The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-06-03

country instead of mankind being benefited, in
stead of humanity and the rights of man being
satisfied. gadlatorial sports were all the care OF
men; that which was pleasant to the sight, nc
matter how barbarous it might be- was the end
the ambition of man in those days. So, then,
when we come TO consider what has been doLe ID
this country by these men Who have passed away,
we should consider. also, what has been re
ceived as benefit from the loss OF their lives
and what they have done for the country. For
one moment, let consider it. know IL mas
become fashionable now for men-at least they
call themselves men-to say that to speak of the
success of the Union is to stir up bad blood
and cause ill.feeling to be generated between man
and man; therefore, no one should alude to
1t. But whenever the time comes when we can
not speak of a government almost wrecked.
when the pillars beneath il were rocking and
reeling. when the strong arm was put forth to
STEADY those pillars beneath this mighty fabric of
our goyernment-when that time comes liberty
will be dead in this land. Our gov
ernment was being divided. the cor
ner-stone of our government was being
laid III slavery, and the chains of men dragged
them down to the lowest level of humanity That
was our condition. These men fought for what2
That the grandest government that God ever al
lowed man to organize should not cease to exist
but should be perpetuated forever for the benefit
Of the present and coming generations. They
went to war that liberty should not
be a mockery, that the word free
dom, in our land should not simply
time sham; but that freedom should be real
ity. and mankind should taste the fruits that fell
from that tree Of liberty. whose roots had been
watered by the blood of the best of this
land. Applause
What, then, has been the result? Barbarism
has ceased in our land; Christian civilization has
advanced; all classes of people in all parts
of the country have received q benefit
not only benefit to them individually, but a
benefit to their energy, their strength, their in
telligence, their growth, their knowledge of gov
eminent, their knowledge of the power of their
mighty country not only that, but knowledge
of themselves, love of liberty and respect for hu-
mainly was there. The government stands to-day
respected by all the civilized people of the earth,
the brightest star In the galaxy of nations, she'd
ding its light along the pathway of man that all
may travel in the light of liberty, and all may
reap finally the benefits Of that freedom which
belongs to man-freedom in the way of govern
ment, which gives him a right equal to every
other man to participate in the affairs of the Ma
ton, and to be accounted part and parcel Of
that which makes this country great and makes
1t respected. and causes it to be the land of lib
erty indeed, and freedom in fact.
Now, then, monument is to built to the
memory of the men of Indiana who died that
these things might be accomplished. Who is to
build that monument I hope the ladies and
gentlemen of Indianapolis will pardon me il l
speak plainly, for l am plain man and plain
spoken man. Monuments have been built since
the war; they have baen erected in many
States and places TO the memory Of the
dead: In fact some to the memory of some
Of the great officers who died during the
War and since. General Mcpherson, as noble
man as ever breathed the free air of heaven. to
MIN an equestrian statue was erected in the city
OF Washington. / had the honor Of delivering
Wall you allow me to make one inqury9
Who built that statue to McPher-
sonl Not the people who were not
engaged in war. but his old soldiers
Al - - Al
monument Applause An equestrian statue
proudly stands in one of the parks in Washing
ton city to the old man known as Pap" Thomas.
[Applause. May | inquire who erected that
statne to Gen George r. Thomael Not the
merchants, not the great kings of railroad cor
porations, not the men with millions in bank;
they were not the mon who did it,
but the poor soldier, who worked for
thirteen dollars month, who contributed his
dime, and his quarter and half dollar and dol
lar, to build that statue to that old soldier. O
my friends, could go on from until morn
ing and name monument after monument shaft
after shaft, pointing heavenward built to the
memory of the poor unfortunate soldiers who
died.. some without the knowledge of their
friends, and only remembered to-day
the roll as having died for their
country. To his memory in many places stand
those monuments Who built theml The
Grand Army of the Republic. These little or
CARNATIONS of soldiers built them because they
had respect for their comrades who fell fighting
for this land, for you and for me; that this
should be a land of peace, a land of progress,
land of power Now, then, will you
complain will those gentlemen through
ont the land who find great fault
that certain of US, if we happen to mention that
there was war at a certain time, say that it is
calculated to arouse illfeeling-will they not al
low me few moments 70 plead for these old
soldiers, and ask you what have you done for
themq / will not say that you have not done
your duty. will not say that; but / will say
this that there is not town in the United
States of America, where soldiers lived that
fought for their country, and died that that
country might continue for your benefit, that
ought rot to have monument built to his mem
DRY. Why, ladies and gentlemen, how long will
1t be before we will all have passed away? These
soldiers are now gray; they growing old.
Some of us that are not very gray are lot very
young, and in few years not one soldier in this
land will be left living that fought for
this government-not one; Are they
then to be remembered no more?
Are they then to be forgotten foreverq Are
they now, poor as they are. to erect monuments
to themselves. for fear that when they are gone
they will be forgotten by the coming generationsY
I hope and pray to God that this is not So Why,
those old flags that You see up there. all tat
tered and torn many Of them in shreds aud full
Of bullet holes, they the mere representatives
of the shattered forms of the old soldiers who
totter along your streets to-day. We are told by
some that these men, many Of them although
unfortunate, entitled TO nothing more from
the government than they have already received
] will not say that the government has
not cared we'll for the most of
them; that is trne. But it makes
no difference TO me where may land or what
may become of me. / want to say right now
and here that there is not one soldier out of
every five that served four years during
the war that is not suffering
man to day by reason of that fact; not
one. Applause Yet they are driven from the
doors; they are told that what they ask is un-
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS not to be given 1t is for the
country to say whether this should be done or
motor them To say, and not for me-
Now suppose you reflect for one moment. and
ask yourself this question: During that war,
when men were coming home, wrecked and shat
tered when your land was full of hos
pitals. and when your homes were full
of widows with their weeds, and mourning chill
dren, and mothers mourning for their sons--was
there one of Won then who would not mn Your