The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-01-14
IMMORTAL MEMORIES.
Gen. George A. Sheridan's Eloquent Lecture
at Plymouth Church Last Night.

In his lecture on Immortal Memories" at
Plymouth Church, last night in the presence of
a fair-sized audience, Gen. George A Sheridan
paid an eloquent tribute to the soldiers of the
civil war. He developed the thought that to
them was the present greatness of the Nation
due While the effort had OF the charac-
teristics of Decoration day oration the audi
paid it the compliment Of frequent APP
plause and listened attentivey throughout the
hour and half of its delivery. The General, in
the beginning, pictured the lapse OF time since
the last battle was fought, when the armies of
the Republic dotted their uniforms Of
blue. and the sunlight for the
last time glistened on the bayonets Of the
armed hosts. Many had come out unscathed
from the terrible ordeal, but he sometimes be-
heved that they had lost their last opportunity
to be named among the real heroes of thas
period. Then entering into the causes leading
to the war he said the same contest had been
waged for centuries by the people from whose
loins the American Nation came. But it was
fought out a new line in the clash of two civil
izations- In one section of the country the sun of
the nineteenth century was shining on feudal-
istic conditions, while in another it shone upon
freedom. The contest could not be avoided, but
1T might have been postponed. From the James
town settlement came the idea that dominated
the South. In the North was the Puritan. with
had the advent1rers of old England, who. grit
about by kinely privileges, sought to restore
their broken fortunes. In the North the
liberty loving Puritan, ready to smite the king.
The North was republican, the South royalistic,
but both were English. with the Puritan develop
ing democracy and the South adheriug tena-
cously to English IDEAS Thus the social condi-
tions of the two sections were far apart giving
to the North freedom of education, while il was
restricted in the South.
The South, he said. provided the issue for the
conflict with tremendous power In its attempt
to preserve slavery in asserting the right of
revolution would follow. The North could find
no possible escape. and the Puritan espoused
the unity of the Nation, while the cavalier pro-
claimed the sovereignty of the State. 1t was
ing with that founded on the rock of equity In
the wild storm of war that of the South went
down and the conquering army disappeared,
only, to appear again the best
Republic. Passing from this, the lecturer,
in fine and impressive phrase, contrasted
the physical, educational, moral and social prog
ress of the country within a hundred years.
ago would have looked only bay without a
SAIL New Hampshire was untrodden wilder
ness and Connecticut still struggled with the
savage Albany was the northerly point of civil
great lakes lay imbedded in wild forests The
inhabitants were 5000. 900. who lived mostly
along the ocean. Now in that bav once without
a sail are countless ships and within a radius of
ten miles are as many souls as there were in all
the thirteen original States. A century ago the
Americans bought nails. clothing, bells and all
things from Europe. They now compete for the
commerce of the world
In his closing remarks the speaker dwet elo-
quently upon the grateful remem brance due the
heroes OF the late war, and memories of their
patriotic and self sacrificing va.or that arc
treasu red in every home circle.