The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-09-05

ing to you the citizen OF Indianapolis who will
speak To you tonight on behalf of his fellow
townsnon. indianapolis is very for Itunate in
having citizen who needs no introduction to
ah audience anywhere in all this land Ap-
riauseE q gentleman who, because of his dis
tinguished services as citizen, as a law-maker.
as soldier, and as the chief executive or this
country, Is known to American citizens every
where. mean, and now have the pleasure of
introducing TO you, our fellow-ctizen. General
Harrison, who will address you. Immense ap-
plausel.
When General Harrison began his ad.
drees OF welcome they cheered almost every
sentence he uttered. because every thought
was q clean cut gem. and went straight
home. When the applause had ceased. he
addressed them as follows:
Commander weissert, delegates TO the Twenty
seventh Annual Encampment of the Grand
Army OF the Republic, Comrades and Fellow Citi-
zens-Has not indianapolis already spoken to
youi Have not these gay streets these waving
flags, these smiling faces. given you assurance
OF welcome to the capital of Indianai Can add
anything to that magnificent demonstration
that has already greeted your eyesi
We welcome you tonight because we are in
ACCORD sooo,d with III you- ApPi.u.e distinsIishsd ned
Chinese because they did not. as he ssid, "ho-
mologate. tLaughterl want TO assure you
that you do, thoroughly. "homologate" with us.
gether PLEASANT to host and guests there
are mutual qualities TO be thought OF. There
must be sympathy between the two and de.
clare to you that citizens OF Indianapolis and of
tho State are In thorough sympathy
with tho organization and the Aims
% public ~ (Gre"t AHa applause. @ We 'uS Welcome me
you because sou have "the arduous greatness OF
things done" In behalf Of the Tag and of the coun-
try. (Applausel I see before me men who
stood with Thomas In the last shock at Chicka-
mauga, who hurled back that advancing. and
for IA time. irresistible wave OF rebel bay yonets
thatthreatened to sweep our army into the Ten
nessee. | look into the faces OF men TO night
who stood In the bloody angle at Gettysburg,
and throw back that desperate charge that,
II it had won. would have opened Washington
TO the reoei army: Applause look into the
serylce in the army have performed deeds OF
horoism and cOurage: who. riding with flashing
sabre over rebel guns, have carried the stars
and stripes To victory, Applause 1 look into
the tdces OF men. who. at the bayonets point.
have pushed back their country's enemies and
have planted its hass on rebel ramparts. LOOK
into the faces of men who have shed their blood
and dropped their limbs upon the battlefield,
and who walk among tonight manned.
dtsmembered. tnat the honor OF the flag
might be untarnished and the Union unbroken.
IApplause.l Can Indiana fail to welcome suchi
Our hearts and our homes are open To you. II
we bowed the knee to any 1t would be 10 you.
lApPiause.I Can 1t be possible that, Wills the
ssI xt,n N. he .s thsv great or, struggle are
GRAFTON has come on forgetful OF their great
achievementsi Has the moth of avarice the
canker or greed. so eaten into the hearts OF this
generation that they uImindful or these
meni God forbid. lApplause When the
great struggle of the revolutionary war was
1t has issued were valueless, 1t was without
credit at home or abroad. and too many turned
away. away from the just claims ~ Of the
from Cambridge TO YorktOwn the army pleaded
In vain for justice at the hands OF the govern
ment it had saved. but they had TO deal then
with bankrupt government. withou, the power
to redeem Its pledges, an impoverished people
who bad spent their all already In that eight
No such excuse can be offered now This coun-
try is rich In the great resources or these accam
ingratitude towards the soldiers OF the
land in their inability to meet his
just demands You are assembled 10 take
thought for those things that concern the inter
ests OF your comrades comprising this great
organization, and OF those who stand with
out it. The American soldier OF the civil
He was not tempted To service by his monthly
stipend. III there had been no other impulse
would have had no army. Tbe men who went
TO the front were not impelled Dy sordid pur-
poses or hope OF gain. Aud when the war was
over their thought was not of dependence
upon the government. but upon their own right
arms. tApplause.i | saw that great parade,
with the gallant and lamented General sherman
at It's head, sweep by the treasury OF
the United States, and there was rot
greedy eye turned toward 1t. Applause
Every eye was toward home and the hurrying
footsteps were bent thither. Every boy who had
been spared IN the great struggle was anxious TO
be again at the plow, or in the shop. or in the
had laid down that his coudtry might live.
Their hearts went faster than the qulckstep of
the march, on 10 the humble homes from which
they had gone out. TO the loved
they had left there. And all these
years. in every community, in every trade.
the soldier has been workman; his family haN
eaten of the fruits OF his own toll. AS long
God gave him strength or arm. ho wrought and
ate % the bread of independence;. Only
when - as have said before - the
parallels OF age drew close about the citadel OF
life. and tho arm that had wrought bravely
| for his country and sturdily for his family,
| lost its strength only then did hs turn his
Hpe for relief. tAppsuse THe @ Grand afnIIns Army
OF the Republic has rightly claimed that the
man who fell by the way IN the battle OF life,
from disease. or casualty, or advancing years,
should be cared for by the nation he helped
TO save lapplauseI. and not he dependent
| upon the township poor fund. | do not propose
/ To discuss the pension question Many Onsld-
ations limit me in the discussion OF IT. bat
may sag this, that when Congress.
In Its generous recognition OF the
law tor his benefit may and we VIII de.
mand that it shall he benehclally construed
/ tGreat appIause. IL is n familiar maxim of the
| law that remedial legislation is to have n favor
able Interpretation in theinterest or the evil he
| remedied Secondly. We may, and We do. insist
/ that I'm the administration of the law the sol
| diers integrity and honor shall not he wantonly
| lnpeached. lApplause. presumption will
| be indulged In his favor. We do not ask that any
/ who have fraudulently obtained "A place upon
| the pension roll shall be kept there, bat
| we do ask that other familiar maxim OF the law
! that fraud Is To he proved aud not presumed.
! shall be applied 10 the soldiers claim. These
general principles-and cannot 40 into details
Il think must he acceptable 10 every right
| thinking, patriotic man. We are impatient only
with those who start with prejudice against
the soldier.
Now INV comrades, / have to talk again tonight,
| and you will excuse me from further speech
Il Indiana IndlananOlfs