New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-07-07
Inauguration Of Soldiers Home n
Darien, Conn.
From Our Special Reporter.

Nowhere has the Fourth of July been more
worthiy celebrated than at the little town Of Darien
Connecticut where was made the occasion OF dedica
ing building to be used as a home for the wounded and
disabled soldiers Of the XIIth Senatorial District
Connecticut The building and land surrounding it. to
the extent Of five acres are the gift OF Benz Fitch esq
who in edition 70 the purchase OF the land and build
Inc last week handed 10 the Trustees appointed
by the Legislature check for g 900 the nucleus Of
proposed fund Of $4,000 for the endowment OF the
charity.
\ large eoncourse Of people to the number OF about
200 gathered at the Home 70 witness the ceremonies,
aud procession OF the principal inhabitants assembled
az the house ~ Benjamin Fitch, esq and headed by
the baud and Company Of the Greenwich Light
Guards proceeded 10 the ground, where platform
was erected for the speakers T. Button, esd one Of
the Board Of Trustees voted 10 the chair and after
stating the object Of the meeting called upon the Rev
j. w Coleman OF Dsrien TO open the proceedings with
prayer. After the prayer, the President introduced
The Rev. An Gilbert who after an alusion to the day
on which the meeting held, and eloquent de-
scrpon Of the circumstances under which the country
placed and which rendered necessary the erection
" Soldiers Home, and OF the horrors OF war and Its
essential wckedness said the government Of this eOus
try was the result Of forty centuries " experiment and
failure; vet insurrecon was raised against II for no
other than that the result: Of its elections were
deemed 20 hold out the prospect Of possible and hypO
thctical injury 10 the defeated section.
The people of the loyal States either from religious
Humanitarian, or political point Of view, could have
efforts 70 crush the Rebellion Further there could be
doubt Of the line OF duty when recouected that
not only did the Rebellion seek TO dsintegrae the ma
ton but also to perpetuato the oppression and degra
dation Of portion OF the human race while the dss0
luton OF the Union would have been the unceasing
casion VI intestine which muet end by deyourns
each section Of the divided nation.
If any man. therefore. hated war. all his indignation
should turn against the Rebels who had made all this
bloodshed necessary The army sent by the Govern
ment was no invading army than police force
quelling a riot. The question Ought this War 10 be
continued y must be answered by the question "Is 1t
rightp And II so. and be had shown twas II must
be continued till the right was Triumphant Hundreds
Of thousands would give their lives II necessary
TO suppress the Rebellion and the nation was never
more fixed in its determination to make no terms with
traitors than now.
courage and devotion OF the officers and soldiers OF the
army and concluded an eloquent and iorclDle descrlp
ton Of the benefits which would now " the army and
the people from such deeds Of beneyccnce and justice
10 the wounded and disabled soldiers were proposed
by the building naugurated that day After atouching
appeal to the audience and public for assistance and
contributions 10 the endowment fund, the speaker con-
cluded amid loud cheers. -.
Blue BY the band the President introduce TO he as
semby Mr. Horace Greeley, who was received with
loud cheers. He said: feel compelled 10 carry VOC
back rather from the stirring events and momentous Is
Of to-day to the days Of our fathers-to the origin
and progress Of American Independence. and SHAH
run parallels between those great events and those
now passing that may perhaps enighten and
YOU for the duties of the present hour Let me recall
then, that the American Revolution was very dellD-
crate process Eleven years passed between the first
collision of royal authority and colonial right eleven
years Of agitation petition and remonstranee before IL
was carried TO the arbitrament OF force.
Our fathers dreaded war and eschewed II 80 long az
possible and believed every thing preferable to war ex
cept the surrender Of liberty They patiently bore the
ROYAL authority until il transformed into tyranny
and whoa war then this fact was clear, that the
whole intelligent body Of the people were united IN the
struggle for liberty. l remember that IN the little
township where went to school! OF perhaps sixty OF
seventy settlers there was not one single man VINO Was
not for the Revolution. Never was case 50 well con
slered But again, our fathers, IN commencing the
struggle for their rights dug down 10 the eVerast
ing foundations which nnderle all human rights every
where They did not ASA for themselves anything
which they did not ooncede the right Of oil men and
struggled for individual or local rights, but for
The rights Of men in all time. IL was no attn OF July
defamation when they said We hold these truths self
evident that all men are created equal in their rights
before the lawto their liberty, to their earnings Ia
their rights 20 the society and lore OF hsir own wives
and children and AZ intelligent creatures accountable
T. the one God Who has made Of one blood al nations
OF the earth Consequently the liberal and liberty low
ing all over the world the lovers II our revolution
Now then in day there comes by nat clntns 10 be
parsle 10 cur reyouonthere cones tie insurrection
Of the Southern Statee-and they say we are making
revolution your and our fathers dId say TO them
Do you base IT, did your fathers on the equal unyer
sal and inaienabe rights Of men eyeryvhere and they
answer not word. Does your cause receive the sym.
pathy Of men Ike Garibaldi aud Victor Hugo and
You and no man answers word
II il an aristocranc revolt and founded treason 10
the rights Of men everywhere. ana consequently hs
leaders scof at the name liberty and equality, and
have substituted for them subOrdnatlon and govern
ment. Consequently there ia not a Tory anywhere,
or an arstocratic periodical IN Europe that not the
cham pOn Of the Southern revolt and who does
not LOOK with IOv on the overthrow Of the American
Republic They believe that this Rebellion and the CO.
ordinate Mexican Empire designed soon 10 De the
strongest powers this continent and that the Union
broken first By the Of the Southern States viii
be broken again by the Secession Of the West and that
the wars between the sections viii ultimately issue In
Napoleonic despotsm. trust they are doomed to dis
appointment.
struggle Las not been without substantial fruits This
dgy the flag Of our country hsf the states
which are claimed 10 belong To the Rebellion over the
large majority Of the cities that are claimed 70 belong 70
the Southern Confederation. believe there Is not
single State wherein the flag OF the Union does rot noat
triumphanty today Our armies front the Rebellion,
and are advancing They resisted and obstruced,
and delayed only By earthworks and redouIts and
lines Of nTenehmens and not BY the powers OF nature
rather than by the powers Of man They dare not con
front u in the opel field but hope 20 wear out the pa
thence and sufferance Of the loyal states.
This is rot an ordinary contest IL IL one with an
srstOcracy welding the power OF ten millions Of peo
pie covering more than million Of square miles,
and commanding the sympethes Of very large classes
In the old world AID considerable numbers al home.
When such arstocracy resolves on war 70 ne death
il cannot bat be hard struggle did not believe one
hundred thousand could be found in this country
deliberately 10 fire on the old flag. and think this was
the very general belief Of the people Of the loyal States
Of the inpossbiiy OF this tremendous contest. Men
said see what terrible debt you are runn.n" up
vel what then Terrible ar war Is, var is not ser
nal
Peace must come viii come 10 this besutf.i un'ry
Of ours and We shall come together next year, l4st