The Lambertville press. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1858-1???, 1861-10-16
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! CITIZEN SOLDIERS Il have the honor to day
of presenting to you in the name of the ladies
| OF this vicinity, the Star Spangled Banner ;
long may it wave Ger the home Of the free, and
the hopes of the brave. You have associated
yourselves together in a company for the pur-
pose of rerfecting yourselves in the manual of
arms. We hope that you will mere than sue
coed in your object and that each individual
of you will exert all his energy to accomplish
that purpose and, that you viii not only strive
to stand on an equality. but that you will strive
to gain prominence, and stand at the head Of
your department, not only of the county but of
the State This flag that am about to present
to you is the free Offering of yoar mothers your
wives, your sisters and perhaps some Of you,
your sweethearts. Though it is not the nature
of women to take eight in scenes Of bloodshed
and slaughter, yet she always honors the true
and The brave man, and never fails to spurn the
hypocrite and coward This assurance that she
approves of yoar conduct should stimulate you
one all, to try and not disappoint her expecta-
tions. 1t certainly is true, that in all our I'M
dertakings in which the approving smiles of wo
! men are not with Us, we cannot expect to make
much progress. 1t may become your duty to
, carry this emblem of your country's glory over
blood stained field, amidst the cannons lond
roar, and in the face of glittering bayonets AMI
| it may be the misfortune of some of you in the
] mad rush of battle to fall, when no mother, no
| wife, no sister will be there to wipe from your
brow the cold damp of death. Yet as your eye
| amidst the smoke Of battle, catches sight Of
these starry folds it will remind you Of the dear
ones at home, and the remembrance of their
| love will cast a halo Of joy around you that
nothing can dissipate but the cold embrace Of
DEATH 1t is true that in sickness and distress
there is no hand so soothing as the hand of those
of dear friends their very presence is cure
for thousand ills to which we are heir; but
| the active soldier must be deprived of these
and many other comforts, but he should not be
discouraged at every difficulty that besets his
path, he must often endure heat and cold in
their extremes fatigue and hunger in the full
lest measure all without complaining, when
forced upon him by necessity. This, ard to
obey all commands, is a soldiers highest duty.
These are the kind of soldiers the ladies will
welcome home again with smiles, with songs,
and with rejoicings.
Gentlemen. we would have you love this flag
with devotion pure and fervent, but we would
not have you adore the flag only; in your devo-
ton to the flag never loose sight of the Consti-
tuition, keeping it unviolated is our only chance
for freedom, loosing sight of it we drift we know
not where. You may launch upon the deep
blue sea ship, care not how strong she Is,
every beam, every brace, and every plank may
be in its place, rugged and equipped in the most
complete manner, Offered and manned by
the best of men; then place on board that ship
thousand human beings, without the AID Of
compass or helm, would one soul on board that
vessel be safe would they not be driven be-
fore every gale? could they expect ever to reach
the haven for which they started !? There scarce
ly could be q possibility of their doing So
Then is there not danger without the helm and
compass OF the Constitution that our flag may
be driven before the gale of fanaticism until VIC
are wrecked on the rock of military despotismi
1t will be your duty as soldiers, and we trus