Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1865-06-17
.THE RECEPTION YESTERDAY
Proceedings at the State House.
SPEECHES, MUSIC, SC.

ton Oi the Isenty second, the Seventeen
Seventy fourth aud Eighty second Indiana regi-
ments took place IN the state House Yard. The
cfoEd assembled TO witness Ghe ceremonies wAs
considerably larger than a. any one Of the previ
Gus receptions. The best OF feeling prevailed
and an immense amount Of the demOnsuative
Kind of enthusiasm showed itself The music
was furnished by The City Band. which has 50 FAT
attended all the receptions and added much to
the pleasantries Of the occasions by their per
formsnces
The Chief Marshal arranged the men In proper
position about the stand. aud then requested Rev.
Mr. Allen, chaplain OF the Seventeen, TO offer up
a PRAYER. after which Governor Morton said:
Officers aud Soldiers; You left the State
several years ago under circumstances when the
nation was surrounded with great dilhcultic-
You went forth TO fight for the preservation OF
your country and maintain the honor OF its flag
Pfeyiou. TO the war you had been engaged ia the
peaceful avocatioD Of life. You knew nothing
Of the business OF war You were in toe offices,
the workshops or on the farms These things
you discarded and made your occupation
How faithfully you have performed the duty it
will De for the historian TO record. How different
is your return from that of the men you have en-
countercd They 20 without banners. and with
out triumph. and without hope: utterly and sb-
soluisly subjugated. lou return as conquerors.
You have good reason to be thankful for the
happy circumstances that have protected YOU
aud permitted you 10 return You are to-day to
be transformed into citizens again We have
been told that the soldier could not 20
through this transformation. | never have
believed this. As you have made the first sol
ders. so you will become the first citizens Of this
great republic.
War is a great evil. Nations are sometimes
forced into war 20 redress insult to ;heir flag,
and II they suffered it to go unrebuked would
give other nations pretext to insult them
Sometimes by invasion nations take up arms ia
their defense. and by instruction. Such was
the character of the from which you have
Just emerged. A rebellion, with strong hands
seized the Government by the throat, for the
purpose Of destroying aud dividing the nation
our fathers gave US. IL is true there some
who advised Us To- hold still and submit. A ma
ton that would not have gone to arms a. we did
would have been all but rotten and ready to 60
20 the cemetery of those nations which have died.
You sre the heroes who have to day come to
receive the congratulations of your country men
Never has there been war which has been
watched with such intense interest as this When
? the nations of Europe believed that the lamp OF
liberty was about 10 expire in blood and anarchy
D they lent their aid ia bringing about the end On
the other hand, the lovers OF liberty with an xiety
and hope, watched the struggle, and stretched
out their arms n succor TO US, and when they
! heard OF our deliverance, they were overoyed
! of what you have done except by the light of
, history. III you remember that when the French
D army crossed the Alps, its daring conceptions
and bold achievements, startled all Europe. But
{ that event. when compared with Sherman : march
e to the sea. dwindles into insigni6eince Ii will
e be the Christian era IL ia the great event of
j your lives. around which will cluster all the IN
p0rtaht circumstances
The place held in our hearts by the Revolu-
tonary sires will be held ia the hearts Of those
who are to come You will be regarded "a tho
: preservers of the Nation. We acknowledge tina {
the army has preserved the Nation. Ii was not
: done by compromise On behalf of the State.
: the people and myself. in the most public man
ner. wish TO return to you their sincere and
e heartfelt thanks
AS the American soldier is the highest type of
a soldier, so had IL been reserved to them 10 far
nish the greatest events ehroncled in history
But some things We understand. You have
preserved the Union and destroyed the institu
ton Of slavery. There were those who believed
that the stars on our banner were only meteOrs,
that would fade away in night: but the political
astronomer will hereafter place them in the firm
ament as fixed stars.
We to day meet under happy circumstances.
Never was nation presented with such pros
poets and hopes as We are. There are hopes OF
extension which We need not, and perhaps ought
not. 10 entertain. Secession has passed away.
The people South acknowledge themselv es
whipped. and the Governor of South Carolina
calls upon the people OF that State to submit TO
the authority OF the Federal Govern
ment Weare at peace. and we have the assur-
ance that il will be a permanent peace. IL is a
peace that has been fairly fought for and fairly
won. III it had come from compromise il would
have been no peace whatever
Mr. Lincoln declared repeatedly that we
could have no peace until the rebellion was sub
| lined h. had npaIa a
! offered compromise. would IL not have resued
, ia national dishonor and national ruinf
Soldiers you will be glad hereafter that you be
longed to this great army. IL il the great event
of lite around which will cluster all it, i'm
portsnt circumstances You will be regarded as
the preserveis OF the nation. and we acknowl-
edge it. Ii was not alone by compro mise
And now in behalf OF the State, the Government
and myself, in the most public manner, wish
to return to you the sincere and heartfelt thanks
Of all This Is all have to offer, | wish it was
more.
At the conclusion OF Governor Morton .
> speech. General Hovey was introduced. Some
where Piutsrch records it of one Lysias that he
: was called upon TO write q defense for man,
who. after reading ii the first time, was highly
delighted with it, but after going over it three OF
four times, became Disguised with the production,
and returned IL To Lysias and demanded a new
speech Lysiss asked him II, upon reading il the
first time. be was not well pleased with the de
tense, and the indi vdual confessed he
Then, said the willy Athenisn, YOU should be
satisfied, for you must remember that your au
dieuce Is TO hoar il but once. This is something
like Hoveys speech Ii did well enough the
first time, but after a few rehearsals il loses its
"pith and moment" To save time the Gerer
might have it printed - tor gratuitous circula-
tion, and the soldiers could then read il at their
, leisure, and If worthy, chew and digest it. How
ever. there Is one thing the valiant NJ jor General
excels in. and that is in his unbecoming allusions
: and smutty comparisons. They are hardly in
keeping with the character and dignity Of the
position the gentleman occupies, and are. in fac,
ou. Of place anywhere. Comrades do no,
, intend 10 make speech. or neither have We
wished to reflect write a criticism the vail
ant two starred
Brig Gen Benjamin Harrison was next intro
duced. who. at some length, recspitalated the
events OF the army, and made some eloquent re
marks. paying touching and beautiful tribute
TO The memory of the men who have fallen in
the conflict His speech was graceful and dig
nited, becoming alike 20 the soldier and gentle
man.
At the Close OF the Generals speech. Cover
nor Morton Introduced TO the men Col Merrill
/ OF the Seventieth, Col Morgan. of the Seventy
fourth. and Col. Matheny, of the Eighty second
, Who were received With cheers
Chaplain Lozer then sang two of bic songs and