The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-09-20

quence was fully appreciated and at fire.
quent intervals he was applauded with
vigor that showed the audience was in
touch with him. He told the story of the
battle of Chickamauga, saying the names
of but few of the fallen were known. but
the courage and gallantry of all could be
remembered. In conclusion, he said:
'The civil war was caused by the Sec
uonal challenge to American manhood. and
by years of bloody and desolating war In
that war the American people learned to
fe eSch %ncn Is 1ne
unity BY that war the theory of the right
of the States TO secede from the Union was
forever eradicated from OR system of ma
tional constitutional government. BY that
war African slavery, which was the root
If sectional bitterness and was one of the
causes or pretexts for national contro-
flag of our country became at once the
emblem of freedom and the symbol of ma
tional power. As the result OF that war
subverted and the union of the American
people made perpetual
My comrades. we who survive TO this
day, may we all be grateful to that Divine
Being who guides the destiny OF nations
that we are permitted to see an established
n ace and re e lakes she to
the gulf, and liberty and law the all-per-
vading rule of our national life. We are
here to-day with malice toward none and
charity for ALL we meet as cidzens OF a
common country devoted. TO its interests
and alike ready to maintain its honor,
wherever or however assailed.
ITO my comrades, you who were Con-
federate soldiers during all the weary
struggle of the civil war, 1 beg to say
was proud OF your gallantry and courage.
never allowed myself to forget that
you were Americans. freely Offering. your
lives in the defense of what you believed
to be your rights and in the vindication OF
your manhood. You are now satisfied that
the result of the civil war established the
unity of the powerful American Republic;
submitted your controversies with your
battlefield, and you accepted the result
with a sublime fortitude worthy Of all
order are restored. and the South which
YOU loved so well and for which you
fought so bravely now blossoms with abun-
dant blessings
Gen. j. II. Gordon's Address.
Another patriotic tune followed General
Palmer's speech, and then the battle
Scared veteran of the Confederacy whom
Lee called his right arm"-John B. Cor
don, of Georgia--was introduced. He was
greeted with no less applause than was
accorded General Palmer, and he spoke
with fully as much enthusiasm and pa
triotic feeling. If one may judge by their
sentiments and the sentiments Of the thou
sands of Federal and Confederate veterans
who heard them no doubt the Sec
tionaI line between the North and. South
is wiped out. Those who have heard Gen.
Gordon before said it was the effort of his
life He spoke as follows:
Ladies. Comrades and Fellow-countryme
The illustrious Charles Sumner, OF Mas
sachusetts proposed In the federal Senate
to strike from the battle flags OF the Union
all mementoes of our civil war. IL is due
truth, to say that, in making it,, his spirit
was catholic and his patriotism broad; for
his purpose was 10 lessen passion. restore
harmony to the embittered sections, ano
unity 10 his divided country. His aspira-
tions were worthy of all praise, but MS ap-
prehensons that harm would come 10 the
our great struggle were MISREPRESENTATION
These apprehensions were due, doubtless,
to two causes. He spoke as civilian, and
not as soldier; he tnsn reasonso as as practiSsI %
statesman. Had he fought as soiuler ne
would PERHAPS have thought Inherently as
Senator; for ne would nave ,S promptlngs of
his great heart that the best soldiers were
destined to become the broadest citizens;
imnress their spirit of liberality on the
noiicv ef this -govssnsnezt. and that polit-
Zeal intolerance and ignoble passion cculd
not coexist with the hishest oroef Oh ,, roh; b;s
aee Or had he as q student, Drawn MS
inspiration, not from Roman policy now
ever broad and commendable. but from
American history and cnaracter,issscs, hlsb anu
s,,pved the Soldiers on both sizes. he might
have known that sectional bitterness couiu
not long survive the cessation aen oa aes,sn even
an,idst the darkness around him the DAWN
ing of the coming DAY.
UNIQUE CHAPTER IN HISTORY.
"Rut Mr. Sumner was hot the only states
man who then believed that the preserva-
ton of war memories was the perpetuation
Of war passions. He was not the only one
who failed TO appreciate the mighty changes
which were to be wrought by time; or the
halloving effects of great trials and sor-
rows upon the tempers of a people; or the
eleyating, ennobling and unifying power
of our Christian civilization and free insti-
tutions' Few, If any, there were who then
saw, as we see now, that the American
civil war, when fully and lrightfully UNDER
stood, was TO become the most unique
chapter in the worlds history: that it was
inevitable; that i came as .he anev'eaDae aulT
pefent to avert it; that IL was inevitable
because Ii was an irrepressible conflict be-
tween irreconcilable CONSTITUTIONAL construS-
can tenacity, by brave and truth loving peo-
pie, involving momentous interests and
rights. whose claim could neither be settled
nor silenced except by the shedding Of blood.
Few, did L say there We're? May l not
rather say there were none. Where are the
men who then foresaw, Tor example, lne
South's speedy recuperation, or even her
possible resurrection? l do not recall one
who. i'm that woeful period. which followed
the disbanding of armies, saw through the
widespread desolaton of this section her
present triumphal march to enduring pros
perity and social order. do not recall one
whose vision was clear enough or far
reaching enough TO catch even a faint
glimpse of these inspiring scenes around us
to-day; not one in any station or section
optimistic enough or audacious enough
to promise his countrymen the light.
and life, and fraternity of this
glorious hour. And what an n,l, hour
ii is. my countrymen'. An hour wherein
the heroic remnants of the once hostile
and now historic armies of the sixties meet
as brothers-meet on the same field where,
i'm furious onset through deadly fire they
rushed upon each other:
when shook these hills with thunder
rlven
And louder than the bolts of heaven
Far flashed the red artillery
when rank was piled on rank. borne
down bv storms of lead until Chickamau-
gas waters ran red with blood. What an
hour l repeat. is this, wherein these once
warning heroes meet TO lay in mutual conf
dence and respect their joint trophies on
the common altar-meet at the bidding OF
the common government to dedicate by joint
action Chickamauga field 10 common
memories and the immortal honor of all.
1T was Iamartine. / believe, who said OF
about-face' OF the universe. Our American
civil war was not an about-face nor
change of front by the friends of freedom.
II was an advance in the eauSe of liberty.