The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-12-01
Is THIS THE NEW ERA7

ington on Thursday, his subject being the
national capital, its growth, the great men
who had lived there, the great events which
had happened and the important topics dis
cussed in the halls Of Congress by the states
men of the Nation. 1t was an excellent theme
one on which the varied talents of so accom-
plished divine should have found full play
1t was, indeed pronounced an able discourse;
but at least one listener was not wholly salts
fed and cards a local paper to that effect. The
complaint against Mr.. Bartlett is that no men
ton was made by him, except incidentally
and not by name, of the great central figure,
next to Washington, in the history Of the city
Abraham Lincoln. Neither did he, in speak
ing of the events Of Importance in which the
capital had taken part, make any reference
whatever to the war of the rebellion. That
the listener should complain of these omissions
shows that he is not thoroughly 'recon-
structed' nor prepared for the new era"
which, according to the South has already
dawned and will soon illuminate the country
with great effulgence of prosperity and peace
The aggrieved citizen, and others like him,
should remember that in order to fully enjoy
this delightful programme, and in fact to in
sure its perfect success, they must themselves
take a part, and henceforth religiously avoid
all mention Of such incendiary topics as the
late war or any man connected herewith
on the Union side. The confederates who
fought in the war are about to take possession
Of Washington, after an enforced absence of
some twenty four years; being of generous
natures and ready to extend forgiveness to all
who show disposition to believe as they do
and to forget the unpleasant past, it
would be the height of cruelty to
call up disagreeable recollections by
illusions to an event which has caused them
so much suffering and so many painful dep
rivations such as the loss of emoluments of
Office and the like. Southern ex-confederates
are sensitive beings, and even casual refer
ences to the lost cause are likely to bring up
disagreeable visions of the might-have- been,
which no true Northern patriot, who wants to
be freed from the error of his ways, would be
willing to create. 1t is difficult, to be sure
to ignore all the opinions and beliefs of life
time; to look upon the coming into power of
the element which tried to destroy the Union
as the unmistakable sign of peace and unity;
20 hot no xubo II
was martyr, and that the oceans of blood
shed during those four dark years were poured
out because of the acts of traitors who now
have virtual supremacy-it is hard to change
such convictions; but the South and its
friends the mugwumps, say it must be done
before the country can be solid" once more
To pursue any other course is to Fwave the
bloody shirt. and nothing is such deadly
insult nothing so enrages the fiery Southern
heart as the sight of this vulgar symbol The
Washington citizen, and his friends who were
not pleased with the Thanksgiving sermon,
evidently had not fully considered these
things The Rev. Mr.. Bartlett is a polite
and affable gentleman of great discrimination
He was once neighbor of the Hon. Thomas
A. Hendricks, who is known to have regarded
Abraham Lincoln as ''smutty old tyrant
and as they are again to live in close prox-
unity, it would have been injudicious
for the distinguished clergyman to have in
terfered with future amicable relations by
eulogizing the dead President Besides, as
Southerners and their Northern party sympa
thizers are already focking to Washington in
anticipation of the coming occupancy of
offices, it is not unlikely that some of the
number were among his hearers, and their
feelings might have been hurt by even slight
laudation of the man who conquered them,
but did not live to make the conquest com
plete. Mr. Cleveland too, it has been an
nounced is a former schOolmate Of Mr.
Bartlett, and will attend his church-"of
course he goes to church, as per the Beecher
lettcr-and it would be highly impolitic, not
to say unchristian to antagonize such q de-
sirable acquisition TO the flock by speaking
of the late war in which the P resident elect
took no part, owing to his absorbing occupa-
ton of working up to the sheriffs chair.
Rev. Mr.. Bartlett may be depended upon
to be equal to the situation, and to utter no
word which will jar upon the harmony so soon
to reign The listeners who are not pleased
with his diplomacy show a great lack of
facility in adapting themselves to change
of circumstances, If they feel that they are
not equal to the emergency, and cannot live
up to it with all the grace and meekness that
is required of them, they must go elsewhere