Delaware State journal and statesman., 1862-02-28
FsbruA1y q2d, 1852,
Celebration Of tho 2ed OF February, at St
Georges, Dell by the Red Lion
Mounted Guards


The gompnpy after parade met In their Afm0ry Capt
Henry In the chair An appropriate prayer WAs onereu
by Rev D. H. Rmebpn. The following Wee the eSere'HsA
I. sword presentation to DR., J. Hayes Shields
DE- sHislil As commanding oalcOr /. ie my psasur-
able duty to present you this sword We ask you to
accept IT, not because Of any utlsc value may have,
for ts ht studded with htlapts noris itu scab-
hsrd AZ slver Ii Is NOT Tess valuable as manifestation
n our respec for and confidence you as the rst Bur
gBOn of Company. This simple Offering ~ also TO
hov nr anpreclaton of YOU az man for We have been
pleased with the urhlniy OF and correct general
department which have marked your course among us
The sword, Sir Y q very ancient oiisa tnaeea its @ h
the angel Gabriel whilst acting Ms sentinel on the walls
VI Paradise brAndished hsry s~od which turned svery
wAy Ever suee that day, the sword has been an
ble OF dsenrd and bOOdshei SO terrible has been
work. that 1t has been tad there y bnt one thing
mRhtiera the pen.n But this think lisa mere ngure
speech Imagery of the poet for AFTER me pen as 70
accomplish purpose the sword IS appealed TO AS DER
We ask Sir that you receive this simple token In the
spirit in which II Is offered and that you ute II only IN
defence Of tbs right and in such manner asbeeomts AL
oflcer CT the " Red Lion Mounted Guard"
DR. Shields said in reply,
the feelings you haze expressed, and with nigh regars
for this Company, which oa previous occasions mas zen
siratlvn, this beautiful GIN tho symbol Of my rank
strikes chord in the feelings Of my heart that word
refuse nay not the power to express. Be assured
gentlemen, feel the responsibility assume in accept
Ing this sword-a responsibility that older heads ant
souter hearts might we'll heAiiatngly assume, but from
on high look for the power and the ability 10 falhl al
that may be expected OF Me- How little, in The sprtn
Of 1891 when bade adleu 10 my hima l'let when MAJ
lust honpred me with the degree Of Doctor Of Medicine
aid ever dream that thus soon my country would
snysloped in the smoke Of civil Mari less au aIeal
that on the 22d Of February, 1862, my ieloweitzen
would place this weRpon n this feeble hand Lie, how
ever is full of such unlocked for occurrences Had e
moment looked the usupation Of the south and IN
indgnies piled heavenhigh on the North, should nc
have been surprlzed. They familiar to you all &
they written In the history Of ts government III
nations archives contain the bloody record. And no
let be remembered that with slight EXCEPTIONS the a
mnatraton Of this country han been in the hands Of Il
South for the last half century They have ruled th
country not by OF numbers or resources, but
unity action arising from supposed unity ofinsrei
That bond Of Union sarery For this they have aga
and again abandoned the settled ley OF our father
they have in every possbe way played with the prosp,
ily Of the country FoTths they have stricken down
chershed Institutions Of the North thus measuring Z
quantity and quality Of Northern iealty. For Il
peculiar institution every business has suffered
we have been driven from the shuttle to
ploW and from the plow 10 tho shuttle Tho III
Of our forges have bean put out, our collisres