Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1861-10-31

On preserving the coOrs OF the twenty-fiith
regiment, Tuesday, VIM. S. Davis, Esq,
made the following appropriate and excellent
speech:
MAJOR McCAFFERTY have beenrequest.
ed 20 present to this regiment in which You
have the honor to hold commission, this
beautiful stand OF colors, in behalf of the ladies
oil Worcester Ii is moi in the romantic spirit
OF the days Of knight errantry, nor is it mere
ly as token Of their appreciation Of your
patriotic vaor, nor Of their personal interest
IN your welfare that they ask its acceptance at
your hands. o. this appreciation and this
interest you can need no assurance.
1t is rather as the sacred symbol Of our
country, the consecrated ark Of its destiny
that they cousgn it 10 your charge, and it is
indeed weigliy and solemn trust. The flag
beneath which the foremost nation of the world
sprang out an independent existence, hallowed
by its association with the names OF Washing
ton--that sum Of all goodness, of Hamilton,
Gates, Greene, knox, Mad Anthony Wayne,
and hosts OF other heroes so familiar, and so
dear to us all, the flag that foated in triumph at
Saratoga, Yorktown, New Orleans, and at
Mexico, illustrated too by the achievements OF
Decatur, Hull, Bainbridge, and Perry the
flag which las never yet Jailed TO head even
though through reyerSes, to final victory.
What national ensign is richer i'll noble me-
m9sies Yet its historical significance is its
lead.
1t bears inscribed upon lis folds in Ian
guage Ineligible to all, Of whatever birth or
dialect, the sacred name OF liberty /
say, though much abused, and too often taken
in vain. Not tile mock liberty OF the French
Revolution, which was really license, nor that
of some of the socaIled South American
Republics, which is in truth despotism,
but true liberty. circunsCribed by, and up.
held by law-the liberty Of every man
to do what seemeth 10 linn good, pro-
vided only he ntringes not on the equal
rights OF his fellows. ! am afraid that having
enjoyed its blessings 50 long we do moi appre-
ciate them as we ought, and that we DO not re-
alize tile unutterabIe woe OF being berett OF it.
L sometimes think it is better appreciated by
our citizens OF foreign birth, who have known
the want of it, and who ARE so uobly contribu-
ting their myth in this great struggle for
our national existence. Think tor a moment
only what it has done for us. 1t has III
fourscore years increased us from 100000
to over 30 900, 0O0-from little line OF slrug-
Cling colonies on the Atlantic seabOard to Il
mighty nation, whose limits are the two oceans
and the waters OF tile great lakes OF the Gulf
"a territory which we claim was manifestly
created by the God OF Nature fJr single peo-
pie, circunscribed AS it is by these natural
boundaries, and penetrated as it is by that
mighty system of rivers which seem intended
as exclusively for single body polite as the
arterial system is Tor the body Of a single be-
ing. 1t has given us position among the
first nations Of the earth, in wealth and power
foremost Of all in political significance, the
benefcence OF oar government, and in all
things which 20 to make a people intelligent
active, prosperous and happy. 1t has made
us the refuge OF the oppressed, and the bright
md hona ,,f
who are yearning for the dawn of It's day
This and much more has liberty done for us,
and it is as the symbol OF liberty and OF her off
spring, these successes, this prosperity, and
this power, that the stars and stripes have been
regarded with such profound respect by other
nations, and with such loving pride and holy
reverence by every liberty loving American,
and by the believers in and workers for human
progress everywhere. The extinction OF no
other natolal nag could strike s".i-.;' -
Uue interests OF humanity, and entail such ca
lamties on mankind.
And yet, within our own borders, are found
race of ambitious, INSCRIPTIONS traitors,
who, thinking with the great arch traitor of
all, who took up arms against the all.Wise gov
ernment OF the Most High, that it is
'Better TO reign in hell than serve in heayen,"
to satisfy their own lust Of power, would rob
this banner OF all its proud significance; who
DOiuAl pronounce ludiltl CtilitlS-
ras, the sclt-evident truths OF the declaration
Of independence false, and the democratic in
situations under which we have thus h0urshetl
a failure: who are seeking 10 accomplish that
which would rob our history OF life and mean
ing, blot out the memories Of our heroic ia.
theirs, and make the life and ldbors OF Wash.
ingtOn and his c0mpatriots inglorious and vain,
by depriying them, at this late day, OF their
success; that which would tOpple us down
from our proud pre.emlnence, smear Us OF our
strength, and Glothe US in ignominy and
shame; yes, that which would roll back the
incoming tide Of freedom and extinguish the
eye OF hope
These, sir, are the men and the projects to
whose sutierance you are called to Contribute.
Receive then this sacred emblem of the cause
you 60 forth 10 uphold Preserve for it
its full significance! See to il, sir,
that the institutions il represents be NOT
impaired, and that IIe territory which
owes it allegiance suffer no detriment
aud that the love, pride, and veneraliun
which surge up against it abate nor, and that
the bright memories and clinging hopes which
cluster round II wither not away
But this eXhortation Is needless. The do.
nOrs of this banner may well congratulate them.
selves that it fails into such custody Sup.
ported by Skiliul and patriotic officers, many
ri whom, with yourself, in that hour OF our
country peru, went IOfLn 10 seemingly Ger.
tain destruction, determined TO save the capi.
tai or spill their lite.biood in its deleuct.
backed, too, by the intelligent, sturdy yconian.
ry OF Worcester county, than whom, il is eve.
rywhere conceded, no finer, Drawer set OF men
can be found in arms, influenced, all Of you,
by no paltry motives OF personal ambition, or
by the love Oi the excitement or the pump
and circumstance OF war, but animated by
that stern conviction OF duty, and that indy.
| ing devotion to country which have ever been
the harblnger andscreator of victory, no man
| doubts the final results OF your efforts
You Will encounter hardshps and priyaton
| You may meet with revetses on the field of
battle--as alas has already happened to our
friends OF tile gallant fifteenth, whose manly,
steady courage and intrepid bearing, as they
struggled on that hopeless, fatal field, beneath
the beautiful and now historic banner bestowed
upon them by the ladies' OF Worcester SO val.
lantly saved when all else was lost, though 1t
could not conquer victory, is the theme of
universal and unbounded panegyGic and has
given them distinction that tried and SCARED
veterans might well be proud OF. Oh. that
| tney had gained something more than mere
honor Sad, indeed, is the story OF that day.
| For the lrst time since hostilities broke out.
Worcester county takes home to herself the
great sorrow o! war Some OF her most heroic
spirits have departed, and deeply do we de-
| plore their loss-the loss OF brave. steady
trustworthy men from our army the loss of
: kind, faithful, true hearted husbands and IA
theirs, brothers and sons, from our grief strirk-
en- community. Let every sweet consolation
and kind assistance that sympathy and grail.