The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-01-30

history was suppressed in our schools, until a
soldier who found his daughter had gene through
American history up TO the civil war-had in
short played the play of Hamlet" with Hamlet
left out-and knew no more about the war End
what they killed each other for than little Peter
kin or the old gardener in Southey's poem of
the "Battle of Blenheim:" nor how the papers
showed it up, and the School Board and superin-
tendents got black In the face from shouting that
1t was the other fellow who was to blame; nor
how this very course of lectures was inaugurated
in part, as | suppose, to make up the deficiency
to the 600 pupils of our High school who left off
United States history where they should have
begun it, while their fathers and unces who did
the fighting, and their mothers and aunts who
stayed at home and did the watching, and work
something about it Mr.. Jones might well leave
blank leaf here. and all of us hope and pray
that the recording angel will wash out this black
spot on our record with purifying tears.
For surely this grieyous war; which struck the
letters of iron from four millions of slaves and
the letters of sin from forty millions of people,
who were cursing themselves with the crime of
either holding slaves or Of allowing them to be
held by Others will ever after this have place
in the humblest and briefest child's history of
the United States-for it was this, and only this,
sin the providence of God," as the preachers
say, and las measure" as the soldiers said,
that made the old songs of the Republic, the
'Star-spangled Banner" and America" truths
anu VRFlLleS, anu OrOuSnC CneIu up TO bu0 DlSH-
water mark of the refrain of the war, John
Browns body lies a-moldering in the grave, but
his soul is marching on"-one of the great songs
of human struggle and human triumph.
For the creator and upholder of this measure
has not left himself without witness in any
age, or in any sane mind The moral sentiment
against slavery which Mr.. Fishback portrayed
for the entire North and which had its persona
6cation in John Brown, who said he did not be-
lieve in moral suasion. but believed in putting
the thing throu Oh, still speaks to every man the
law after which this world was made. and that
law is love, whose other name is also justice,
even if it come with blood This is the subtle
force running through ali nature and decreeing
benefit to all. We call it progress, but it comes
through love and justice, and this it is that made
Mr.. Fishback's fathers generation better than
his grandfathers generation, and the present
better than both. 1t seems absurd to
complain that there were Abolitionists,
and black Abolitionsts at that Wrong
comes before the right in human progress.
1t was the Shareholders that made the Adolf
tionists. The sentiments of mercy, and love,
and justice are the natural recoil which the laws
of the universe provide to protect mankind from
destruction by savage passions, and nc Missouri
Compromise. fueitlve-slave law, can with
stand them. For this force is in the world and
it tends always to make the best better, and the
worst good. 1t frees the slave and at the same
time liberates his master.
'"Fhe solid. solid universe
Is pervious to love-"