The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1869-09-29
MILWAUKEE,.
Dedication OF the National HILLARY
Asylam-Speech By Gen. RatleF-
Interesting Ceremonies.

/ De0icatiOG or tn9 Natl0Bdt Hillary
/ AsYlum-Speech By Gen. RalleF-
Interesting Ceremonies.
MILWAUKEE,, Sept. 28.-The new
building of the National Military
Asylum located here, was dedicated
/ yesterday. The building presents a
tine appearance from the exterior, and
Ia its Beatness, beauty Of finish and
completeness of appointments, is a
model. 1t is In the form of a cross,
and when the wings are completed
will have frontage of 240 feet The
entrance Is In the centre and opens
into a large corridor, upon the east
and west of which are the spacious
reception rooms and Offices The ac-
commodations are sufficient to con-
tain comfortably 500 inmates. La the
dedication the more imposing cere-
monies were omitted on account OF
the death of Gen Rawlins, who was
a member of the Board of Managers.
Gen Butler, of Massachusetts, and
President of the Board, delivered the
address, as follows:
Friends and fellow citizens-Iu
behalf of my associates, the Board Of
Managers. / bid you welcome to the
tANAkAOIG& AA0AAC VI Lng 0A21UlGA EOA-
diers of Wisconsin. Applause
Welcome, welcome, friends OF the
soldier. TRUST you will be held very
welcome here-here in this magnifi-
cent building, provided by the liber-
ality Of thc General Government of
the Uaited States for the MANNED
aud disabled defenders of the coun-
try. This IS but one of the branches
of this institution, by which the gov
ernment Is endeavoring to carry out
the promises which we made to the
soldiers during the war, that when the
war was over he should be provided
fer, and here you have the evil
dence of the care of the
Government. L wish every soldier
and every soldiers friend 10 under
stand that this Institution is not a
charitable Institution, except In the
very noblest meaning of the phrase.
The soldiers of the country have earn
ed this By their valor aud sufferings,
and it belongs to them; more than
that, it cOTles from them. The very
funds appropriated by Congress for
this building came from the stop
pages and fines and forfeitures of the
deser,er.e Aud thus the bad soldiers
are compelled to make homes for the
good ones. Applause.1 Therefore,
let no soldier coming here understand
that be is coming 10 an aims house.
He Is coming to his home-earned,
rishly earned by him; and it is his
forever, with the single condition
that he shall so conduct himself. On
that, it shall indeed be a home
for himself and others. That is the
only condition We impose. Such is
the only discipline we mean here to
enforce. We desire to have the sol
dieF realize that there is no discipline
or law for governing here that shall
do anything more than kesp order
and good conduct, for the welfare OF
all. 1t has not been thought proper,
fellow-eitIZens, on the part of she
Board Of Managers, that we should
at this time make any considerable
demonstration of ceremonies in the
formal dedication Of this hall. There
are memories so sad connected with
the hoar-sad co ourselves-that
seem to forbid it. Death has twice
entered into the Board of Managers
and taken away its most valued mem
bers. The FIRST aud earliest pioneer
of this enterprise of beneyolence-
him to whom you you owe to-day,
fellow citizens of Milwaukee, the
fact that this institution is here
to beautify and grace your
city-your late beloved fellow
citizen Col. Walker, who was taken
away in the promise Of his usefulness
as an associate in the cause of the
disabled soldier, aud now death has
again entered our Board, and taken
one whom we loved and TeveTed as
an associate, and to whom the whole
country gave a grateful tribute for his
serYices-the late Secretary Of War,
Gen. John A Rawlins. Inview of our
own aud the nations bereavement, il
would seem fitting that there should
not be anything more than festivities
becoming this occasion, when the
whole nation is bowed in grief at the
loss of the patriot soldier and Chris
tian statesman. The friend of equal
liberty and equal rights all over the
world, who with his dying lips pro-
claimed his devotion to the cause OF
freedom to all mankind"
Gov. Fairchild, Gov Smythe, Matt
Carpenter, aBd others made short
speeches, when the flag was raised
aud a salute fred. The grounds were
much admired by the distinguished
guests from abroad.