Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1865-1872, 1867-08-02


vention passed ordinance Of secession.
Jan. l0--Florida Convention adopted
an ordinance Of secession. Florida seized
Fort McRae. ~ ssfe .asH sliin
4 Jan. li--Alabama secc led. Louisian na
seized Forts Philip and Jackson, below
New Orleans, the United States Arsenal
at Baton Rouge, aud Forts Pike and
Macomb, on Lake Pontchartrain. ~, j
i Jan. l3-Florida took possession Of the
Pensacola Navy Yard and Fort Barancas.
Jan. l9-Georgia adopted q secession
ordinance. f.f
Jan. 26--Louisiana Legislature passed
secession ordinance.
Feb. l-Texas convention passed ordi-
nance ofsecession.
February 4.-Delegates from the sece-
ded States met at Montgomery, Alabama,
to organize Confederate Government.
February 9th.-Jefferson Davis aud
Alexander IL. Stevens was elected Pro.
visional President aud Vice President OF
the Southern Confederacy. afs
| have thought il not inappropriate to
the occasion. to make brief reference to
the multitude Unreasonable acts perpeira.
ted against the government, by the South.
ern States, and people during the close OF
the administration Of James Buch-
anan, that you may be reminded OF
the great, but dsgraceful fact, that all this
aud much more, was done--indeed that
this beloved land was plunged into terri.
bic civil war, without even a protest on
the part of the Executive or the party, as
a pary, by which be was elevated TO, aud
sustained, while in office
HOLD TUE GUILTY RESPONSIBLE.
The bombardment OF Fort Sumpter
commenced on the 18th day Of April, 49,
81, and on the next day the little band Of
half starved patriots were compelled to
surrender TO Southern arms.
! April 10Th President Lincoln issued
his proclamation commanding all persons
ia arms against the Government TO dis
pcrsc within twenty days, and called ia
seventy.hve thousand volunteers. This
warning was unhoeded by tho infamous
traitors, and the clash Of arms was soon
heard, and loyal men were carly found
bravely bleeding and dying in defence Of
our own and our fathers good old flag.
In what condition did this terrible calam.
ity hnds us? We knew nothing of war,
forsll our lives had been spent in peace. We
feared no enemy from without, aud did not
for moLent dream OF one OF considera-
bic magnitude within our own body polite
'.''Tn this plenty
And fat ofpsacs, your young men ne'r were
In martial sI.siplIno, and your ships. unrigg'd.
Rot la the harbDfi nor defence prepar'd
IA lhnu0 A ftIs h.l h. IA
Induigsnt TO your sloth, had granted you
| A Perpetuity Of pride aud pleasurcj
Nor change isard or expected"
But untraiued aud unprepared as we
were, as well in military experience as in
the munitions OF war, the firing upon Fort
Sumpter aud upon our flag, stirred every
loyal heart Ia the land, aud the call for
seventy-fve thousand men was responded
to with promptness never before witness.
cd in the worlds history. The war went
on, and us emergency required more volun-
teers were called Cor until the whole mum.
ber under arms from time to time exceeded
two million men. OF this grand army of
patriots, Row many gave their lives to SC.
cure TO US aud our posterity the institu.
tons we as free men, this day eujoy, and
delight TO boast OF? Go ask the battlefield
20 ask the camp, the lines Of march, the
hospitals, the sea, the rebel prisons. where
SO many Of the local braves were starved
to death. Ask all these to give up their
loyal dead, and over three hundred thou
sand Of these loyal spirits, could they do
so, would pass IN review before you, aud
each for himself would say, could he
speak: "Hold the guilty responsible.
My blood may be found, alike upon the
skirts OF Northern sympathizers aud the
armed traitors oil the South" can not
give you history Of the recent great
struggle to save the life OF the nation, nor
Ut tbs sorrow, grief aud mourning conse
quent upon il, aud would not ii | cou d..
Every loyal household ia the land has u
history written within its own walls. The
soldiers widow aud orphan children are
there the photograph ot the husband the
fathers, the son OF uear friend, may be
found hanging upon the walls or tenderly
placed in the album. Many of you who
now listeu with 50 much patieuce to what
have TO say, mourn the loss of hus
baud father, sou, u brother, but have
not even the poor privilege Of visiting
the graves of these loved ones. They
sleep in Southern soil, we know not where
but we do Know that they sleep peaceful,
quite, glorious sleep, for
$50 sleep the brave, who sink TO rest,
"By ali ther coantry's wishes blest-
The war is over, aud the dag you, my
fellow soldiers, fought So gailantry to
maintain, now Aoat over every foot Of
American soil, with no star stricken from
its azure blue, and no stain Of dishonor
upon its folds. We are better men than
when we entered the service. We have
higher and loftier views of patriotism aud
love OF country than before. We know
what it has cost, in blood aud toll and
suffering to save it. We have seen our
comrades sicken and die, on the battle.
field we have seen hundreds Of them fall
in death with their face to the foe, and we
felt, as you, my loyal iellow-citisens, no
doubt felt. like exclaiming in the language
of Montgomery.
"Giye me the death Of those as ..f..
Who for their country die
Aid oh be mine like their reposc,
When cold and low they lie
Their loyliest mother earth s.if
Enshrines the fallen brave,
r. In her sweet lap who gave them birth,
They dnd their tranquil grave"
While we rejoic over the great general
victorv LAT ma m of foroet the eunenicuo on !