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head, and heart, and hand, in the land, became engaged in the holy work of saving the Republic from destruction.1 The mites of widows and the abundance of the rich fell into the great treasury of Patriotism, in profusion.
A Michigan soldier put in a cent, with an expressed desire that it might “grow.”
It did so, and yielded more than twenty-four thousand dollars.2 Cornelius Vanderbilt, an humble New York boatman fifty years earlier, presented to his Government a fully equipped steam-ship-of-war, worth nearly one million dollars. To associations, and for special objects, about one hundred million dollars were contributed, of which public reports were made.
In every way, and for every object, already alluded to, in bounties for soldiers and sailors,3 and in private and isolated contributions, exclusive of heavy taxes freely paid for the support of the Government, the loyal people of the Republic gave for its ransom not less than five hundred million dollars.
Here we will close our Chronicle of the Civil War, waged on the battlefield.
It was a war begun by an oligarchy of Slave-holders, against the great body of the people of the Commonwealth, for the perpetuation of the system of slave-labor, which was rapidly sapping the moral and material foundations of the Republic, and threatening its ruin.
It was a war waged by a narrow Oligarchy, striving for power by the reduction of the Union, in theory and practice, to the perilous condition of a league of petty sovereignties, against an enlightened Democracy, determined to maintain in its dignity,
1 For a detailed account of the labors and munificence of the loyal people the reader is referred to a superb illustrated volume, entitled, The Tribute Book: a Record of the Munificence, Self-sacrifice, and Patriotism of the American People during the War for the Union. By Frank B. Goodrich.
2 Goodrich relates (Tribute Book, page 374) that some Sabbath-School children in Kalamazoo, Michigan, were in the habit of meeting in their chapel, called “The Bird's nest,” on Sunday. In February, 1864, they were visited by a soldier from a camp near by, who listened to an address to the children, and when a collection-plate was passed round, he put in one cent, saying, “Here is a penny I found in the bottom of my pocket, and it won't grow there; now, I want to deposit it with ‘The Bird's Nest,’ and see if it will grow there.” The teacher held up the penny, and repeating the soldier's words, said, “Now, we will see if we can put this into a soil where it can take root and grow.” The mother of one of the children gave ten cents. This was the first subscription to the stock of “The Bird's nest bank,” which was organized, the shares being ten cents each, and it was resolved that eight-tenths of all subscriptions should be appropriated to the relief of the Freedmen, and two-tenths for the benefit of “The Bird's nest.” The children devoted their leisure to selling shares. Very soon there were subscriptions from every State in the Union, but two; also in Canada, England, Scotland, and Germany. In one year from its foundation, the bank had sold 2,400 shares. The founder had then been in the grave several months. Such was the growth of that little seed, in the rich soil of American hearts.
3 All but a very small portion of the Union soldiers and sailors were volunteers, and very few of them were mustered out of the service without having received a bounty from the General Government, the State Governments, or from counties, towns, and cities, varying in amount, from $100 to $1,200, each. A large number of the families of those volunteers and others, were supported, in a great degree, by contributions; and it has been estimated that in the payment of these bounties, and subsistence, there were disbursed about $300,000,000. This amount must be reckoned among the free — will offerings of the people, for it was as much such, in voting to tax themselves for the purpose, as in making direct gifts of money and supplies
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