Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1863-11-16


sisted by the strong and willing hands of
several gentlemen, four large tables were
soon groaning under this royal feast pro-
vided for the soldiers friends Roast
turkies, roast chickens, roast beef, boiled
hams, dried beef, bread, butter, cheese.
pickles, with good, hot, genuine coffee
provided by the Washington and Sher-
wood Houses, together with pies and
cakes for desert, constituted the bill Of
fare; and when the wood was principal
ly unloaded, the farmers fled into the
Court House and arrayed themselves
around the sumptuous table and ate with
a gusto and an air of cheerfulness and
satisfaction that would have broken the
heart of an illiberal and sordid dispeptic
with envy.
The provisions were abundant, all ate,
were sufficed, and several baskets full
were left.
Every countenance bore the impress
of gladness and satisfaction, and not
distorted face married the assembly-an
assembly of sovereigns, who had just
achieved, each, a splendid victory, the
accomplishment of "a noble, generous
deed When dinner was ended, Judge
Parrett was called out, and made short,
appropriate and patriotic speech, of which
the following is the substance:
Farmers Of Vander6rgh: Cheering
indeed are the circumstances under
which we meet to-day The mission up
on which you have engaged is a truly
noble one. Your, actions are not only emf
nently praiseworthy, as exhibiting them
selves upon the right side of your coun-
try and government in its present perils
and embarrassments, but even more
nOtle. as they extend themselves
in the substantial benefit to those
less fortunate of your own blood and
race.
You have shown your faith by your
works-acting the part of the good Sa-
marian. 1t is conduct on your part
which above and beyond all words fixes
upon you the character of trustworthy
and benevolent men, in every sense
equal to the times in which you live, and
of good, loyal citizens.
1t is said of an old Athenian, Diogenes,
that upon one occasion he lighted lamp
in broad day light, and went through the
streets of the city of Athens, peering in
to the faces of every one he met, and
that upon being asked the reason for his
strange conduct, he replied: ~ am
searching through Greece to find a man"
This was indeed a severe satire on the
times, but if he were here to-day be need
only raise his lamp and look into your
faces, and for a moment contemplate the
noble deed which you have this day per-
formed, and then truly exclaim that he
not only saw one man, but many of the
noble images of the Great Deity.
One word further as to the object of
this display of plain good intention and
genuine sympathy upon your part
1t is for the wives, widows and orphans
of those who, acting upon their noble
impulses of patriotism, at the call of
their Government went out to fight its
battles. For months and years many of
them have survived upon the tented
field, standing by and u pholding the old
flag of our Union Cheering and well
come to such must always be the news
that their loved ones at home are cared
for, fed, warmed and clothed. Others in
battle, and by the incidents of warfare,
have fallen, nobly contending for the
right
Sad bereaVements of this kind have
hpnu faIt nv most IF nc And xrboD Won
sHa fee that p2 ne 81 S Hs Gnu 4 6e @nen you
ow and orphan of the dead, have, by
your acts, to-day, felt CLEAN of the
sunshine of life breaking into their
hearts aud homes, you will | know, in
the generous feelings of your natures,
be more than compensated for all you
have done.
And now to all, permit me to say, we
should not be discouraged, although
fearful indeed'has been the CORY tread,
tread of the war-horse, yet, those who
first started him upon the track are be-
ginning to cover and quai at the ruins
and devastations which he is spreading
upon their own soil, and it will not be
long until they viii cry to have him
chained up
am earnestly sure that we will in ev-
cry proper and rightful manner at all
times, stand ready to strengthen the
hands OF our Government, looking for
ward to the time, when through an hon
orable peace, the unity and prosperity of
our whole country, shall fully compen-
safe for all our losses and exertions in
| putting down a wicked and causeless re-
bellion.
After the conclusion of Judge Parrett's
remarks, Capt VIM. Reavis being called
upon, addressed the crowd substantially
as follows:
FELLOW CITIzENs:-I am glad to have
witnessed the grand procession by which
the outpoming Of generous and patri-
Otic people has been made manifest
Such scene as this will touch the heart
of every lover of his country in this COM
munity. Nor will the influence of this
noble example stop here 1t will go to
the iront-to Chattanooga, to the Poto-
mac, to Vicksburg, Charleston and New
Orleans. And by this act of liberaity
here, on the part of the good citizens Of
Vanderburgh county, our brothers in
arms who stand like wall between US
and our foes, will know there will be no
suffering among the dear ones at home.
have been in front amid the roar OF
battle, and claim to know something
about the wants Of the soldier He does
not care for his own suffering What,
though Minnie ball may crush his arm
or leg, or the fragment of shell may
tear his body until his life blood is pour
ed out on the CORY field. Just let hin
know that a generous and patriotic PEG
pie at home are taking good care of hi;
wife and little ones, and all will be well
with him.
f The war in which we are now engaged
E is carried on by Union men, from prin
! ciple. 1t is a great conflict between
freedom on the one hand, and despotisu
on the other. We of the North wer
= slow to go into it. We appealed to tn
: ties of consanguinity, and to all the en-
dearing associations that bound us to
gether as a people in the past. The