mr. Stephens personally if this article should chance to meet his eye we would most earnestly invoke his at by alleged.
abuses and neglect in the gement of some of the hospitals, and the treatment of the sick, to which we have often . We say
alleged abuses,--for we knew nothing of them personally, nor do we suppose that they are general,--Heaven forbid if that were true, we ought to send over to and obtain some suggestions and humanity.
But we have heard so often from gentlemen of the highest character of the sufferings and neglect of sick that, we cannot believe it possible there is no foundation for these complaints.
We understand that a soldier, no matter how sick or cannot obtain this discharge except by walk to the office of the prepare medical persons, a matter though it be miles distant, and that the repeatedly occurs.
A gentleman of high classmen in this city, who is connected with the voluntary service of one of the hospitals, that on a late occasion, he endeavored to obtain admission to one of our hospital at twelve o'clock at night, and that his knockings produced to response from
Washington any signs of life except delirious sick men praying that death might their sufferings.
We hear of occasions neglect of duty and even harsh treatment of the part of stewards, attendants, and which demands the attention of
Mr. Stephens cannot do a to his country and to humanity than by personally ascertaining, by such and as his own discretion will suggest, these reports are well founded, and culpable parties, so that abuses remedied, that the miserable may be the innocent exculpated, and the out and held up to the intensest wrath, scorn, and execration.
