Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1860-09-22

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noat N the fury end storm of sectional OF
national cnrf{ct; but ever ii triumph upon
the breeze Of gnIyefsaI feace knd tranquility
LApEs sIt IS with rSsitio and satisfsctios
TINT 4 appear hera to-daS, IN behalf of tho
= sATrnory Guards, 20 reoeIve. ut yoisr hand
this testiaCaid Of your eohRdonco and s.,
Tbs women OF our eosuth,r-s haze over Sos
| distinguished for their enthusiastic s3evo.io,
70 leYefy good cause, lwhetLsr ii be an ocoa
sion OF charity or % express their sI,urec;;e-
] ton. and admiration Of, an act of herofs,,.
or nobility or yet, only 70 eSinee their IN
teTest 70. and 20 offer their encoufae and
smiles to any who may be struggling fosus-
tain and extend some honorable and creditAbla
undertaking, And they have always been
| foremost IN renaering 70 the ceiebrafed oe
our own sex, the homage and praise which
Their deeds may have merited and IN PROV.
| ing their sympathy for, and their love Of.
that military spirit and valor which character
ize our citizens, and upon which ne must al
depend, under God, for our ia times q
danger. ~
From the earliest days Of our historystl they
have even been upon the side Of honor and
virtue and in the heart of every srte man.
they stand enshrined as the guardian afIceIs
of his life, and the solace Of his home.
The bell which, eighty-four Years ago,
rang ott to our country the glad tidinrtssof
liberty, fred with patriotism and salor. full as
many female hearts, rs those Of the stsrrar
sex; and in these days Of gloomy snss
pense snti heroic .aa1syi.lg, they nobly Soc,
brothers, and husbands in the sacred cause (
and did all, aye npsre than could reasonably
have been expected Of them, u strengthen
the arms of Liberty IN her deadly contest
with Oppression and tyranny.
1t was the ladies of Massachusetts, who
finally undertook, and carried to eompletiop,
the Buliker Hill Monument otter it had
langulshed for years In an incomplete and
unsightly condition, to tie Shane aud riortii-
hcation of every patriot 1t was the hdiss
of Virginia who first conceived the idea Of
erecting that statue to the immortal ClaSf
which has but recently Been completed and
inauguroted at Richmond, with grand andi
imposing ceremonies. And who does not
and gratest work, in having rescued from
neglect, decay and spoilation, the Home Of
Washington, thus securing it, as national
heritage, to US and to our children foreyer$
1t was asSouthern matron who first projected
the grand and noble design, and the women
Of our whole country have bravely respond
ed to her stirring appeals, and trfumphantly
consumniated her undertaking. For this
deed alone, they have richly deserved, and
must ever be entitled to our everlasting graf
itude and admiration, and the tribute Of ouf
warmest thanks and congratulations.
And now, to-day, we find here the ladies
of Harper's Ferry and Bolivar, worthy de-
cendants of their Revolutionary ancestors.
to deliver into our keeping, this flag. It's
the prototype Of that flag which has waved
on many q field; and, tho sight of
whose stars, emblazoped on their field of
blue, has kindled new fire in the glazing eye.
and painted fresh, but feeting, roses on the
pallid cheek of the dying warrior, and added
new vigor to his failing arm. a fag, which,
it has sometimes met defeat, has
never yet incurred dishonorl VIC viii prize
it-aye, d6dbEy psize it. Because y IS the
fagof our country, upon which those stars
have been Ijlaced onesby iso1e, by the indoml-
table energy and perseryeranee Of our peo-
pie, and which gains new hrilliaucy with tho
lapse of time, nevaass It Is the fiaes which
will be looked up 70 by. millions yet unborn,
and which is, even NOW, hailed the world
over, as the badge of Freedom and tae
herald of Liberty; because It will yet %aye
over great, mighty and united Republic,
and be recognized as the national color of .
people whose government shall extend from
the Paciics strand to the Atlautic,s beach5
and from the most northern habitable land TO
the southern end of this continent. Who,
then, could refuse to pour out his best blood.
to lay down his life, to offer as sacrifice, all
that he holds dear aud sacred, OF temporal
things, IN defence of a flag of so glorious
birth, and of such brilliant and almost in
credible destiny, baptized too, as it has been,
In the blood of our noblest citizensI
] venture to assert, that such a one could
not be found in this assembly, for sthe head
of the tabled Medusa changed into stone all
who looked upon it; so would this flag, as it
proudly waves in the sulphurous smoke of
battle, change into a hero every man who
glanced upon it, and leaving in his heart no
room for fear or wavering. No American,
who nonrished in his breast one spark of pa-
triotisul, could possibly fail to defend it brave
ly and dying, he could wish no prouder
winding sheet than Its ample and glorious
folds would furnish Finally, we prize it as
having been entrusted and presented to us BY
the Indies of this community. We accept 1t
as token of their kindness TO as, and conf
dence In Us; and, should the time unfortu-
nately ever come when our country shall be
assailed by foes from without; OF, your homes,
ladies, be again threatened with violence and
desecration by fiends from within, then this
flag shall be cast defiant TO the breeze, aud
around it shall rally these ranks, in seTEied
front, to meet the Storm, and become q bar
rier beyond which the tide of desolation shall
never roll. except it oyerwhelm and crush us
in its passage
Again ] thank you, sincerely thank you, in
the name of the Company, for this fatrering
manifestation of your appreciation, esteem and
confidencei and know meet with cor
dial response in. the breast of every member
of the Company, when / pledge them to pro
tect alike, with their lives, the honor of this
flag, and the purity and safety OF It's fair do
'noFs, the ladies -
HBy whose dear names we raise our swords on higb,
And swear for them 10 Hve, with them TO dis'
MR. CnAs. HoppIEorr Tho Armory
Guards who have elected you to the honora-