The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-05-31
AT A OLDIERS' HOME
Representative WATSON DELIv-
Frs DECOATIoN DAY GRAFTON.
Who Are Beag Cared for at WASH
tngfon b the Government.
lands IN OLD VIRGINIA
DELPHTS ORAOR SPEAKS TO MEN
WHO FOUGT EACH OTHER.
Exercises at Aft gton Cemetery and
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. and Dedi-
cation 4 Monuments.
to the indianapolis Journai.

Special to the indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, May 30.-The two fea-
lures of greatest Importance in Decoration
day observance a the national capital are
the ceremonies a Arlington and the Ma
tional Soldiers Bme. The grafton at the
home to-day was made by Representative
James e. Watsol of Indiana, who adj
dressed a patriots audience of thousands.
Mr.. Watson was at his best. He said in
part:
For eighteen hundred years the whole
earth over the Onfict between equality
and despotism wa, waged. but In our own
land IL ended-graldly ended-at Appomat-
tox In the final DEDICATION of the western
world TO liberty. soldiers of the rebellion,
yours Is a grand lineage. You are the d.
rect descendants o. all those who, in every
age and CLINE. have helped TO disenthral
mankind: Of all those whose souls have
gone up to heaven amidst the curling
smoke of funeral pyres because of their
devotion to principle; all those who. in
endured and died that humanity might be
Tree To you IL was given to greatly adj
vance a task so feeby begun in the very
infancy OF the race and so grandly con-
tinued under cloud and storm and amid
blood and death until at last, through your
combined sacrifices the spirit Of liberty
holds undisputed sway over half the world.
For centuries tyrants sought to crush
this spirit; they found 1T immortal. They
endeavored to kill 1t with the sword; it
could not be slain. They tried to shoot it
10 death upon a thousand bloody fields of
strife; IL came forth from every conflict
unscathed by sword and untouched by
flame Church and state combined to de-
stroy II; they found IL eternal. Ignorance
and superstition sought 10 overwhelm it;
they found IL invincible. 1t has survived
the wreck OF peoples and the crash of ma
tons. and to-day its radiance fills the
whole horizon Of the world.
1t was the inenfraffOn Of this idea that
led iumbu across the ocean to discover
. new land and give a new home to this
new idea for its perpetual empire. I'M
PEELED by this idea the PILGRIMS, led by the
u~nobscured star OF religious liberty, crossed
the trackless waste OF the ocean and
founded a new nation which, under God,
they solemnly dedicated to the equality of
men,
1T was this idea that has bathed this
land In blood. II was this for which our
fathers fought. Equal rights was en-
graved upon the flaming sword of Wash
tngton at Brandywine. at Valley Forge, at
Yorktown. IL was this idea for which you
struggled, for which these heroes died.
Equal rights shone upon our banners
through the curling smoke at Antietam, at
Gettysburg and at Appomattox.
1T was this idea which stood embattled
with Dewey in Manila bay, blazed forth
from the beiching cannon off Santiago, and
spoke from the smoking gun Of FL Caney.
And this idea shall never cease its onward
and resistless march, will permit no per-
manent peace in all the broad circle OF the
earth until all thrones shall have been
abandoned. all crowns and scepters shall
have been laid aside, and all men, who are
the only real kings, shall stand upon a
common level, each crowned with the
Crown OF authority and sceptered with the
scepter of the free.
Veterans. IL was 70 establish and vindi-
cate liberty that you fought, for slavery
was the real cause of that war. Whatever
other pretext may be put forth the his
torfan understands that you were but used
as the Instruments of progress by this all
.conquering spirit CT liberty that has ad-
vanced down the centuries with such i'm
perious majesty. No power in all the his
tory OF the world was ever more firmly
established than was slavery in this conn
try before the beginning OF the war. In
trenched behind popular favor. social DOW
ef. boundless wealth. a cringing state and
an uncensuring church, il deemed itself
impregnable. Before this crime wealth and
power fell upon their knees. The rich. the
great. the strong. the wise. the good bowed
low before its cruel might. The men who
spurned the Declaration of Independence
were called the friends Of the Republic
while those who refused to kneel were de-
nounced as the enemies OF their country.
Fer fifty years slavery ruled at the
White House. mad laws I'm the Capftol.
wrote statutes in the legislative halls and
dictated the policy of the executive cham
Der. Courts OF justice were its ministers.