The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-06-03

other states had thus been made states By
congress and admitted into the union. and
Sheir powers defined bY the constitution
we are told by this remarkable theory
that brought upon us all our woe and death.
.nat Just as soon as Indiana Became state
10 THIS way she became a separate,
original and Independent state. and p2rtV
10 a compact by which this government
was formed. 1t is just as absurd as for
man to assert that he is his own father
lLsugnter and spp]ause.l All the states are
on an equality. When these tweuty-four
sIstes were admitted by act of congress,
THEIR RIGHTS WERE DEFINED AND GUAR
ANTEED
by the constitution. 1t is not
a question of the rights of states, nv
friends. We will not differ about that.
The rights of the state and general govern.
ment can not be enlarged or diminished ex
cePt by amendment to the constitution Of
the United States and that requires the con-
current vote of two-thirds OF oach house and
ratification by three. fourths of all the states.
1t is competent in that way 10 enlarge or di-
Ininish the power OF the states and
She general government, but it is not com
petent in any othsr way. The idea shat we
are nation. that we are one people, eubdi-
vided into states for local and domestic pur-
teeo made secure by the Constitution
OF she United States, should be taught in
every school, in every college ana every
| acades0y in the land. 1t should be the cen
tral idea OF American politics. Every child,
SO 20 speak, should be vaccina,e +,
with that idea, that be nav DO
projected from that terrible distemper
which once so nearly destroyed our country.
The man who does not believe in The ex-
istence OF God, and who believes that
when he dies he will melt into the earth and
disappear forever like the snow fake in the
ocean, that man is intellectually and morally
weak. That man is incapable of the great.
est intellectual and moral exertions The
man who has no God has been described as
being
THE MOST CONSPICUOUS OBJECT OF IsoLA-
and desolation. Aye, soldiers, when
you rushed forward to the front
and felt the army behind you
as support, it gave you courage and it gave
you strength. So with this national idea.
You should ever bear in mind that this ma
| tion2l idea is over all and above all, even a.
God is over the universe. The nations Of the
world are now aspiring to nationality.
Italy has returned after e long absence.
Rome has again become the capital of great
nation. The bloody fragments of that beau.
tiful country have again taken their
place among the nations of the earth.
There is Germany, now great country, one
OF the chief powers in Europe. Soldiers,
| have detained you longer than I intended.
In the discussion OF this question have
simply sought to present what every intelli-
gent man and woman knows to be facs TO
revive it in your memory and to en-
grave it on the tablet of your reccllections,
that this rebellion which cost you SO much,
cost us all, that cost the state OF Indiana
more than twice the entire population OF
Putnam county, that rebellion
was only made possible by the ex-
istence of this vicious education, that said
there were thirty-seven nations, ard tuai
every man owed his first allegiance, not TO
| the union, but to the state. You know how
1t was with many oil the most distinguished
SOUTHERN MEN WHO ENGAGED IN TIE RE.
BELLIoN.
They went in upon that idea
among others General Robert T.
Lee and Alexander 81. Stevens. AS you
would preserve this nation, 1 say to you
preserve and cherish in your hearts the ides
that we are one people from Maine to
Georgia, from the Atlantic to the Pacific
Remember the great over-msstering fact that
| the American STATES constitute one nation
Soldiers, am glad to see you again. Many
of you I shall never see again. Some OF
you are here to-day for the last time
We don't know who it is. Among the
greatest pleasures of my life, and the joy OF
my life has been the communication i have
had wish the soldiers of Indians
during that terrible struggle.
don't know whether l performed my
duty satisfactorily. / tried TO do so; but
can say from the bottom of my heart that il
will be recorded in history tina: the soldiers
| of Indiana performed their duty we'll. [Ap-
| plause.]
The speaker having concluded, the band
played dirge while the graves were duly
| decorated with the richest offerings OF
nature. When the ceremonies were con.
cludsd the crowd slowly dispersed.