The national Republican., 1861-10-09
The Fiag-astsing at the Government
Printing Unice.

The 1ag.rasing 1t the Government Printing
0ifice came off at four o clock yesterday after.
noon, according to announcement At that
hour, a largo number of ladies and gentlemen,
including the Superintendent of Public crint.
ing, Mr. John d. DefreeS, andsll the employees,
male aad female, under him, rs well as a gOoaiy
number Of soldiers, had assembled in front Oi
the building, when tho following address was
delivered by Mr. G. II. Randan, an employee in
the office:
Friends and associates: In response to your
call, have appeared before you on this inter
esting occasion, to mnge with you in rearing
alof the bright and glorious ensign Of our colin.
try. There have been those who have dared to
sever their connection with their brethren ul
thor sister states, and who, not content with
| this, have presumed to erase some of the stars
which have tended to ender our country flag
| the more effulgent, and are in armed rebellion
against us. By what ght they have e,sslycd
to do this, they have not presented the slightest
show Of Justification or reason.
Arrayiug themselves in opposition to u dis.
tiuguished candidate FOR the Presidency, now
| deceased-.l mean the lamcnted Douglas-upon
a pretcsce that his principles denied them
| equality, they took to their embrace one
| equally high, holding the same avowed prin.
| ciples-I mean their Vice President, Stephsns-
! thus showing their utter want OF political hon.
es'y, and that 1t was more pretext for the
~s~6fse they have since seen f't to adopt.
| When We contemplate the brilliant apostro-
| phes, In prose and verse, which nayo been
| jgsty paid to its time hOnOred memories, linked
| as those memories are with the glorious past,
we are tempted to exclaim with the poet
| "Can such things be,
| And o'ercome us like summer cloud,
And not exite oIs pe3lal wonder"
Could the late Francis S. Key, Esq, the n.
| thor of that patriotic song, " The Star-spangled
Banner the memory ii whose name should
and ,uiH live as long NJ time shall last, BE pres
ent now in life, he would rebuke with ndg.
| nant scorn those who have thus attempted to
sully its bright escutcheon by their sacriegious
hands in the efforts they are now making to
| substitute another flag, call 1t by what name
| they please, in its stead, and overthrow the
| Government of our fathers; but. ike the i'm
mortal jackson, (who crushed the foul spirit of
rebellion in 1922 he sleeps beside the graves of
our revolutionary fathers. Let US emulate his
virtuous patriotism and treasure his memory,
If we would regard tho great legacy of Free.
dom which these heroes have bequeathed to us.
II we would look back upon the history of
our beloved Union, how many associations do
we iud connected with the achievements under
which that flag has been so successfully borne
how many gallant souls have poured out their
| lives in its defence that we might enjoy FREQ
dom and happiness under its ample and beau.
Gful folds. ..,.
| >If time were allowed me, l might run through
the various incidents Of battle in which it has
been borne with triumphant results, but that
would be work of supererogation, as these
are known to amost every school boy in the
land; nor do feel that the occasion would
warrant more than this bare alluson. Tho
planting Of the American Flag upon the ram.
parts Of Mexico is known to you all, as it is OF
a more recent occurrence, and you are all
j aware with what a thrill joy the intelligence
n of the success of the American arms pervaded
the hearts of our oountrymen throughout our
then happy land, among those living remote
from those scenes. But am depressing. We
have met here for the purpose Of hosting that
flag which we should, and ! doubt not, do re.
we're, cherish and honor-to be placed upon a
flag staff high above our heads, over this Gov
ernment building-there, we trust, to remain
with the pledge of our united protection from
the assaults of all foes, individual or national
Let us, then, know no other flag but that of
our ichole country with all its stars to irradiate
1 its beauty and its glory.
Upon tho conclusion of the address, a beauti.
ful flag was run up from each end of the build.
ing which, gently waited by the breeze as they
: ascended, expanded in beautiful style, and were
} received with hearty cheers and the waving Of
, handkerchief from the throng below. The
crowd thon dispersed, all evidently much pleas
cd with the incidents OF the evening.
| These flags were obtained through tho con
tributons of the employees in the various do
partments of this Off Q, and are both largo anC
T beautiful. One of them floats directly over the
, office of the Superintendent, in compliment t.
that gentleman.