The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-11-02
MANY VETERANS
PRESENT
TOUCHING WORDS OF THE PASTOR,
REV. VI. L.. HAINES.
John w. Kern, Who Was to Be the
Principal Speaker, Kept Away by
uIness-DanieI f. Storms Talks.

auspices OF the veterans OF Ine GTdnu <AIHy
Of the Republic at the First Presbyterian
Church, corner of Delaware and Sixteenth
streets. The church was comfortably filled
when the services began. in the audience
being many veterans of the civil war with
their families, and also students from the
high schools. The principal address or
the evening was to have been made by
John w. Kern, but on account of illness
he was unable to be present, and in his
place, Daniel Z. Storms, secretary of state.
made a short talk appropriate to the occa-
sion. The notable address of the services,
however, was that Of George w. Grubbs,
of Martinsville, a veteran of the civil war
and a commander of the Department of
Indiana G.. a. r. The pastor of the church
Rev. NJ. L. Haines, opened the services
with a short tribute to Oliver p. Morton,
saying in part:
I'm the history of leading nations, there
are great periods and great men. Some
times it happens that one man gathers up
and embodies in his own life the chief char
acteristics of a period. 1t was so in the
momentous period of the history of our
country, a period to which this evening
our thoughts are called; a period which
eliminated in the most desperate war of
the nineteenth century.
w a GREAT DEBT.
GAS citizens of the commonwealth of
Indiana-a commonwealth whose name
among those of the other States of the
Union was to a degree obscured and
clouded by misunderstanding and prejudice
at the beginning of the civil war. we owe
10 Oliver p. Morton a debt which we can
never hope to fully pay. For it was
through him more than any one man that
this State was brought out of it's obscure
position. its weakness and ~crudeness, its
warning factions, and was organized and
developed and led TO the front of the States
of the American Union. 1t was the master
hand, the master mind and the master
will of Governor Morton that was the
greatest individual influence in bringing
this about. Measured by the arduous great
ness of things done 1 believe Oliver p.
Morton was easily the first and prince of
we have no broad plains or deserts here
in Indiana; we have as yet no wonderful
cathedrals. we have no high mountains.
lives of men of worth and power. And
among these lives, great in intellect, large
in wisdom of craftsmanship, farseeing in pa
triotism, was Morton. | rejoice tonight
that as citizens we can obey the scriptures
and give honor to whom honor is DUE; can
recall the memories of his career and char
acter and can gain through such recollec-
ton, a larger idea of what, under God.
American citizenship means and what are
the obligations vested upon us for which
these patriots gave their lives
COMMANDER GRUBBS'S TRIBUTE.
The address of Commander Grubbs was
a high tribute to the memory of Oliver p.
Morton. Maj. Grubbs said:
Meeting tonight in this capital city. in
this sacred place. in this annual memorial
service, we are far enough removed from
our great civil war to be fairly just in our
judgment as to whom and In what measure
- l.. H.
away. the noise of battle is stilled. We see
clearly, and we may, II We will, judge
justly.
Should the honors and sacrifices of the
great war for the Union be adjudged to
or appropriated by the army In the field
by the volunteer soldiers of the loyal
States, who, at the front and on a hundred
battlefields. shot rebellion and disunion to
death. would that not, in this good year
1903, seem a manifest injustice. an incon-
siderate judgment? Laurels bestowed I'M
equally, honors claimed without discrim-
mating justice. To-day let our broad adj
mission be: Honors enough for all. Let our
motto be: Justice to all.
Should no honor, no need of praise. re-
main for that patient, kindly, far-seeing.
heroic man, hat divinely-given leader, who
at Washington. distant from the front
charity for all, bore the burden of that
great struggle with unexampled fortitude
for four dreadful years and faltered not
that leader, patriot, prophet, emancipation,
martyr, greatest American, Abraham Lin
coin? May we forget, in bestowing our
laurels. that wise and steadfast body of
patriots. Seward, Chase. Stanton n their
associates. who. in Cabinet and council,
held up the hands of our chief magistrate
and steadied his sometimes almost ~fainting
heart? Shall we have no word of praise
for the fathers, the mothers, the wives,
who in their own homes and hearts, in
closets and on their knees, fought heroic
ing courage spoke in a thousand letters to
the boys at the front?
Have We no honors for that ~incompara-
bic body OF men who in Congress voted
money in almost measureless amount to
carry on the war and save the Union and
free government? Shall we fail to remem-
Der tonight that remarkable group of Gov
ernors who responded so nobly to the fire.
quent call for troops, who raised regi-
ments, fought disaffection, smothered dis
content, disarmed hostile criticism, and
were the right arm of the government in
the lays that were dark? Nay, more
shall we forget to honor that one greatest
citizen of them all, that born leader of
men. that u-nconquered and UNCOMFORTABLE
patriot, that sleepless. untiring man who
saw things. who dared TO do things. who
spoke when other men were silent, whose
words were flaming calls to duty and sacri-
fice-that man who gathered and cemented
into resistless force the dismayed patriot
ism of our State and held Ii steady to the
end. amid ANNOUNCEMENT. danger, con-
spiracy and almost revolution-that man
upon whom Abraham Lincoln leaned and
to whom patriots at home and in the field
looked for counsel guidance and wisdom
that greatest of war Governors. thai great
est of Indiana's great sons. Oliver Perry
Morton? Surely not. We have not forgot.
I'VE are met here tonight, citizens of this
capital city. where his notable life was
largely lived, citizens who were familiar
with his splendid figure on the platform
who yet recall the irresistible logic of his
argument and the dominant force of his
great personality, to recall somewhat OF
his life. to pay a growing tribute to his
great work for the Nation, to refresh oul
recollection OF his ardent patriotism. his
indomitable purpose. his lofty American,
ism. and therefrom to gather some needed
inspiration for the proper discharge of the
duties of citizenship to-day.
THREE PERIODS.
Looking at his life and career, it nat.
urally divides itself into three periods:
"Ffrst-His unexampled rise TO unaues
toned leadership in his party and in tn.
public life of the State prior TO the war.
"Second-His career as Governor anc
leader OF the war party in Indiana durinl
the civil war.
'"Third-His great work in the United
States Senate and country during the re
construction period.
In which was he greatest? Who shall
say? The point OF view OF the observes
would largely determine that. He wa.
great in each and all. He had clear vision
courage that never quailed. convictions tina
were fixed and immovable. Time and re
suits have vindicated the PRINCIPLES n,
espoused and the policies he advocated
The dominant thought of his life was IN,
integrity OF the Nation and the inviolabilit,
of the Union.
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