Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1865-05-31
For the Sentinel.
SO soldiers HON q. >


sssoidier,s Home"
MR EDITOR: Will YOU permit citizen OF one
Of the counties OF Indiana to enter his solemn
protest against the establishment Of q STATE
4" Soldiers Home at Indianapolis. This
- Home" IL understand the design Is to be
something like the Hospital OF the Invaldes at
Paris, intended to receive the MANNED and Grip
pied soldiers of Indiana. a. that does of France,
and support them at the expense OF the whole
State, either by voluntary contributions or a pub
lie tax. think the location at indianapolis in J.
defensible aud unjust, both to the people of In
diana and to the gallant soldiers themselves; and
for the following reasons:
|. IL would not. and could not be "a
home" for any MANNED soldier outside Of Marion
county-indeea outside of Indianapolis
especially 10 those who are blessed With a wife
and children. for take it for granted that the
getlers up OF this "home" have no idea of taking
into that building all the wives and child
rem OF the MANNED soldiers Of tho State
What sort OF home" would il be for
the crippled soldier of Wayne county, who
has a wife and children there. or for soldier
from Floyd, or Vigo. or Allen, or Dearborn,
or Lake, or Lsporie : 4 wounded and MAIN
ed soldier would not leave bis family to
accept the hospitality OF an institution
which would separate him from those he
loves. leaving them to struggle for a sub
sistence slsne and unaided True soldiers
not thus constituted. They have hearts in
their bosoms. aud affections which the loss of a
limb neither expes nor obliterates. The brave
men who never knew fear i'm battle could not be
induced to desert their dulings for such home
as that They would spurn your home tor.
as has been beautifully expressed, "'tis home
wher' er the heart is !"
= As "home" for the soldiers of Indiana, it
never can be made useful, Tor the reasons which
are set forth above To ask the msimed aud
crippled to go To Indiana olis. aud TO leave the
families which they love. would be insulting TO
their feelings as husbands, parents and brothers
Not one in a hundred would ever darken the In
dianspolis Home" They would prefer remain.
ing at their present residences in the various
counties and townships. aud take their chances
of support and success amongst their old neigh
bors and associates Let the reader put the
question to himself Would |. il wounded and
crippled. desert my family would accept a
Home" a hindred miles from that wife and
children, aud leave them TO the hardship., the
charity and the vices OF the world? Every pa
rent, husband and brother will give the answer
Ii would be an indignant negative
desire that the people OF Indiana should look
upon this question practically. No doubt the
people Of Indianapolis aud Marion county
should have a" Home " for soldiers. Ii should
be one for their ona crippled and MANNED war
riors, and they should build aud maintain il at
their own expense, as other counties and cities
will be called upon to do heartily approve of
the movement instituted at the Capital, as local
measure OF its own, aud hope every county n la.
diana will take steps To initiate Home of
similar character. liz must be done, for il is
just TO those who have deserved the gratitude OF
their country.
As AN AL honest director to this Indiana
polls Home" scheme. as State enterprise.
perhaps ought to make suggestion of the bet
ter way. This will be done in a few words:
l. would establish County HoNrs. or even
TOWNSHIP HOMES. and provide for their support
by equitable taxation, and by private donations.
| would keep their management in the hands of
the people OF the counties or townships and by
that means secure the comfort OF those soldiers
Who are their neighbors. their relations and their
friends. Either of these plans would keep the
MANNED soldier with his family. and enable him
TO watch over the little ones whom God had
placed under his care.
| would do even more than that would.
instead of building edihce to be called a
Home, secure 10 the manned and crippled
soldier a homesfead-s neat little cottage in the
village, town or city, or a forty acres 10 the
country. That would be home" indeed. and
In the long run, the cheapest for the taxpayer
or the liberal citizen In this home" he would
be surrounded by wife. children and friends"
and soon feel that he was truly one of the people
as he ~, and not pensiober upon the bounty OF
the State. / have no wish To see any American
soldier put awsy under any root not his own
and above all, subjected to the police of upstart
officials, with neither the heart nor head to ap
preciste his worth. This would be he case under
the STATE management of Soldiers Home Nv
idea IL 20 let the counties aud townships and the
people of the counties and townships, manage
this affair in their own way. and it will be bet
ter done than IL could be At Indianapolis
3 | would help the manned and helpless sol.
diers IN another way, aud this is always easy 10
do. il enough viii assist Let the people rOfe
ouf OF Office all the drones ali the agitators. all
the stay At home patriots. mischief making Cop
pethesd Republicans and Copperhesd Democrats,
and rOie IA all the one armed, one legged aud
otherwise crippled soldiers who are qualified 10
MI the various State. county aud township
offices This viii provide Tor many hundreds in
the State OF Indiana Then il Governor Nor
ton will follow suit. and hill his executive an
pointments on liberal scale from the same
class, that will greatly aid also These thing,
being accomplished. | would SUGGEST 90 Pc
dent johnson, that he send adritt all the uois,
patriots aud lazy sermn nos filing the minor
Offices in Washington. aud put in their place
those Who have need OF aud deserve the support
of the Government bs reason OF their lo.s OF
limbs aud other injury TO health while IN the
military service of the alton Aud while Sir
Johnsous hand is Ia this thing. he should give
these crippled soldiers the pVstm-ster-hip. the
marshal-hip, The has done this IN ludsns) the
clerk ships VI the United States Courts. he assoc
sor-hips aud colleciorships OF Internal Revenue.
Add fll every Office With qualified crippled sol.
diers This would be doing sheer act of justice