Randolph County journal. [volume] (Winchester, Indiana) 1864-1865, 1865-03-09

the bright ana sunny AFTERNOON IL
spring. Seated on the iron benche'
under the shade Of the magnolias
ore quite number % officers aat
soldiers, reading books and papers
while the little children are rompine
along its gravelly walks. or feeding
nuts to the squirrels. that gambo
gavlv over its green sward. or juml
about in the branches OF the trees
In the center of the square. surround.
cd by low. cas.-ir paling. l. tho
statue OF Jackson, the pedestal oi
which still bears the marks OF the
vandaIs : chisel, which thought TO cui
from lis surface those memorable
words, 1.-The Federal Union must
and shall be preserved. y words that
will be more enduring than the mar
hle upon which they are graved.-
0vcr.thiS monument. and high above
the ever~reenS and magnoNas. an
aged oak stands sentinel. and like
the hero figured out al the rock Ut
its roots-it is also dead. Around
its trunk. some ten foei above the
ground. is circular platform from
which, on a summers evening, band
brcaths softly lis enchanting music
upon the ear Many pleasant hours
| have spent here. and will bear
bright visions of them with me to
the very verge of the grave.
At the north east corner Of the
square. on Second street, stands that
military concicr@erie. Irving Block.
1t is iiyc. story brick building, with
brown front. large arehcd windows.
surrounded hy 4 board fence, ton
feet hioh, and strongly guarded hy
armed sentincls 1t was originally
erected for a business house. and has
nothing gloomy or prison-likc in its
exterior appearance The city con
tanning no public Jail. this building
was appropriated to prison purposes
by the military. II contains now
every grade Of criminal, from the
higest TO the lowest men and women.
officers, soldiers and citizens, rebel
prisoners, smugglcrs and lush-
whackers, crowd within lis walls
This Mcmphian bastlc, like that torn
down hy the Partisan mob in the
days OF Louis XVI, will stand long
years in history.
\ short walk from the Nof{ ds
Ir;aq. brings rs to the corner OF
Third and Adams streets. We must
stop here moment On the sou'h-
west corner is low. half finished,
Hat topped. one story brick bn;lding,
almost loorloss and windowless--a
dismal kind Of structure and diago-
nally across the street from it. and
strangely contrasting with it, IS n
stately cdiiice EN- bellished with much
that is ornate and tasteful in art, and
with n stately spire reaching into the
bosom of the clouds. The first of
thcSc is FORESTS old slave-pen, and
the other i. Il temple dedicated to
the service of the living Cod
Thorc they stand-tabornaclc and
slavo-pcn, side by side. In one was
preached the Gospel CT the meek
and mcrciful Christ, and in the other
His image was seourged and laccra-
ted. This impious mockery is made
the more for,.blc by having this pen
located hctweon the streets bcaring
the honorcd names Of Jefferson and
Adams. Adams, Jefferson and For
est's slave-pen. Great God. what
m association. Could graver in
suit have been offered 10 the memory
of the immortal author of the char
ter of mans equality or Il deeper
or v,!er shade east upon the name of
him who. with words of flame, pro
claimed Liberty anG Union, one
and inseperablc. now and forever
This is, however, slave mart no
longer,
"C,helo's occupations conc"
and the more reputable business Of
vending Infamous whisky, hy which
souls are damned, succeeds the traf-
lic IN which souls were both damned
and sold.
One thing ypu will have noticed
ere this, that with a population Of
10000. Memphis. unlike cities OF
equal magnitude North and South,
has few or no manufacturing estab-
l:shments. Goods vending and cot
tan buying has been almost its sole
business. Ii would interest You to
visit its extensive and well regulated
hospitals and public buildings, but
no have no time to-day. would
gladly introJucc YOU to some OF the
citv motables. both ciyi! and military
bnt there is no room LETT me nov .Ol
portrature. may do this on Sola.
other day.
+ But imagine yoH ask NE. l.
&. .1lemphis loyaly What IS the pollt
ical status OF its people, 1t IS dill
cult 10 answer your question correct
IL. Memphis did not yield to tn
lvdrophGbia Of secession until aite
frenzicd struggle. but when at lac
it did link Is fate with that OF IN
.Confcdoracy, no cits in the whoi
South was more bitterly or rancor
ously disloyal. or more hostile TO tn
Union than il. ind even to-day. ate
Federal occupation OF nearl y thre
, wears. It's treason is constantly blnr
herring up TO the surface. Il doubt