The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-01-11

I'm, Charles w. Smith and Benjamin F. lisYens
appeared and presented an address siVn Il oy
each indOTsing the boards action in recogniz-
ing the Mexican war.
Rsmonstranccs.
Subsequently a remoustrance, signed by GER
tain members of tho Grand Army Of ,he Re-
public. was presented to the auditor OF Marion
county. against the payment OF the last $4,000
in the coun Us subscription to the monument,
and asking that the IS coo already
paid be recovered, alleging that it
had been diverted from its leglti.
mate purpose. But the money was
duly paid 10 this CON mission. Nor has suit
been brought By the county TO recover the
money previously paid. but attorneys have
bsen consulted by certain members OF the
Grand Army of the Republic with view OF
bringing suit against this comm ssion for the
entire m unit received through that orsanZ-
on. lac amount OF this fund is shown in
statement from the books OF the treasurer of
the committee. IL appears from this
that the greater part of the money came fro IN
q few sources, namely:
Original Indiana monument association,
SS2i.36; Marion county. 10000; Ind suspo!s
May festiyG. IS. 229. 10; the Hon. w. H. Eng
l'sh. $1,000; President Benjamin Herri.on,
500; the hon. l.. Z. CanpbeiI. 500; Indian
apolls Journal company, SlOO. Ooi. Eli Lily,
$50: Mai. c. L. Holstein. as; max
ing sl7.45S 10 OF the $19,6ST94
received through the medium OF the Grand
Army of the Republic. the rest g, 1S6.04, being
in smaller subser ptions. and less than LOO OF
the sum having been realized from the entire
state outede of Marion county, after paving
$500 to the post at Rushvi.le and s45 10
the post at Greeneaste as first
and second premiums for the posts rails
ing the most money or the monument fund.
And the $4,000 subscribed by Marion county
has only been rsck toned as part of the Grand
Army monument fund by courtesy, the fact
being that the money was appropriated by the
county 10 this commission aud not 10 the u.
A. R.
The allegations in the foregoing resolutions
and protests are founded upon mlsappre-
hension OF the fso's.
Ia 1887 the general assembly OF the state APP
proprated $20d.0O0 and this commission was
appointed "for The purpose OF erecting state
soldiers and sailors monument, said appropr-
alton to be used in connection with such other
funds as have been. or may hereafter be, do
mated and contributed for said purpose"
Guided by the Law.
The commission has been guided by this
provision of the act creating it. We have re-
carried it as a state soldiers and sailors monu'
ment, ard have held that all moneys received
from sources other than the state were TO be
used for said purpose" as stated in the laws
aud We feel especially at liberty to do 60
when such moneys were transferred
to us without any sort OF reservation. The
particular phraseOlngy of the original subsorip-
tiona to the grand army. Gs we'll as that OF the
organ izatiOn in referring TO or asking for them,
applies TO the grand army and not to this com
mission and, since the principal donors them
selves have not complained. and the grand
army IA ted TO build monument. as con-
templatsd when the subscriptions and dOna-
tiOns we're made transferring, instead, Its iund
10 the state without conditions. aud after the
"Monagraph OF Indiana History" had been pub
lished RIn at a loss to understand why mem
bers OF the Grand Army OF the Republic should
complain now and enter protests.
Indiana's first connection with the military
organization OF the national government and
the record OF our military organization as q
state began during the Mexican wRr. when our
first regiments were formed and numbered
from one to bVe. Quit them aud the
list OF regiments 10 be recorded on the
monument would begin with the Sixth, leaving
the i've preceding ones uneecounted for and
causing the state to appear AZ having lost all
record of them, or as disowning them. This
would be IN ignomny TO us-not to them. To
forget to ignore the past 10 basest ingrati-
tude. born OF egotism and selGshnsss.
There are those who would place the work
on q level with monuments that are altogether
local. and which relate to but one thing, like
those erected by elites. counties and individ-
uais, forgetting that this iss siae monument.
epitomizing its history, exAlting its people, and
protecting its future by honoriDg the past.
Others would make IL a memorial to valor
only, ignoring the fact that valor is quality
which may be possessed by the basest men,
and that IL has often chsmpioned and upheld
she most ignobls cases: whereas. this is .