Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1875-09-30
GEN. w. II. SHERMAN.
Characteristic Speech at q Gathering OF
Indiana Soldiers at Rockville. 1lrd.
GEN. sHERMAN's SPEECH.

Fezlop- Soldiers, Ladies and Gentlemen:
1t is needless for me to say that can not
expect my voice to reach the uttermost parts
OF this vast crowd. therefore beg as much
quiet as possible during the very few minutes
l shall occupy your attention.
l came from my home in st. Louis to the
soldiers reunion in Parke county, and find
the whole State represented here. LApplause.
Had known this | certainly should have
prepared something as worthy as in my
power for the occasion. AS it is must trust
to the inspiration of the moment, relying
upon your forbearance and generosity il. |
fall short of your expectations.
Before touching upon the topic selected tor
the occasion, permit me to say that fully
accord with Gov Morton in what he said
| about the suffering of the friends of the SOL
dier at home. They suffered more in mind,
fearing the worst, than we who we're engaged
in military encounters through the swamps
and forests of the South. further agree
| with him that we should never surrender an
| iota of the claims that we fought for. 1t was
| the hottest of holy causes. We were right
| and our enemies were wrong, [applause] and
! it must be so understood for all time to come.
| 1t is the duty Of every man to teach his chill
dren in the strongest manner that we we're
right and the rebels were wrong. [Applause.]
| When l came here last night to ride
! through this beautiful grove, illuminated by
| lamps | almost expected to see realization
of the scene described by Shakespeare in
| midsummer Nights Dream," or possibly
something more modern like the gardens of
Europe, enliyened by singing and dancing,
! parents and children seated at the tables list
ening to the music. But what did behold?
A mass of humanity listening thoughtfully
| to the orators of the evening, and it struck
me that such people would rather hear the
| words of wisdom and patriotism than join in
| the sports of the forest. Therefore, no one
will dare address you mere hattering remarks,
! but something worthy of remembrance.
! In regard to State Rights, have no doubt
| that the war decided that question. Indiana
| as State has her rights, all the States have
their rights, but they must be subordinate to
the rights of the nation. The relation of the
States has been well compared to the harmo-
ny of the solar system-each star in its orbit,
subject to one great ruling power over all.
| AS l remarked before, have no doubt the
putes arise, there is power at Washington
the Supreme Court of the United States
WHICH can settle them. Should that power
fail, there will be an appeal to arms, which
you, my boys, will know how to respond to.
| [Applause.]
| The time is opportune to take a retrospect
i've view of and to look forward to the future
of our country. Next year the nations Gen.
tennial will take place, when the people will
assemble to consider the past and adopt plans
for the future. Withal no reflection can be
more impressive than tha. of the boundless
extent of our country. The nation is moving
westward year by year, like grand old army.
1t has marched on until the boundary cannot
easily be defined. A little while ago tray
eled in palace Car over a country where at
| one time you could not 90 without danger of
! losing your scalp. There is tide of emigra-
ton and industry, which, from the north, and
northwest, and from the northeast, is closing
around, and will absorb the rebellious ele-
ment of the South. In regard to the people
much attention to their discomfort. Nurse
their wrath as they may, the time will soon
come when rebels will be as hard to find as
Tories of the revolution. Iwould like for
you to find man who will admit that his
father or grandfather was Tory. Laughter
and applause.] l think before the close of
this century you may seek in vain for man
who will acknowledge that he fought against
this old flag.
Let me here, in the presence of this vast
audience, say what have often said before,
that of all the men who occupied civil sta
tions during the war we had no truer friend
than Governor Morton. [Applause.] When
we called for more men to aid in putting
down the rebellion, Governor Morton never
sent back word that we had enough. He
was always ready to give us all the aid to the
extent of his public and private credit We
always regarded him as q true and noble
friend of the soldier; and to-day hope and
pray to God that He may spare his life long
in the councils of the nation, and that he may
military distinction. [Applause.
In regard to the conduct of the Indiana
soldiers, certainly no one ever had word to
say against their courage. [Applause.] I
would like to see somebody do it. [Applause
and laughter.] In the South they used to
talk against the fighting of the Northern peo-
pie, saying they were not fighting people.
l don't think they said that in 1865, and we
were just getting warmed up to it when the
war closed. Applause and shouts of laugh
ter.
You soldiers who fought upon the field of
battle were not militia men or volunteers, but
regular troops, sworn into the service accord
ing to the rules Of war, and the very moment
you step inside the camp, or take musket
in your hand, you feel at once the inspiration
of an old soldier who loves nothing but his
God, his flag and his country. You were
regulars Just as much as am. Some may
call you volunteers. So are the regulars. No
man is compelled to do military service
against his will. You were regulars, and
when the country calls upon you again I'll
bet laughter all I've got that Governor Nor
ton Che won't be Governor them, but whoever
is Governor, when he calls upon you the
thing is done. [Applause and laughter.
And think Indiana can quiet any national