The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-03-13

2CS.000 Union soldiers and sailors who
went from Indiana TO the war of 1916.
He also says that in talking then about
other soldiers they were always spoken OF
.'RevoIutionary soldiers" or soldiers OF
the war OF lsl2:" 1t is proper so add that
Comrade McNaster was not an Indiana
soldier; he went from another State.
To show what the Indiana press thought
was the intention of the Legislature In
authorizing tbe building of the monument,
/ quote an editorial from the Indianapolis
News of Feb. "a, 1881. the day after the
House passed Senate bill No. 3: The
House did we'll In passing the soldiers
monument bill yesterday. The Governor
will doubtless sign tho bill at once. and II
there be no question as TO the Legality OF
the legislation, Indiana boys In blue are on
the road to he honored as they ought long
ago TO have BEEN"
THE GRAND ARMY's DEMAND.
The foregoing is the legislative history OF
the monument act, copied from the official
records of the Legislature OF 1887. aud what
o leading independent paper thought, at
the time the LEGISLATURE acted. the monu-
ment was intended to represent. No other
soldiers than Union soldiers spoken OF. No
other war than that of 1S6l-65 mentioned.
And the boys in blue" were the soldiers
who were TO be honored.
/ wish to add: A Legislature is a
sovereign body. It is not bound by the
acts of it's predecessors. nor can it bind its
successors. Therefore, In interpreting Its
acts it 10 not bound bv the rules of courts
of limited Jurisdiction. The Legis-
lature can 60 to any source for
and intent OF lite predecessors;
hence it follows that the official records
of the Legislature of 1887. what the mem
bers said who disscussd the bill when 1t
~va ,., 44.,arnH phat thnu aafA in
ex explanation of their votes. what Mr.. Car
rick. who was q member. now says was
their intention then and what Mr.. Nc
Master, who drafted the act on behalf OF
the q. A. r, which act. as be drafted 1t.
was substituted for Senator Andrews bill,
10 competent, Legitimate evidence. All this
was presented by the G. A. K. committee
to the JOINT committee of the Legislature
of 1888, and yet in the face of this record
the "de faoto" would not enforce the plain
and positive act OF 1887. to build q State
monument in gratitude for the preservation
of the life of the Nation and in personal
honor of Indiana's soldiers and sailors who
died In that war, by commanding the COM
missioners, who are alone responsible for
the diversion. to complete lt In accordance
with the plain intention of It's projectors
and the Legislature OF 1887, that authorized
the State monument. The foregoing record
is so clear. and plain. and conclusive, that
am justified in declaring that the u. A. X.
demands are just and that the monument
commissioner just as wrong as error con
be wrong.
In the face of this official record what
man or PARTY eau afford TO permit the Union
Veterans monument to be desecrated by
| divertlng it to any other purpose whatever1
Who will condemn the surviving comrades
of these dead heroes for demanding that
| this sacred compact between the Legisla-
ture of 1887 and the q. A. X. to build their
monument shall be as faithfully kept as
these dead heroes kept theirs with the gov
eminent when they gave mp life itself in
order that the Union might be preserved
When these heroes went forth TO do. and.
If needs be. die. they knew no party; they
only knew their duty. Their surviving
comrades in 1893 will know no party now
until this monstrous wrong is righted and
the great work is dedicated to the purpose.
for which 1t was intended. This duty we
owe to those who have gone from Us. aud
are at rest. The Surviving comrades plead
for simple justice for IndIana's silent vic-
tors of the war OF 1875. They ask that
the law of 1857 be honestly and patri0tical-
| ly interpreted and enforoed; that. and moth
ing more. If the Legislature of 1898 had
been one of the people. and not one by rea-
son of an infamous gerry mander, this plea
would have been granted.
j. b.. CHEADLE. Dept Com.
4 ~FRANKFoRT, March IL.