The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-05-25

trusts in the maintenance of which the highest
interests or the States were conserved far better
than they could possibly be if the right of each
separate community to break off into independent
factions was acknowledged Such a state of things
meant perpetual interpecine conflicts. 1t
meant the impossibility of any State to protect
itself from the incursions of another 1t meant
the impossbility of union for the purpose of
common defense. 1t meant the uncertainty of
commercial enterprises between the different
sections 1t meant the failure of democratic
self-government 1t meant our exposure to the
contempt and aggressions of the monarchies of
the old world. 1t meant the end of our ability
to offer our territority as the asylum of the OPP
pressed of other lands. 1t meant the end of our
ability to offer to the enterprisng and Industrious
OF other countries an inducement for seeking
and bettering their fortunes. 1t meant anarchy.
to be followed by despotism that should re-
unite as, perchance, under the iron pressure
Of a tyranny that should crush out
all our liberties, and proclaim the death
knell of freedom on the despairing ears of the
struggling races of mankind. To prevent the
possibility OF such an accumulation of dire ca
lamities was well worthy of your patriotic en-
thusiasm and selfsacrifcing devotion. The
such momentous issues were involved was
worth the treasures of money and of blood it has
cost.
Moreover, as posterity shall continue to inherit
the aQultIOnal blessings winch nave Resulted from
your victories, they will more and more apprecl-
ate your devotion You have preserved intact
the union of the States. You compelled the
honorable and wholesome respect of the nations
of the earth You have delivered the grand
old ship of state from the perils of ship
wreck that threatened her. You have
sent her forth again on the voyage
of her glorious destiny, with her keel unbroken,
with her timbers unsplintered with her masts
stalwart and erect, with her spars all in order
Io~ \
with her flag flying in the favoring breeze of
heaven, and manned by crew that is more con-
fdent than ever of her ability to outride the
waves of any popular commotion, and to defy
the tempests of any foreign aggression. Yes,
the grand old ship is sailing gloriously.
Alike ship of war and ship of passage, the
pride of her crew. the hope of the oppressed, the
wonder and dread of despots and the admiration
of mankind.
Soldiers of the Republic, nobly did you save
our ship of state, and worthy are you of the
gratitude of the Nation, and worthy of our tender
remem branceS are the fallen heroes whose graves
you expect soon to decorate
But you did more than save the grand old
ship. You rlghted some Of her gear Despite
the many excellencies of our Constitution, in
one respect it never had worked smoothly.
There were constantly recurring disputes about
the relations of the several States to the general
government; an uneasy feeling was abroad,
some contending that the rights of the States
were being invaded by the general government,
and others saying that the general government
was being embarrassed by the usurpations of
the States. Sooner or later, on one pretense or
another the settlement Of this question must
have been referred to the arbitrament of war.
The issue has been met it has been
settled for all time. And happily, too, has the
settlement been made. No single right of a
State has been impaired; yet the unity of all the
States in the general government has been Sc
cured. We now understand that the United
States is not congeries of nations but is itself
Nation, and that the States only so many
divisions of our one territory for the better de-
velopment of our common resources, and the
better culture of the elements of our efficiency
and enterprise. The United States are a
they, but an it. Formerly an American would
record his name, for example, as an F. F. ", a
citizen OF Virginia; now he adds to it: Brother
Jonathan, citizen of the United States.
Moreover, you have in saving the ship of
state, preserved all of her cargo You have not
been compelled to throw overheard single in
stitution that belongs to the genius of our free
institutions. True, there was one article on
board that was not down ON the bill of lading.
1t had been struggled on board. Human sa-
very was utterly homogeneous in a nation whose
charter declared all men created free and equal,
and which stood forth to-, the world
the champion of human liberty. You
did not, and would not and you ought
not to have interfered with the inter-
nal economy for the sake of destroying within its
borders the institution of slavery Yet, when
you must abolish slavery, you did not hesitate to
destroy the rat and save the ship. And already
the South are thanking you for the
deliverance You have opened up the broad
and fertile regions of the South to the COMPETE
ton of free labor; you have proven the fraternal
spirit that animated you, and to-day the South
and the North are grasping hands like band of
brothers around the altar of our common country,
and they are vieing with you in proclaiming as
the motto of the Nation, 1.-The Union, one and
inseparable, now and forever"
Need pause to speak of your bravery and
self sacrifcing patriotism; and need 1 pause to
congratulate you that you survive to behold the
magnificent results of your sacrifices, suferings
and heroic deeds2
And now, soldiers of the Republic, allow
me to remind that there is another kind of
fight in which you and we all are engaged. 1t is
conflict with sin, the evils that mar the we'll.
being of your fellows, and evils thatendanger our
future well being. And let me ask what sort of
fight are you making2 God grant that when
you come, as Paul did, to review your lives you
good fight"
The preacher closed with an allusion to that
last fight which we must all make with death
He spoke tenderly of General Grant. He said
he voiced the feeling of the civilized world in
uttering the thankfulness all felt that the nero
had thus far baffled the foe and expressed the
trust that in this last battle he would again be-
come conqueror He exhorted all so to live that
they all should gain victory over death.
CENTRAL-AvENUE M. E. CHURCH.
What Does Decoration Mean-The Lessons of