Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1861-03-26
LOCAL. ITEMS.

non Guards. Tie weather has seldom been
more genial, and all iiliuos were most pro-
pitious.
At 10 o'clock the Mount Vernon Guards,
! Capt. Deyaughn, assembled at their armory,
and after short parade through the streets
of the city, moved to the .Lyceum Hall.
The windows and portico of the building
were filled with ladies, whose smiles lent
additional animation to the scene, while the
sidewalks and carriage-way Of the vicinity
were thronged with spectators, apparently
much interested in the proceedings.
Upon arriving in front of the Hall the
Guards formed in line, fronting towards the
| Hall
The prelminaries of the presentation hay
| ing been arranged, the flag prepared by the
ladies was given TO the breeze. The flag
differs but little from the ordinary American
ensign. The stripes are precisely the same
! both ia color aud number. The blue field
in the corner Of the flag bears On one side
the inscription presented to the Mount
Vernon Guards by the ladies Of Alexandria,
on their 10Th Anniversary, and on the other
| side the coat Of arms Of The Commonwealth
of Virginia, with the motto "'Sic semper 7y-
rannis." The fag-statf is quite handsome,
and the whole affair is of the most tasteful
! character.
DR.. Harold Snowden then advanced to the
front of the portico and presented the flag
in the following address:
| Gentlemen If the Mount Vernon Guards Il
| have been selected by the ladies uf this city to
present to you this beautiful flag, to be accepted
| by you, as an evidence Of the honor and respect
they entertain for true worth and gallant soldier
| ship. Proud, [ know you are, and justly So ot
being the recipients of this token Of the ladies
esteem. What they approve, be sure is right, and
what they endorse, subscribe to- Receive it Ser
| scant, and guard and protect it a. you would
| your hearts most precious blood. remembering
| that it is no slight honor to bear an emblem Of
| woman's regard IF in the dim and misty future
all its stars should again glitter on its folds with
the consent of ALL and occasion should require
YOU TO bear it aloft al the head Of your company,
| what inspirations will you derive from the memo
ry of the bright eyes and sympathetic hearts Of
those who gave it; and, il it should happen that
in battle you are SO tired, worn and wounded as 10
have no strength to carry it upon its stall, and
would fain drop and die, remember but its fair
donors. wrap it around you, and your step will
regain It's lost bouyancy, your heart its departed
courage, your spirit its exhausted isor and again
will it be seen leading on its followers to victory
and glory.
Gentlemen, this dag is presented to you by those
who know how TO appreciate Il soldiers worth, and
who understand thu value Of Il iug. Love and
cherish it Tor their sAkcs. Love and cherish II for
its own sake. 1t is tie American lag-a good
| has--ono have long honored and been proud
of--one to the brilliant achievements OF whose
followers, we have listened in rapt delight in times
gone by rs they were told to Us by graudSires
--uuc that has done Us good s.ryicc aud one that
has never been diSgracel. If III any time passion,
or excitement, sense Of wrong, haS led our
countrymen not TO appreciate 1t, let US lament
| the occasion and the cause, and not dwell upon
either.
The American flag is the development of the
idea Of the perpetual unity of the States. Union
aud that alone consulted i'll its construction,
and adoption as our national flag. Its coiUrs
were obtained FROM those used sea and land, by
| the original States, when they We're Colonies its
stripes had their origin in the badges Of ribbon
worn by The officers OF the Revolution to distin-
| guisL thoir rsnk--they had no golden epaulets;
| their number, thirteen, from the first thirteen
| States and the stars were taken from the Con
| stclatinn Lyra, in the Heavens, because the Tyre
was the symbol Of harmony and unity among
mcn, and with it Orpheua once made ii journey
through HateS itself and put To sleep the Internal
| laws. Washin gton, Franklin, Lynch, Harrison
and Reed were entrusted with the preparation OF
the dag. and though they are now resting in their
honored graves, do you not sometimes imagine
Iu2t YOU Hear lncf Voices urging NIDu lic
o. the land, peace and good will toward each 9TH
en- aud dlprccLtng that spirit which is now striv
ing to perpctu all rend their country into different
IND hostile sections, and to destroy the compound
brilliant that now aaorua tho azure field vi the
nag Of their lcvisius.
ticntlemcu, upon your flag, i'll beautiful and
rich colors is painted the coat Of arms of the
State Of Eirg inin--thc Goddess of Liberty standing
| triumphant over the body OF ii crushed and fallen
The. SnlIfnrut rSDrt$SAl by this ,ieyIre
is worthy of Virginia al her brave chill
dren. Tyrants we're created bat for ono purpose
to be crushed by the people, and come they
| among in whatsoever questionable shape they
| MAY. Virginia, to whose commands you owe su-
prume Obedience, will always find the moans to
execute lhur doom. Virginia is our Common Mo
ther--lu her we owe love and lidclity--und tn her
we will cling, whether this gorgeous ensign,
"IInown and hOnored throughout the world shall
wave over lis, or not.
Gentlemen. prize dearly your flag its honor in
the Keeping OF the Mount Vernon Guards will al
ways lie safe.
Capt. 5. IT. Devaughn, OH the part Of the
Mount Vernon Guards, responded Us follows:
Most respected Sir: 1t Is with pride and pleasure
that present mySefbctore you upon this vccASon,
tn receive on behalf of the Mount Vernon Guards
this beautiful token of friendship which the ladies
Of Alexandria, through you, have So kindly be-
slowed upon us: and company We hail the
gift Of this fag--thc stars and >tripcS-togethor
with the motto of glorious old State, one ot
the greenest spots in our history, created by tie
warm and open hand nj friendship,
We feel proud that mission ~ citizen sol
dierS has not been totally in vain. We feel proud
a American soldiers that there beams upon
woman'S approving smile. God grant that BY no
act OF ours either in peace in war, We mny ever
fail TO merit womanS SMILES. There is something
in the character OF woman that commands the al
miration and merits the study of man the world
oycr 10 with me but 10 The battle field Of Next
co, anl YOU will find that it wumans hands
that raised nlolt ons gn Of freedom, when by
Il shot Of the enemy the Stars and Stripes had
been strikeu from the ratuparls. So may it
be in and i'll peace.
"'rhs star spnnglel banner, lang may it wave,
Der the land of the free and the home vi the
brave" (Cheers.l
Again ladies, We thank you for this token of
friendship. Ii will serve To cheer Us On in peace,
and inspire NJ in mcuiento OF the past.
The band then played the "Stur speng led
banner" and the tias WAS greeted with loud
cheers.
The military saluted the flag, and the ely
sign bearing it took his place in the line, the
company marching off and performing sew
era military evolutous in fire style, much
to the delight Of the assembled bystanders.
The Guards were accompanied on the
casion by the officers Of the 'Old Dominion