S A \ IT ART COMMISSIONS. 



meiliator between the contending parties, and 

 submitted to the approbation of the Domini- 

 cans certain propositions which, if accepted by 

 them, he would present to the Spanish chief. 

 These propositions were modified several times, 

 and at last the Dominican Government decided 

 upon two single articles, which, if Geffrard had 

 no objection, could at once be presented to the 

 Spanish commander. 1st. A general exchange 

 of prisoners of war and State, including those 

 incarcerated before the revolution by the Span- 

 iards, on account of their politics, without re- 

 gard to the numbers on either side. 2d. A 

 commission, of two or more individuals, ap- 

 pointed by the two contending parties, would 

 be sent to Madrid to present to the Queen a 

 representation asking the peace, liberty, and 

 Independence of the republic. 



In the meanwhile there had been a change of 

 Cabinet in Spain, and the new Ministry of Xar- 

 vaez, seeing the impossibility of continuing any 

 longer the war against San Domingo, proposed 

 to the Cortes a bill repealing the act of 1861, 

 by which that country was annexed to Spain. 

 After a protracted and animated debate the bill 

 was passed and the independence of San 

 Domingo restored. (See SPAIX.) 



BANTTABY COMMISSIONS. I. THE UXIT- 

 ED STATES SA:N~ITAEY COMMISSION. The procla- 

 mation of the President of the United States 

 on the 15th of April, 1861, announcing the 

 beginning of a civil war, and calling for 75,000 

 volunteer soldiers, not only brought to light 

 the patriotic feeling of the masses of Ameri- 

 can citizens, who hastened to enrol themselves 

 among the volunteer defenders of the country, 

 but evoked a deep feeling of sympathy, and a 

 desire to aid in the good work on the part of 

 those who from age, profession, or sex, were 

 debarred the privilege of giving their personal 

 service in the field. Soldiers' aid societies, to 

 furnish lint, bandages, hospital clothing, and 

 delicacies, as well as nurses for the sick and 

 wounded, sprung up on every hand ; their zeal 

 was often mingled with inexperience and igno- 

 rance, and the Medical Bureau of the "War De- 

 partment, nearly as ignorant as they of the im- 

 mense duties and responsibilities which would 

 soon overwhelm it, turned a cold shoulder to 

 their offers of aid ; but the motives which 

 prompted them in their benevolent offers were 

 worthy of all praise. Among these aid socie- 

 ties, many of them organized within two or 

 three weeks after the President's proclamation, 

 was one, "The Woman's Central Association 

 of Relief," in New York, which had among its 

 officers some gentlemen of large experience in 

 sanitary science, and of considerable knowledge 

 of military hygiene. These sought to give to 

 its labors a practical character from the begin- 

 ning, and they urged upon the association tho 

 importance of ascertaining at once what the 

 Government would and could do, and then 

 making arrangements to cooperate with it and 

 supplement its deficiencies. Prominent among 

 these gentlemen was Rev. Henry "W. Bellows, 



D.D., who had previou.-ly won a high reputa- 

 tion by his efforts for improving the sanitary 

 condition of our large cities. 



Other organizations of gentlemen were at- 

 tempting by different, yet in the main similar 

 measures, to render assistance to the G 

 ment. Among these were the " Advisory Com- 

 mittee of the Board of Physicians and Surgeons 

 of the Hospitals of New Y'ork," and "The 

 York Medical Association for furnishing Hospi- 

 tal Supplies in aid of the Army," both new asso- 

 ciations, called into existence by the exigencies 

 of the war. Fraternizing with each other, as 

 they well might, since they all looked to the 

 accomplishment of the same end, these associa- 

 tions resolved to send a joint delegation to 

 Washington to confer with the Government, 

 and ascertain by what means they might best 

 cooperate with it for the benefit of the soldiers 

 of the nation. 



The idea of organizing a Commission which 

 should unite and energize all these as yet iso- 

 lated societies, and apply their contributions to 

 the best advantage in aid of the Medical Bureau 

 and the sick and wounded soldiers, seems to 

 have been suggested to the delegation at the 

 very outset of their mission. 



On the 18th of May, 1861, Messrs. Henry W. 

 Bellows, D.D., W. H. Van Buren, M.D., Elisha 

 Harris, M.D., and Jacob Harsen, M.D., repre- 

 sentatives of these three associations, drew up 

 and forwarded to the Secretary of War a com- 

 munication setting forth the propriety of creat- 

 ing an organization which should unite the 

 duties and labors of the three associations, and 

 cooperate with the Medical Bureau of the War 

 Department to such an extent that each might 

 aid the other in securing the welfare of the 

 army. For this purpose they asked that a 

 mixed Commission of civilians, military officers, 

 and medical men, might be appointed by the 

 Government, charged with the duty of method- 

 izing and reducing to practical service the 

 already active but undirected benevolence of 

 the people toward the army, who should con- 

 sider the general subject of the prevention of 

 sickness and suffering among the troops, and 

 suggest the wisest method which the people 

 at large could use to manifest their good-will 

 toward the comfort, security, and health of the 

 army. They referred to the Commissions which 

 followed the Crimean and Indian wars, and 

 brought to light the vast amount of suffering 

 which had been needlessly endured there, and 

 begged that, in this case, the organization might 

 precede the war, and prevent so far as possible 

 the suffering which would otherwise ensue. 

 They suggested, also, the appointment of cooks 

 and nurses for the army, and stated that the 

 " Woman's Central Association of Relief" stood 

 ready to undertake the training of both in 

 their duties. 



On the 22d of May, R. C. Woo.l. M.D., then 



Acting Surgeon-General, now in charge of the 



rn Medical Department, followed this 



communication by a letter addressed to the 



