The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-03-13
HISTORY OF THE MONUMENT
Compact Between the Legislature and
the Grand Army of the Republic.
The Monument Was to Be in Honor OF the
Eoldiers of lS61-'65 and No Others Were
Thought of-Ths Official Record Produced.

the SC diers' monument The act OF au-
thoriza zion 70 known as Senate bill No. 3.
acts of 1851. 1t was introduced by Senator
Jan. 9. 1857, and was referred to
the committee on military affairs. On the
18th OF February il was reported back to
the Senate by Mr.. Mcdonald, chairman.
who is n Democrat. with the recommended
ton that IL be amended so as to strike out
all after the enacting clause and insert,
THAT the sum of 100000 be and the Same
Is hereby appropriated out of any money In
the treasury, not other wise appropriated.
for the purpose of erecting aiState soldiers
and sailors monument; said appropriation
TO be used in connection with such other
funds ss have already been or may
hereafter be donated and contributed
for said purpose" Then follow the
sections authorizing the commission.
limiting its cost to $500. 900, and providing
the machinery of the bill. The recon-
mendation of the committee was adopted
by the Senate. The bill that was ubsti-
tuted by the Senate for Senator Andrews
bill was the bill that was prepared by q
committee appointed by the q. A. II, j. L..
McMaster, of your city, and his committee
writing 1t. lt became the law. with one
6meUQLneUI, lUtlOuuCCu DJ ocuotOL is Os
johnson. which authorized the building
of a memorial hall, or hall and monument
combined. The bill was then made the
special order for Feb. IA. On that date
consideration was postponed until Feb. 10.
On the 18th. when IL came mp for consld-
GRAFTON. Senator Sears. a Republican. made
an able and eloquent speech IN favor OF
the bill. he began by saying lsoe Brewer
Reports. 1887. pages 427 and 42Sl:
The remarks I shall .Iake this morning will be
afmnlv dire0fAd Tn the mart the soldiers from this
commonwealth took IN the crushing OF the
mightiest rebellion known in modern times. The
by the passage OF this bill, composed a part OF
the great army that went forth from our own be-
loved state From the first campaign In western
0usly In the surrender OF the armies OF Lee and
Johnston, the flag of Indiana was borne with
gallant hearts and stout arms TO triumph and 10
victory.
He then traced the marches OF Indiana
Union veterans through the whole war TO
Appomattox, and concluded his speech as
follows:
Now, Mr.. President. in view Of these facts. in
view or the history our commonwealth has made
IN this war, i ask. on behalf OF the soldiers or IN
diana. that the rules be suspended in order that
this bill may be read q second time by title, q
third time by sections. and placed on its passage
now. Pass this bill, appropriate the money TO
erect this monument. plant its base broad and
deep, let it tower toward heaven, and on its sum-
nit plant the old flag these men loved so well in
their Lifetime, and inscribe upon IL in letters OF
III kut Ills IL QOlO W tuO kldlCAu DtO-
pie OF the grand old commonwealth of Indiana
To commemorate the sacrifices and death or her
sons that the Nation might live"
At the conclusion of Senator Sears's
speech Senator Barrett moved to postpone
further consideration OF the bill until Fri
day, Feb. 10, which motion was agreed to.
On the 18th the same day q formal invita-
tiOn was extended the O.. A. X. State En-
Senate as q body. The next day. Feb. 10.
the encampment in a body visited the Sem
ate. The Journal and Brewer reports say
that business was suspended, and that De-
partment Commander Thomas w. Bennett
and members were presented to the Senate.
The presiding oflcer asked Commander
Bennett TO take the stand. which be did.
After thanking the Senate for the courtesies
and honor OF an invitation he said: I'VE
are here for the purpose of presenting you
a memorial. The q. a. II. of Indiana is COM
posed exclusively of soldiers. We repre-
sent 500 posts and a membership of over
10000, and we come TO you with this me-
mortal, which was passed about half on
hour ago by a unanimous vote, MOI q single
vote against" The length of the memorial
preventsi its publication. insert two para
graphs that are In point:
We, The representatives OF the g. A. r. OF
Indiana. IN department encampment assembled,
would respectfully ask your honorable body to
pass the bill row pending for the appropriation
OF $500, 900 for the erection of a Stale soldiers
and soldiers monument. Indiana sent more
than 100000 men TO the field in defense OF the
Union. over 10000 OF whom did not return.
There was not an important battlefield OF the
Republic upon which their blood was not shed.
They stood for the integrity of the Union, its
Constitution and its laws. and 1t seems appro-
pirate that the law-making power of the state
from which they went forth should make the
cal parties OF the state have declared In favor OF
the measure in their State platforms
The memorial concluded az follows: I'VE
sre not moved by disqualification 10 pre-
ferring this request. but we do SO, rather,
In the names of our dead comrades. and be-
cause such a structure would stand as an
object lesson TO teach patriotism TO tie
youth Of our great State for all coming
tIne."
WHAT WAS SAID IN THE SENATE.
When the reading was completed. Hon.
A. &. Smith. President pro TEN. of the Sem
ate. spoke as follows:
Gentlemen OF the Grand Army of the Repub-
lic-As presiding officer OF the Senate OF the Fiji
ty-ftfth General Assembly OF the State OF Indi-
ana, 1 welcome you moss cordially TO the floor
without reference to divisions that
separate us on political grounds. / may say that
the soldiers OF Indiana have built an imperisha-
Bile monument for themselves, far grander, and
nobler. and higher, and more enduring than
the General Assembly can build by any law.
They have built for themselves a monument that
will shine brighter, aud grow In grandeur as the
pages OF history grow older.
The House had extended the same invita-
ton, and on the same day the G.. A. X. en-
campment visited the House, where they
presented the same memorial, and where.
while the u. A. Il. members wore on the
no0r, an effort was made TO suspend the
rules and pass q similar bill. but the mo-
tion TO suspend the rules failed.
Afterwards. on the 18th of February. In
the Senate. Senate bill No. 3 was again
called MP by Senator Mcdonald. who had
charge of it. During his speech in it's favor
he said see page 473. BREWER Reports. 1857:
/ hope no one will vote against this bill be-
cause IL proposes n large ex expenditure OF money.
There are about eighteen thousand or the BOYS
many OF whom went out as prlvates. When
theE came homo they were taxed 10 pay for sol
disrs bounties. They walked UP aud paid them,
AFTER serving three or four years IN the army.
Ia there any injustice or any wrong In the SOL
diers who went out and did their duty I'm the
Held asking that the people OF this great state
snail pay Tor the monument Both political par
are on record In favor of IL.
l here insert the party platforms of 1856.
The Republican platform said:
Lapse of time time does not weaken the graft
tude due the soldiers and sailors of the Union.
The Legislature should make q liberal appro-
priation for the erection OF a soldiers and sailors
monument at the capital of the State.
The Democratic platform contained this:
Resolved. IL Is due TO the memory of the
brave men OF Indiana who gave their Ives Tor
the preservation OF the government that a suit
able monument should be erected at the cal.stei
OF the state. and for that purpose we ask of tho
General Assembly OF the state q liberal appro-
priation.
The Democratic platform was reported
nV NuAOEna NJ AhapEl.. 49,