The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-01-16


That presence whose inspiring voice and mien
Should mark him for the coming leader nor
Was any found like ours the Great War Governor.
TIE people saw him as he lifted high
His arm of ironl In his wlrke face
Was seen the fire of conflict and his
Shone with a quenchless light while from his place
He Numbered forth his challenge; and the race
That served the times, and doubted. and stood still,
While men were bleeding and the black disgrace
Still wrapt its coils about US, felt the thrill
And rose and Stood and went to battle at his will
How great he was in that heroic time!
How douby great when round about him rose
The treacherous bands whose garments dripped with
How shall this hour speak gentle words of those
Who in that hour We're with the Nations foes
Lo, all night long. while other men were sleeping
Morton kept vigil, knowing not repose,
Piercing the dark, the far horizon sweeping
Where homes were desolate and women sat a-weeping
On every field where soldiers fought and fell,
On every field of triumph dismay.
On every field where men did duty well,
In march in camp, in charge and battle fray,
There, in the darkness of the gathering night
Where thousands living with dead thousands lay,
The of Indiana light
And grasped friendly hand and rose and blessed the
sight
VI
For there was seen the shadow of form
That al men l1neR'-vgas heard loving sound
That all men recognized, and then the warm,
Strong arms Of Morton were entwined around
The dying soldier. and his bleeding wound
Vas stanchei and in his breaking brain
The pulse Of life returning with a bound,
Thrnbbed wildly and the brave forgot his pain.
lille tears of deahless love were mingled with the
rain.
He saw the Black Man in his letters bound,
Upon his back the slave-whip's horrid scar;
He felt in his broad, generous breast wound
Until what time was drawn the sword of war.
Then other blood was poured as waters are
Poured frcm the thurder-cloud in summer time.
Two hundred fields red as ennabar.
TIL earth was purged OF that so sickenine crime.
And Slavery fell down dead, and Afrie rose sublime
He sublime. and trembed as he rose.
Patient and black; but Morton, too was there,
The Negroes champion frownng on his foes;
His face grew dark night; he said, Beware!
This is a Man-now touch him if you dsre!'
And they who would reslave the human burst
No more bind on the manacles, or bear
The flaming ire of him who braved their worst
And smiled defiance when the slayers CRASHED and
cursed.
The Commonwealth beheld his rising star
And babe him onward till he stood among
The Nations great and there renewed the war,
The battle of the weak with the strong
The endless strife of right against the wrong.
There, side by side with Sumner he threw down
The mortal challenge to the sulen throng
Thai scowled upon him with the slavers frown,
And sought to set again their plume in freedoms
His greatness grew upon him in the fight,
And his ambition lindled TO fame;
To serve The great Republic with his might,
To lift the Nation FROM the pit of shame,
To make her free perhaps to write his name
Upon the lands escutcheon passed before his eye
And visions turned to substance as they came
The High Seat waited till the towards cry
Prevailed to choose the weak and pass the great
by.
not dead at all!
o Morton! dead, but ,s' Shadows! We are here!
A1Sld 5tir Offering and heed our CALI
For six years thou hast spoken not Come near
And speak once more We stand and wait to hear.
As in the days that tried by fire
We gather round thee to applaud and cheer
Answer cry. and feel our hearts desire
While here before thy feet fling the sword and Tyre
No monument can blazon such life;
No brief culogium add unto his fame!
Born to be grett-a leader in that strife
In which were blelt glory and shame,
He stood the foremost! At his magic name
Freedom set up a shout all the fields
Where our starred banner tho orifamne,
And patriot soldiers until freedom yields
That banner up, will write his name upon their shields
This stone may crurnble but the fame of him
Who stands sublinloly in this form of art
VIII brighten history when the age grows dim,
And Of the future be deathless part!
Nc time can tarnish what The human heart
Has made immortal Not till food and fire,
And hail and tempest, and the icekings dart
Have wasted nature, and the ages tire,
Shall Norton cherished name and glorious deeds
pire!
MR. M'DoNALD's ADDRESS.
Al the conclusion of the poem, which was read
with fine effect, and was warmly applauded,
Hon. Joseph E. Mcdonald was introduced to
the audience, and spoke as follows:
On the nth day Of January, 1878, in the Sen
are Of tho United States, and as tho surviving
colleague of Oliver p. Morton, | offered for con-
siiersition the following resolutions. which were
adopted and entered upon the Journals of that
august body, record monument to his memory:
Resolved That from an earnest desire to show
avery mark Of respect TO the memory of Hon Oliver
p Morton, late Senator Of the United States from
he State IF Indiana and TO manifest the high esti-
entertained of his eminent public services his
distinguished patriotism and his usefulness as a cti-
zen the business of the Senate be suspended that
he frieads OF the deceased Senator may pay fitting
tribute 20 his public and private virtues.
''kesn!red, That widespread and public sorrow
in the announcement of his death attest the profound
of the loss the whole country has sustained.
Resolved, That, as mark Of respect for MIR. Nor
tom the members of the Senate will go into mourning
by wearing upon the left arm for thirty days
Resolved, That the Secretary OF the Senate com
mtmicate these resolutions to the House of Repre-
sentatyes.
Resolved That as an additional mark of respect
for the memory Of the deceased Senator the Senate
do now adjourn.
Havingaided as one of the representatives of
the State Of Indiana in enrolling this monument
upon the impershable records of the greatest
representative assembly in the world, l come
here to day willingly. one of the people of the
State, to join in the ceremonies attending
The unwilling of another monument erected
by loving hands. More striking to the eye but
IN all probability less enduring than the one in
scribod upon the journals of the Senate of fine
United States. On the occasion referred to
did not pretend to be the euoglst of Oliver p.
Morton I do not know now that my mind has