The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-07-10
LETTER FROM iNDIANAroLlS.1
The Fourth Abroad-Laying Of the
Cornerstone Of the Soldiers Home,
Ge Gc
INDIANAPOLIS, July 5, 1867.


INDIANAPOLIS, July 5, 1867.
Editors Journals:
1suppose your regular correspond
ents have furnished you with letters
missive touching what has been going
on in and around Indianapolis on the
Fourth. But I am an irregular, and
feel incliaed to give you a few lines,
which, if they are regarded as of any
interest to your readers, you will print
them; if otherwise, consign them to
your waste basket.
The ceremonies of the Soldiers
Home were a success-a perfect sue
cess. Your humble servant htd
thought seriously Of Joining the stay
at-home brigade; but about half-past
ten o'clock he was surprised to find
himself whirled along on the Column
bus Road, and, doing up thirty-two
miles in about eighty minutes, was
deposited within a mile and a half of
the center of attraction. This dis
lance was annihilated. rather slowly,
by two stout mules. 4 When [ reached
the Springs, there was a most uncon-
scionable massing together of vehi-
cIes of every description, and thou
sands upon thousands of people to
correspond.
1t was one of the grandest rallyings
/ ever saw, and they came together in
their grandest mode of thanksgiving,
and joy, and gratitude. They clearly
took in the idea of the day. 1t was
to give expression to their apprecia-
ton of the wounded and disabled in
the Army of the Republic, by offering
them a Retreat where they could be
sustained and cherished by a grateful
people. 1t was not an offering of
charity, but of thanks and justice.
The programme of the occasion was
strictly accorded with. The chief in
terest was in the address of Governor
Baker. 1t was one of his happiest
efforts. 1t was like the man-not for
buncombe, but something to be
thought about-something, that had
to do with principles and ideas which
the nation. ought to settle now and
forever, so that no second rebellion
shall lift its gorgon head and
bloody hands. From the be-
ginning of our existence, we
have been LONE nation" and not
many nations, held together by a rope
of sand. We have been one nation
and one people. The Congresses,
from the earliest colonial ones not be-
ing the creatures of the le~gistures or
the governments, but of the people
themselves. It was We the people,
all the time. So this year of grace,
1867. Hence, seces. ION IS treason,
though the Governor did not use the
word secession once. He expound-
ed the nature of the Declaration of
Independence, and left the thing
with the jury.
/ may say also that the Governor
did not introduce the inevitable mig
ger" even once He spoke of the
fact that rights are more sacred than
charters, as our forefathers proved by
appeals to arms, t o God, and to the
verdict of the world. He spoke of the
Golden Law as enunciated by the
Great Teacher and Saviour of the
world. He declared that the sooner
we accorded with the great principles
of our :" Declaration" and the Golden
Rule the better, and his hearers said,
Amen. l have rarely seen 20 intelli-
gent an audience and so orderly an
one. 1 saw no signs of whisky any,
where or in any shape. Indeed, all
the people looked as if they had
habituated themselves to sobriety and
decency. John Barleycorn, | under
stand, has been driven entirely u Of
the county. Some fellow said thai
Knightstown was the dryest place in
creation. But [ can say the farm;
and the people are none the worse fol
it. The grain here looks we'll; the
corn very much mixed up" Some
of it stands four feet, ana some of il
not more than four inches. [ an
afraid of the latter.
1.-The flag of the Union, oh lone
may it wave" was the last 4th o.
July thought of.
Yours, NJ.