The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-05-30

nation Is engaged in working out the
question of the age then the work of
our fathers will survive. But if we
have built as child piles his blocks
we may not have hope for the future.
God Behind All.
What is back of this government!
Why did you men of 81 go? | am
firmly convinced God is behind it all.
You men helped to solve the problem.
The one increasing purpose running
through history is the equality Of
man. A mere fact alone is meaning
less-a disconnected statement must
bear relation to something else before
1t can be understood. So when we
come to search the history of the past
we see the one idea that has survived
the wreck of the past has been that of
the equality of man. Everything
must be forethought before it can be
executed. Everything about us is the
result Of somebody's thought. All
along in the past man has been taught
to embody the divine idea of equality
of man in his constitutions.
There is a solemn march in which
all must join. The pillar of fire by
day and cloud by night that has led
through the centuries of darkness has
been the divine idea of human equality
Sometimes it seems it has been lost
sight of, but it always has been found
again within some mind. 1t was plant
ed in the breast of primitive man by
Almighty God. 1t is a longing that
shall never cease its movement until
it is voiced in all nations. The divine
origin of this idea was on the hills of
Judea, when the Son of God taught us
the new prayer-"Our Father" Oh,
veterans of almost half century,
yours is a great lineage. 1t is Of
those who have died in every race that
their principles might survive. In
your veins course the blood of every
martyr to his cause. This idea has
had a history among the great minds
of the world. After all, you were but
the means used when it became neces-
sary to overthrow slavery, which was
the great foe Of your time. Before
this awful crime, the great, the good
the rich, the poor, powerful and lowly
all bowed low. But for you in the
North to discuss slavery sounded the
death knell of the institution. This
institution had scourged the slaves to
market and could be wiped out only by
the shedding of human blood. Slav-
cry fastened it's own destruction just
as every great evil does.
You boys, who rose up against it re-
member the awful power of slavery.
You boys foresaw the danger. You
were the common man-thank God for
the courage of the common man. as it
Is often he who FORCES through and
brings about the victory that leader
alone would be powerless to accom-
plish.
Ways Not Meaningless.
You vowed slavery was an evil to
the nation and went forth In four
years there was no more slavery and
the matchless flag Of our country was
unstained. The American republic has
a divine mission and contends for a
divine end. You have seen the march
of advancement made by this stupen-
dous power throughout the ages. Have
our wars been absolutely meaningless
and but childs play? No, this idea
stood in battle with our boys from the
days Of Washington on down. You
boys were fighting for the same idea in
'61, and the light shone in your eyes
as you entered the smoke of battle.
Il am not afraid of the future. There
Is an idea behind this republic. You
men fought to preserve it and we of to-
day must fight to keep it through the
years. In the name of humanity and
liberty, again we thank you for what
you have done, as what you did we are
doing, for your sorrow is our joy and
for your great heroism.
Fought for Amendments.
What did your war mean? Was it
a mere fight between soldiers and lead
ers just for supremacy AS the re-
suit of the struggle the thirteenth,
fourteenth and fifteenth amendments
were made to the constitution of the
United States. One of the questions
of the present hour is called forth by
these amendments. You boys made
long marches. drank from worm in
tested and polluted streams. ate pro-
visions the worms would not eat. re-
fused compromises and rushed into the
jaws of He'll for the principles involv-
ed in these three amendments. You
did all of this and yet within the last
sixty days l have heard in the halls of
congress men say the fourteenth and
fifteenth amendments ought to be
wiped out
Want Them Wiped Out.
There are twenty five men in Con
gress who represent a vote purposely
dlsfranchised. South Carolina, Geor-
gia. Mississippi and Alabama sends
men TO congress to represent men of
color, upon whom you conferred the
right to vote. You saved them and
gave them this right, but not even now
are they represented in any way. Shall
we let them do it, shall we let them
have their way? Calls of No, no"
were heard from the veteransl for