The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1866-09-11
citizens, soldiers Home Association.

report, that IL means are not speedily
contributed to the relief of the sol
diers there assembled, restitution and ]
suffering must prevail, and the present
inmates compelled to seek shelter and
support in the poor houses or become
beggars in the streets. Therefore a
most pressing emergency exists for
something to be done in their behalf.
Less than eighty soldiers are now
provided for by the present Soldiers
Home organization according to this
report There are five hundred to
one thousand MANNED and disabled
soldiers in Indiana demanding our
charity. All past efforts have failed
to provide for even eighty men. New
coniunetures call for new expedients.
Other most powerful and efficient
agencies must at once be set to work
to effect an organization which shall
extend to every city, town, county,
village. and hamlet throughout the
State, and the people aroused as with
a clap of thunder to this great. and
noble work.
All charitable organizations striving
for the same humane and Christian
objects are the chosen instruments of
Providence to accomplish benefcient
works, by addressing themselves to
all classes of minds, just as the differ
ent Christian organizations are the in
struments of the same Providence for
the universal diffusion of Christianity
to every, shade and grade of human
Intelligence, All differences of opin
ions as to the methods Of accomplish
ing this great work of instantaneous
relief for the suffering soldiers, must
be merged in the momentous and
practical question how to accomplish
it at once-not simply by one agency,
but through the fundamentally of all
agencies combined that God and ma
ture has put it in our power to estab
lish-for Indiana's brave and destitute
and suffering defenders are now rails
ing to us the supplicating hand for
food and raiment and shelter and in
slant relief. These men who wish
such patriotic devotion forsook all,
periled all, toiled and suffered and
lost all, that we might enjoy the bless
.ings Of free Institutions.
Shall these manned and destitute
children of the Republic cry to us for
bread and we give them stone?
We must remember in this work
that history will judge our acts and
our humanity, and the judgment of
history will be that ofall ages to come.
In the war for the preservation of
the Union, the noble patriots of Indi-
ana stood up to this contest, not mere
" an army, but as it were, nation of
heroes, who bore aloft to victory the
proud and ensanguined ensigns of
freedom, upon every ttle-feld of the
Union.
Right in our midst we witnessed the
sublime spectacle that animated the
hearts of the patriots of the most
splendid epochs of the ancient repub-
:, lies, where the young men went forth
to do battle, the middle aged to pre-
pare munitions of war, and the old
men were carried into the streets and
public assemblies to excite the courage
of the youthful warriors,
Z When we told our brave men to go
forth and do battle for the God given
heritage of liberty, we solemnly
pledged ourselved to provide for and
protect those who returned to us
manned, decrepid and disabled from
the service of their country.
We have not redeemed that pledge
until we have provided them with
9all the necessaries that feed, clothe
and shelter man. We can not, In
duty, be less lavish of treasure in
maintaining the nations defenders
in wounds and hunger and decrepi-
tude and suffering we were in
preserving the Republic. Even our
patriot fathers, in their immortal de-
claration of rights, placed life before
liberty. a1p '5E iipt
90 Who then can estimate the price
less, spontaneous free offering due
from generous people to those noble
patriots who poured out their blood
like water to fertilize the soil of lib
erty and justice, ~
Every good citizen and friend o.
liberty and humanity, should regard
themselves as $ born for such a time a
this" and when they witness the sue
cessful completion of this noblest work
of the age, ready to exclaim, IwoulC
not exchange my part in that immor
tai work for all that kings in theil
profusion could bestow.
We, the undersigned, inviting mos
cordially, the cooperation of all mer
in our benevolent work, propose, il
behalf of the soldiers, to hold grant
Soldiers Fair and Festival AND priz
sale Of goods, during the State Fair
in October next, and devote the pro
ceeds thereof to Indiana's destitute
soldiers, to whom, and their comrades
in arms, we owe our lives, and liber
ties, and property. Tothem the beau
tiful field Of life has been burne'
over, and no inviting scenes left t
beautify and adorn the cherries land
scape, or render the human condition
lovely and endearing, Let us Great
for them a new home of plenty an
beauty, and with new endearments an
new attractions. e~ gVflg N