The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-10-23
"OUR HONOR IMPUGNED."
Speech to Delegations from Ohio
COunties-Tribute to Great Men.

COunties-Tribute to Great Men.
To the delegations from Morgan and
Washington counties and to the Boys Bri-
gade of Marietta, o., Mr.. Mckinley said:
My Fellow-citizens-Ye Yesterday we cele-
brated what was known as Illinois day
[ think to-day may well be denominated
Ohio day (Appause) 1 have been doing
receiving and welcoming to my home my
fellow-citizens and old constituents OF my
native State. / bid you all hearty welcome
people of three counties-Belmont, Guern-
sey and Noble-and l now face thousands
Morgan. This seems to me. therefore. a
very appropriate time to indulge in reflec-
tions upon the precious memories connected
with our statehood and advanced civiliza-
ton.
These representatives OF Marietta recall
to our minds that it was the first settle
have thought 1t might be timely to pay
some tribute to the great men, the noble
our civilization and great commonwealth,
for l recall many visits to Marietta and
remember with pride and pleasure my re-
ceptions there. Perhaps we are too for
getful of the heroic part of our noble an
cestors the first settlers of the Northwest
ern Territory and the five or six States
erected from its imperial domain, for we
Will not surrender fair Minnesota, the great
wheat and flour State, if part of it does
lie west of the Mississippi, your original
boundary. daughter and applause.) For
there was a time when Washington was
the only organized county in all that mag
nificent empire which stretched from Penn
sylania on the east to the Mississippi on
the west and from Ohio on the south to
the great lakes on the north-an empire, 1
say to-day, more majestic than was ever
presided over by any King or czar, because
majestic in the peace and plenty and pros
perlty which its citizens may quickly and
readily attain.
washington county may we'll boast of
a long line of eminent and patriotic citi-
zens, for they are the common pride of
COuntrV. no Of
fort of the memory to recall such great
and honored names as Rufus Putnam Mai.
Tupper Commodore Whipple Judge Eph-
RAIN Cutler, Return J. Meigs Dr. Hildreth
Ohio's greatest historian: DR.. Andrews Of
grand old Marietta College; that great or
ganizer of the volunteer army, General
Buell.: General John H. Eaton, Commission
er OF the National Bureau of Education;
of Sherman's. great march, General Fear
Ing. and that other splendid soldier, Col
ildebrand, distinguished in the battle of
Shiloh. All these come to mind as 1 speak
to you, but / miss a familiar face and
regret his unavoidable absence-that of my
er of the Iron Brigade, General Rufus R.
Dawes. to whom / wish the greatest peace
and happiness in his declining years. which
are full of honor and the happy recollection
of great deeds bravely done (Tremendous
applauSe.) 1t is such men as these NV
fellow-citizens, that have made our coun-
try great and deservedly distinguished
above all others.
Il never speak to a washington county
duulence, L never see the people from the
dear old town of Marietta. the first settle
ment of the great West. without thinking
of the boundless blessings the first set
tiers, perhaps unconsciously, brought to
their beloved country and to mankind 1t
Is impossible to speak to them without re-
calling the glorious ordinance of freedom
that passed the American Congress Julv
13 1871, with but one dissenting VOTE Well
has Bancroft said of it:
. An interlude in Congress between the
permanent disbanding of the old Confed-
eracy and the adoption of the new Consti-
tution) was shaping the character and
destiny of the United States of America
Sublime and humane and eventful in his
tory of mankind was the result it will
not take many words to tell how it was
brought about. Wisdom and peace and
justice for the time dwelt among men and
the great deed which could alone give con-
tinuance to the Union, came in serenity
and stiffness. Every man that had share
in it seemed to be moved by an invisible
hand to do just what was wanted of him
All that was wrongfuily undertaken fell by
the wayside. Whatever was needed for the
happy completion of the mighty work ar
rived opportunely and just at the right mo-
ment into place.
My fellow-countrymen. may we all be
inspired by the same blessed spirit OF
patriotism that moved the grand and great
men who founded our government We
have in the contest now upon us that which
commands the highest patriotism and