The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-09-07

10 Pittsburg. Pa. Equally harmonious vas
the action in the election of the three lead
Ing officers. John G. b. Adams being elected
commander-in-chief. Ivan n. Walker senior
vice commsnder-in-chIef.s aud j. c. Bigger.
of Texas junior vice cOmmander-in-c C hief,
by accIsm alton.
The welcoming exercises occupied the
6rst half hour of the encampment. COL /.
N. Walker. of the reception committee,
called the body TO order and introduced
Governor Matthew who spoke ss follows:
"Mr. Chairman { I'd Delegates of the G.
"A. R.--No prOudert -ivilege ever fell TO the
lot of Governor Indiana than is my
proud aud happ; privilege to welcome
within our state day representatives
of the remnant of 1T grsDd, patriot army
thss out one generation ago marched out
TO battle for their country. We have
looked for you and hoped you would come.
and now that you are here we rejoice and
feel honored IN your coming Citizens of
Indiana with n sacred memory of the past,
bid you welcome. Not only the voices of
sixty Thousand Indiana soldiers living rise
In cheering anthem 10 greet you, but from
the graves of thousands OF Indiana SOL
dIers dead there eX hales a blessing. sweet
and divine. claiming our memory TO their
deeds of valor. Unreasonable sacrifices and
soul-inspirlng devotion.
Such an occasion as this carries us back
with reverence In our hearts TO the stirring
times W hen yOu and yOur comrades. loving
she institutions of your country with an
abiding faith In its future greatness. and
firm belisf IN the grandeur of its destiny as
she hope end refuge of human liberty, re-
solved that rather than one star should
disappear from It's diadem you wOnld per-
ish In Its defense. And the thousands of
graves upon the battletields of our country
attest the sincerity of your resolve aud
proclaim that war has its mission, as
well as peace, TO push forward human CIV
fhZatioD. aid In the progress and enlIgh. ten
ment of the werid. and establish the prin-
ciples of great and beneticent government
on foundations that will last through the
centuries TO come. i believe that war is
ottentimes a sublime necessity, and has
often been the my ysterious agent used by n
divine Providence to accomplish and per-
fect great works In ard tor the human race.
So was in that war hallowed by the valor
and the memory of your comrades; that
the bonds OF union in the States
should be more firmly cemented-the
snackles be stricken from the linn bs of the
slave. and q form of government destined
60 be the grandest example Off govern
ment that has existed in the history of
man. should be adapted from the uses and
the purposes of "A nation of three millions
TO one OF sixty-tve millions of people: of a
governments whose area extended from the
Atiant TO the Allegheny mountains. To
one that now stretches out from ocean to
ocean. em bracing nearly every soil. climate
ana condition of the world. and accepted
rs a refuge and a home for all the O oppressed
and discOntented, to be placed upon the
brosd system that can com prise all nation
alitles and imbue them with the spirit of
liberty and faith IN self-gOveTBment.
1T IS said that one generation must pass
before the true history of q great epoch can
be written. but 10 does not. and
did not, require one gener-
alton to realize results that
came through your suffeTlng. sacrifice and
devotion. IL is not my purpose here to-day
To follow the history of those times with
which you all familiar-not TO recite
your courage J on stormed the height OF
Lookout MOuntain-iaeed the murderous
hre at Shiloh. or how your comrades
fell at Stone River-nor dwell upon
their suherings the drearv
marches through the Wilderness
the hopes and misgiyings OF VIcksburg,
Antietam or Gettysburg-nor iinger with