The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-11-04
Hon. VIII Cumback's Address.


The fame of Oliver Z. Morton, Indiana's
great war Governor, is secure. Oratory ana
poetry, eloquence and song can add nothing
TO it, The great crisis OF 1861 Is Stlll Iresh
in the minds of the citizens and soldiers
of that period. Fortunately for INDIANA
for the whole Nation, and still more Tor the
cause of human liberty, Morton was IN the
right place at that time and was equal 10
the great responsibility.
versary of his death we do honor to our
selves. We rekindle in our own souls
deeper and broader patriotism: We eaten
anew the same spirit that animated nlH-
We go hence from this memorial service
carrying with us a more determined ana
self-sacrihcing devotion to the promotion
of human rights, a cause for which he gave
his great life To me il seems to be work
of supererogation TO give In detail MS
biography. That is known and read ana
is familiar to every true and thinking
American. Allow me, then, briefly TO call
attention to the conditions existing when
he came on the stage of action .
The eloquent Edward Everett said: The
history of men struggling to be free, the
history of men who have acquired and are
exercising their freedom: the history OF
those great movements in the world by
which liberty has been established and per-
petuated forms a subject which we cannot
contemplate too closely. This is the real
history of the human family, of rational
immortal beings. Having before us to-
day the life and the death of one of the
great actors in the drama, the thrilling con-
test between liberty and tyranny, 1t would
seem to be oppOrtune time for such con-
temptation. AS the conservation of the in
herent rights of man is the only object
worthy the efforts of organized and civilized
society, so the record of the results in this
direction is the only history worthy the at
tention of the sincere student OF human
action and destiny. Thorough knowledge
of the acts OF the great leaders in the af-
fairs of men will furnish the completest
scholarship of human history. The stalwart
and loving minds and hearts that have
given their lives TO breaking the shackles
which have bound men, the heroic souls
who have overthrOwn and removed the
barriers that have hindered the upward
march of the race, who have lifted them
out of the darkness of ignorance and the
fogs of superstition into a proper concep-
ton of the significance of their own eX-
istence are the builders and makers of real
history.
To fully comprehend what they have done
in the past and TO apprehend and realize
their motives and spirit makes clear the
measure of our responsibility and equips
us more completely 10 meet the obligations
and duties of life. 1t not the work
of these leaders of the liberty-lovlng forces
TO increase the power and extend the boun-
great the individual man, 10 clear the way
for him that he may have what his Creator
gave him-the right of life, liberty and
the pursuit OF happiness, the unqueStioned
and untrammeled enjoyment of the same.
1t is the only work which invests human
action with the majesty of divinity and the
charm OF angelic beauty, and the actors
ening fame.
The men who have drenched the world
in blood that they may have the glory
of conquest and widen the area Of their
kingdom will be consigned TO oblivion, while
the true statesman and philanthropist will
never be forgotten. The name of Wash
ington will Outlive that of Caesar, and that
of Lincoln will be pronounced by countless
millions when that of Napoleon has passed
into the darkness and silence of the for
gotten.
A WIDE-REACHING CHANGE
Ever since the declaration of American
independence I'm 1776 the current of thought
and action has been materially changed
in all the civilized world from the con-
sideration of the glory of courts and king
doms, the pomp and pageantry of empires
to the elevation and development of the
individual man. All this comes from the
divinity that stirs within us II is this
that urges humanity to demand justice
and love righteousness, tina nerves the arm
and fires the soul in the conflict between
liberty and oppression. the great and
mighty struggle in all the past contest
Which from Its very nature admits of
no armistice or compromise. a conflict that
viii go on and on until everywhere in every
land and cline man shall stand erect i'm
full possession and enjoy of every nat
ural right. shall be disenthralled from all
tyranny, freed from the despotism of dog
mas and creeds, free III his body and in his
soul, singing in sweet harmony the praises os
the brave and thoughtful Dhilanthropists
who wrought his salvation. The assumed
right 70 own and compel in any Way d.
rectly or indirectly. the involuntary service
of another will then be buried TO know
no resurrection In our optimism we join
with our Whittier, "A devoted lover of his
fellOw-men:
% sometimes CLEANS upon our sight
Through present wrong the eternal right.
And step by step since time began
We see the steady gain OF man
II was not the gains Of the Nation i'm
armies or navies, or in territory, or in
wealth and power or that milliOnaires made
their appearance in "A mercenary age or
that combined wealth controlled the mar
kets of the world and robbed the poor and
oppressed la Dor. This was not the propbetic
of American poets. Ii was the gain OF a
completed manhood. gain I'm inIelIieence
in integrity, I'm social moral and spiritual
strength, Nigor and beauty. To attain to
all this growth he must live and move and
have his being in the bright sunlight OF
freedom under the fostering care of tho
government created by himself Hence The
establishment OF such government in 177s
by the founders OF our Republic was fhe
grand initial movement for the redenntfop
and elevation of man.
The faithful historian in the future win
emphasize that event as the beginning Of
the end or despotism and as the dawn of .
new hope for the race. Before thar tim,
the history of man reveals the painful fact
that tho common man had been the vjctfro
OF greed and oppression OF desDot; vino
had asserted and maintained the prenos
ferrous claim that they had a divine right
10 rule him and compel his service a claim
I'm itself blasDhefnolfS SIo