Evening journal., 1901-05-27
.HANDFULL OF
HEROES WORSHIP
Veterans Of the Rebellion At
tend Memorial Services
GENERAL J. Il. WILSON SPEAKS
Tears and SObS in Eyidcnce-AO-
table Speech Made by Colonel
Benjamin NieldS


participated in by the local veterans
yesterday They attended services in
several churches and held a meeting in
the Opera House Many were moved
to tears during the exercises when the
tales Of the dark days OF the civil war
We're retold by pastors and veterans.
Tears coursed down the SCARED cheeks
Of the veterans, and sobs could be dis
tinctly heard.
The Opera House was decorated with
flags. flowers, banners and bunting,
and the meeting began with selections
by a a choir, followed with prayer by
the Rev. John Shape.
Captain Peter b. Ayars was chair
man OF the meeting and introduced Col
onel Benjamin Nields, who made one
of the most notable speeches Of the
occasion. 1t was as follows:
We can confer no honor on the dead
heroes whose deeds we commemorate here
to-day We are honored. our nation has
been lifted up and honored by all nations
Of the earth for the noble ends and pur-
poses accomplished by these dead heroes.
The memorial services to be held on
acknowledgement of the great debt the liv-
ing of to-day owe to the dead who per-
lshcd and sleep In the graves, upon which
loving hands will scatter flowers.
The war in which these brave men feD
has no parallel in history Allow me 10
state briefly what / consider were some
Of the principal causes that led TO that
long, bitter and bloody contest. The peo-
pie in the slave-holding States claimed
the right TO take their slaves into terri
tories of the United States. where slavery
did not exist, and never had existed under
statute law. and to retain them there, as
they did their other personal property
lThey claimed that the territories belonged
equally to an Of the States and that thl
lpeople of each State had the right TO tal-l
their property into the territories and tina
what was recognized as property unde
the law OF any State should be recognize,
as property IN the territory. 'rhe people
Of the Northern States held that slavery
did not exist by natural rights; that prop
erty in horses, mules and cattle existed
by natural law. and that the enjoyment
Of the right to hold horses. mules and cat
tie was regulated by statute law, but tha
property in human beings could only exis
lby affirmative statutory law.
stephen A. Douglas then announced tn
doctrine Of "squatter sovereignty" o
popular Sovereignty. In other words
the right of the people of the territories q
settle the question by ballot. When tn
Territories of Kansas and Nebraska wer
lopened for settlers. the shareholders wen
into the territory Of Kansas with thei
/ N..TI h.t.
there. and the free State men went thor
claiming that slavery should not exist i
the territory. and that was the real be
ginning of the great conflict thar after
ward ended I'm so much bloodshed.
The people Of the Northern States wer
determined that slavery should not oxis
p I'm these territories, and the people Of IA
4 Southern States were determined that
+ should The people of the Southern State
4 further claimed that slavery was recog
r nized I'm the Constitution, that 1t was oi
p tablished by their state laws and tina
s slaves should DE recognized as propert
10 everywhere within the territories of IN
& United States And they further elaine
p that the people of the North did not Civ
"a cheerful recognition of their rights
p their slave property. which was true. An
@ when Mr.. Lincoln was elected wholly 4
s. the votes Of the Northern States, a
e Southern States then passed their ord
II nance Of secession and attempted to witt
l. draw from the Union of the States and
e destroy the Federal Government.
n Then commenced the greatest confi
d the world ever saw. The soldiers an
IS sailors Of the Northern States did n
+ enter that war for the acquisition of pro
erty; they did not fight for pecuniai
l. gain; they were not fighting for the pr
II lection Of their lives OF their homes. b
s. they offered their lives, their property an
re all they held dear for the maintenan
of the principles declared by our for
W fathers, who established this governmer
G. for the principal that all men We're bo
r equal that religious liberty. political II
erty and the right to life. liberty and 4
possession of property was the birthrig
of every man born I'm this country or W
ID became one Of its inhabitants; that I
ly union of the States should be preserv
,h and that the government established
s. our forefathers should not be destroy,
u. should not perish
a For this the bravcst and best In the Ia
n, offered their lives, and for this the tho
e. sands and thousands OF heroes, up
es whose graves flowers on Thursday ns
A. will be strewn. perished. II was for Il
n that such men as Grant President Hay
Harrison and Mckinley offered tn
lives
During the early days OF the conhl
IL when the clouds Of rebellion were cast
air their dark shadows over the land, J
in Harrison was then young man. po
on and with young wife and two little cl
ies dren to care for. He did not see how
could leave his wife and little child
helpless, and go 10 the war, but wi
Governor Morton, of Indiana, reques
,v. him 10 use his great intellect and pow
NJ Of oratory To induce men To so into
len army. adding; when you 40 ,iia
can return to your profession. Mr.. II