The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-01-03

the patriotic priest alone. since
within Gibault'S little church Clark
met Hamilton on the momentous
occasion of deciding the surrender
OF deciding the surrender of Fort
Sackville. Upon this conference,
not only hung the fate of Clark and
his brave men, but the future of the
United States as we'll Official rec
ords of the occasion, make inter-
esting reading, while tradition adds
its more human touch.
Historic Utterance
After the first night of battle
around Fort SackviIle, Lord Hamil-
ton requested parley at the fort
gate for three days of truce. This
Clark refused in a curt note read
ing, If Mr. Hamilton is DESTROYS of
a conference with Colonel Clark. he
will meet him at the church with
Captain Helm, "a Feby, 1779." With
IN the church, according to history.
clark Vehemently' repeated his de-.
mandS Tor unconditional surrender
OF the tort on pain of massacre in
the event he was obliged to storm
Inc traditional version has if that
after Hamilton had proposed his
conditions of surrender, Clark. car
rying out his policy of intimidatine
the superior force, exclaimed. IF
you do not surrender uncondition-
ally and at once. by God, will give
every man in the fort over TO the
tomahaWk, and it may come INTO
my head to save the worst Offend
erS until the widows of those ~
have murdered can be brought here
to see their dead properly avenged"
10 discount the effect of this out
burst and the Americans implied
threat OF torture, the British officer
is said to haze called attention to
colonel Clark's strong language as
especially blaSphemous in view of
the place of meeting However. SO
the story goes, Father GibauIt
polntedly stated that to his way OF
thinking, intent was of far greater
Importance than action, and since
he was convinced that Colonel
Clark'S intentions were of the best.
1t would be more likely to suppose
that he had merely intended to
call Deity to witness his statement
and what could be a more fitting
place to do so than in the presence
Of Deity himself.
Plan Diocesan History
But whether history or tradition
Is more accurate in the account.
both agree on the far-reaching con-
sequences of this memorable con-
ference. Because of this fact, while
America shall last, an ever increas-
ing and ending line of pa
trlotS will continue to visit the scene
OF that stirring event, just as Amer
leans OF every color and creed make
pllgrlmageS to the Masonic lodge
room where Washington officiated.
or to Gettysburg, where the serried
ranks still seem to move across the
fields of wheat. For with the plac-
ing Of a monument to Father Gil
bault by the United States govern
ment, st. Xavier's-the Old Cathe-
dral-becomes not only a place of
worship for its own congregation,
but also source of inspiration to
every person in the ever widening
circle of those who have come to
recognize the Importance of this
spot.
The diocesan committee is pre-
pairing to issue an accurate history
CT the diocese, and this will be dis
tributed over Indiana early in April.
A large force Of men and women
is now engaged in this work. This
historical souvenir will not contain
a correct history from the days Of
the Northwest territory down to and
including today, but will carry nu-
merous pictures of historical places,
and men and women who have been
active in the affairs. of church and
state from the time of William Hen
ry Harrison and Paul " McNutt. 1t
is the intention of the committee to
prepare this publication in such
way as to cause its preservation in
the homes and Libraries Of Indiana
and other states