Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1861-10-16
Response Of H1r. w. T., Compton

MISS JOHNSTON:-By the presentation o.
this flag, and the patriotic remarks accom-
panying the same, the hearts Of the Gree
stone Boys" "a band Of strangers are filled
with thankfulncss TO you and the kind la.
dies of Dallas county, who ass sted in rear.
ing this banner; and also to God for his
goodness manifested toward us as n nation
in inspiring the fair ones of the South with
patriotic spirits, to initiate TIE matrons OF
| 76.
For this banner this beautiful banner of
red, white and blue |, in the name of the
"Freestone Boys" officers and privates, ten
der you our ardent thanks.
We have ever been proud of our national
flag. Under the Star spangled Banner our
fathers fought and dicd with their blood
they paid the price of our liberty, ihus max
ing that banner doubly dear to their chill
lren Under its folds we would freely have
fuilcn rather trn sec this favored land
ovcr-run or trampled under The foot tyran-
ny. But, alas sad to tell, that banner is
no longer dear to the sons of the South
No longer do we feel ready or will ing to de-
fend it. No longer does the sight of it's
stars and stripes gladden. our hearts. Never,
no never again, will we acknowledge it as
our nation ensign. That cluster of stars,
once tit emblem of the band of sister States,
is now severed twelve of its brightest
stars have, as with an angels wing, been
brushed away, and carried to place ap-
pointed them by an All wise Providence.
see, or this lovely flag, they blaze, er
this heaven favored land they float, bidding
defiance to all our enemies. Does any ask
why this change in our hearts and f1ag! II
so. we reply, the people of the South were
loyal to the constitution Of the U. s., and so
long as We could, by compromise or any
other way save submission, receive and en-
oy the rights and privileges therein guar
anticd unto us were satisfied. But in the
acton of people OF the North towards us, we
plainly saw that unless we resisted we were
a ruined people, They, by the election of
Black Republican Prcsiuent in the per-
son of Abraham Lincoln, manifested n de-
termination to suhiugate the South and to
degrade the anglo saxon race, TO level with
the seryilc African. We long bore their in
suits aud abuses. But the thought Of seeing
the fair ones of our land taken from the ell
cvated position in which God had placed
them, and caused to move in an uncongcn-
ial latitude, side by side with the negro,
caused our hearts to sicken and rccoil, and
inspired us with ceilings similar TO those
which reignc in the bosoms of the patriots
OF I6. And with almost unanimous
shout. we cried ''God avert such evils rr
give Us DEATH Determined never to sub
nit to such wrongs, We asked the privilege
Of peacably Withdrawing from the Union.
But we were not only denied the privilege,
but also threatened with coercion if we at
icmnied to secede We loved the Union,
bit We're driven to secession. South Caro-
lima led the way, and one after another fol-
owed. Ill the number in the once glorious
is twelve less. Refusing Ion
yer TO be loyal citizens of the U. s., ID be-
anne our duty to form a new government,
md rear new and different flag. This wO
ave done. BY the guidance Of the AL
mighty We have been enabled TO organize
nd arrange the best constitution the world
las ever known, and in the time of our
ounfry's need, God blessed MS with another
Washington, JEFF. DAVIS, the man for the
ines. And as was said of M apoleon, SO be
said of him, "A man without model,
nd without a shadow"
We have chosen a new banner. Here 1t ,
:. See how proudly il floats in the breeze.
'eautiful banner, thee we love; for thee
ave we discarded the Star Spansled bqR-
er We hail thee as cur nation iiag--
'aye. proud dly--wave on every wind. heaT-
n $ blessings rest upon the land over which
on float, aud whilst the sight Of thee in
,ires the sons of the soufh with courage,
lay il til the hearts OF the Northern fanat- {
5 viii astoaishmenf aud fear. We love c
II colnifv, and feel a deep Interest in all