The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-04-10
AN ELOQUENT ADDRESS.
Colonel Charles DENLY at the u. A. II.
Fair at Evansville.
The War for the Union and the Heroes
WHO Fought an It-GaJIantry OF Our
spidiery OutrfvaliBg Greek and
Roman-IhriIlfng Incl
dents OF the Great
Strife.


G. A. 4. Post OF that city. From the Evans
vile Tribune We copy the address of Colonel
Charles DENLY. delivered on the occasion.
Colonel DENLY spoke as follows:
LADIES, GESTLENEs AID CoxRADEs-It is
not expected of me on this occasion that I
sh ould detain you with lengthy address.
There are other dudes to be performed here.
and social pleasure awaiting you from which
I must not long keep you.
We are here to day at an interval OF TWEEN.
ty years after the termination of the war of
he rebellion. The question as to when the
war began and when il ended, has frequent
~ been before the Supreme Court OF the
United States. The war did not begin o
close at the same time in all the States. The
States did not all tecede at the same time.
There were two proclsmations OF intended
blockade: the first on the 10Th Of April, 1861,
embracing the States Of South Carolina,
Georgia Alabama Florida, Mississippi
Louisiana and Texas; the second en- the 9th
of Al ri, 1861 embracing the States Of Vir.
ginis and North Carolina. In like manner
there were two proclamations declaring that
the war bad closed; one issued on the % of
April. 1866, embracing the States Of Virginia,
North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia,
Florida. Mississippi Tennessee, Alabama,
Louisiana and Arkansas, and the other
issued on the 10th of August, 1866, embrac-
ing the State of Texas.
so the Court holds that as to all the States
bat Virginia and North Carolina the war be-
gan the 10Th Of April, 1861, and as to all the
States bat Texas IT ended the I'd of April.
1896.
Technically, we are bound by the decision
OF tie Curt. But, practically, the war be-
gan the 18th day of April, 1861, when Sum-
ter was fred on.
On the 9th day of April, 1865, Lee sur
rendered to Grant, near Appomattox Court
House. On the 26th day OF April, 1865,
Johnston surrendered to Sherman. This
surrender practically closed the war.
This great contest lasted more than four
yeaIe. History tells Us that In the Union
armies 800, eco men were killed in battle, or
died of wounds or disease. 1t is supposed
that 600 were crippled for life. The
Union debt January l, 1866, was nearly 81
4)O.OOO,OOO. at one time the daily ex peoses
" sre s. 500 900. During the last year of the
war the expenses were greater than the en-
= expenditures OF the Government from
Warrington to Buchanan. / have not time
ms evening Tor eny detail OF the events of
the war.
I,s incidents are burnt into our memories
fnd will never fade. We recall the electric
shock that etruck the North when Sumter
was fired on; the springing to arms of hun
dreds OF thousands of men the abandon ment
OF ordinary business; the gathering of rsgi-
ments as men came from the shop the farm
the office; the camp life with its etrangeness,
Its roughnesS, its fun and its frolic; the part.
ing OF mother and son and husband and
wife: the flag with the coloIs of the sky''
waving over all; the enthusiasm; the guard
mounting the picket; the drilling; the trans
formation of the quiet citizen into troops
who formed square on the double quick, aud
by the bugle call spread out like fan, laid
down, got mp, advanced, rallied, retreated
guided by bugle note; the sklrmish, the
battle, the dead, the MANNED the dying. the
defeat, or, oftener still, the victory, and the
glorious ending OF q struggle in which free.
dom, and right, and justice, and the Union
won, for the perm anent benefit of the van
quished no less than the conquerors.
The future historian must analyzs for Us
the causes of this war.
We who were then living look In vain In
the political history of this country for
cause which would justify the South in de.
str0ying the union OF the States, which is
1.-The palladium of our liberties" and re pro-
ducing in this country the history Of ancient
Greece, with its discordant republics, its
strlfes and lealousies and incessant wars.
To use familiar expression, the South
Jumped before it came to the stlle" The
United States Congress had passed no law
that the South could complain OF. The
Fugitive slave bill was in full fierce
More curiously still, just before Sumter was
bred on Dakota, Colorado aud Nevada were
admitted as Territories, and not one word
was said In the bills under which they were
organized on the subject Of slavery. Douglas
had fought, and won, the long battle for
what was then called ''squstter sovereignty"
before the actual fghtlng commenced.
Abraham Lincoln's election was distsste-
ful to the South. He has since passed into
history as one OF the greatest and purest msn
the world ever produced. He was lawfully
elected President of the United States. We.
ourselves but the other day. saw the grand
and patriotic spectacle of President being
elected by l 100 votes, and so, 000, 600 or free
men acquiescing in the decision. 1t will
never be said again in this country that any
mans election TO the Presidency is cause for
war.
In the number of men engaged in the bat.
ties, sieges, casualties, in The new inventions
adapted TO war purposes. in the vast extent
OF territory which was the scene OF warfare,
In the Importance of the issues, aud the
grandeur OF the results, the war of the re-
oeilion was not surpassed bY any war of
which history makes mention.
Tie conflict between the Merrimac and the
Monitor Ievolutionizsd naval warfares. aud
abolished the existing navies OF the world.
Not less remarkable than the courage and
endurance OF the soldier, was his conduct
when the war wss over. One of the grsndest
ace Ia Inc career OF Washington was his sur
render OF his sword to the Continental Con.
gress Ehsn the war Of the revolution ended.
Auer our war million OF men in arms
when peace came, returned to their legiti-
mate occupations. There wss no riot or
disorder. l do not repine for you. NV com.
rades that office, wealth, houors have mostly
passed you by. You have glory enough.
Your names are enrolled forever in fame's
proud temple. Humanity will never FORGET
your eroism. Were not these sofiisrs
heroes2
Fresh from the High School. the College.
the University, young men or women, can
you Dsme me deed OF her0ism embalmed
in Ron az, Greek or modern history that I
can not parallel from our own war? Try