Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1862-10-07
Prom the Chiego Post, Sept. n.
The Casey Guards.
Flag Presentation

4 ttC SN@h Aillnolct Tic lTiou LEGION. Ner0
mostly recruited IN Joliet, and in win
| county. Governor Sam. X. Casey took an
| active part in the organization Of the com.
pany. The ladies of that city prepared q
very magnificent flag for the company
the handsom 1T flag we have yet seen. IL
is very large, composed of green silk. On
the front is the American eagle bearing in
his beak the motto, "E pluribus unum,0
and in his talions the arrows Of war, and
the branch of peace. On the other side 10
the royal harp" Of Erin, trimmed with
shamrocks. These emblems are yery
handsomely executed in oil. Upon the
banner is an inscription to the following
effect Presented by the ladies of JolieS
to the Casey Guards Of Will Co." The
whole banner is richly mounted and orns-
mented. -..f
This flag was recently presented by o
committee Of ladies to the guards, and the
presentation address by Mrs Fellows was
as follows:
CASEY GUARDs"-Soldiers of the Irish
Legion of Chicago:
In behalf Of the ladies of Joliet, | have
the honor of presenting you the Green Flag
of Ireland. OF its symbolic meaning, his
torical significance, / need not speak
You, | trust, appreciate and understand iSs
history. 1t has the magic power 70 sws-
ken in the Irish heart the liyeliest emo
tiOns Of patriotism. and all the endearina
memories that cluster around his once free.
and now oppressed home. This banner y
rich in historic associations, worthy -
mingle its graceful folds with the STARS
and stripes" of the land of Washington
la bearing this emblem Of the land of the
patriots, Emmett and OConDel, great re-
sponsibility rests upon you, countrymen
ofCorcoran and Meagher. You have two
fold reputation to sustain, that of the war
riors of the sea-girt Isle, and the present.
great reputation of the soldiers of Illinois,
who by their great deeds have covered
themselves with imperishable glory.
We trust you, like those -<ho have pre-
coded you, will by your love of Union aud
| American nationality, add luster to their
brilliant achievements, and inscribe your
names in letters of living light on the scroll
of fame.
You 20 forth to crush out one of the
most unholy crusades against constitution
al liberty that the world has ever known;
aud to maintain a governments formed by
those immortal men, who drew their inspi-
Iation from the God of the patriot and
martyr.
We shall welcome your,return when the
''star spanglsd banner" Of our nation floats
in triumph over a reunited republic. I
now. in behalf of the ladies i represent,
commit to you this stand of colors, with
the full assurance that you " i'll never see
it dishOnored.
In conclusion, we invoke for you aad
the Irish Legion of which you are q part,
destiny brilliant, honorable and glorious.
To which address Capt. ID. 0'ConnoY
made the following response:
Mrs. Fellows and Ladies of Joliet: In
| behalf Of the Casey Guards" most
gratefully accept this really magnificent
emblem of our nationality. The green flag
of old Erin has its story Of glory and fame,
and in blending it with the starry ensign
of American independence you have imi-
tated those skilful florists, who, in grating
one flower upon the stalk of another, pre-
serve all the beauty and fragrance of both.
| To you, ladies of Joliet, to whom we are
| indebted for this handsome banner, we are
| gratified for the taste with which you have
united the flags of our native and adopted
countries. The ''harp of OLE Erin" which
adorns one side Of this flag, carries our
memories back to days when the green
flag of our native land was borne by free
and independent people.
In the progress of human affairs Irish ma
nationality has become extinct, and from
the pictures ofnational flags the green one
of Ireland has been omitted.
But less than one hundeed years ago
men with brave hearts and high resolves
planted upon this continent a home and O
refuge for the oppressed. Here Irishmeu
| were offered that peace which was denied
them on their native hills were offered tho
| freedom which was refused them at home.
and that political equality to claim which
in their OWN country would be treason
Ireland owes this Union much. Her soma
and her daughters have found here an
| asylum suchias the world had never be-
fore provided for suffering and oppressed
humanity. For this the Irish heart has,
L trust, never wanted in gratitude, and
when this flag shall be unfurled, and it
shall float upon the breeze, whether on the
march or on the battlefield, / am sure that
there is no man in the Casey Guards"
who will not swear that the harp, while in
their hands. shall strike no note save thas
of the music of the Union.
Ladies, you have indeed given us cause
to be faithful and true to this land Of our
liberty. You see US before you, soldiers of
the United States-not unwilling conscripts
but volunteers in the war for the Union.-
You have given into our keeping a flag.
| covered with notices and emblems which
can never permit US to forget our duty,
nor allow US to fail in its performance. III
on the battlefield we shall see the proud
eagle and the axiom Of liberty-"E PlHi-
bus Unium," fall to the dust or seized by
/ hostile and traitorous hands, who is there
| OF us who viii not rush to its rescue. and
| die Tor Its deliverance, when he knows that
IN the degradation of that flag must also
be dcspoiled the 'harp of Erin" And
should it so happen that in the yicissi-
tudes Of battle, and the casualties of war
the green flag aud::emblems so dear to Jr-
ish hearts, shall be periled, who is there
OF the Casey Guards" that will not face
the cannon, resist the impetuous horse, or
scale the mountain side. to rescue, defend
and recover that loved harp, when he
knows that in its loss aud destruction trail
Torso heart will rejoice equally in the de-
struction Of the emblems Of the American
Union.
Thus you have united upon this banner
two great incentives for us to guard and
protect it. We canDOt permit this fac to
be degraded without being fasle both 10
the Union aud to our native land and
yet. ladies. as if these were not enough TO
make US faithful to our trust, you have adj
ded another Upon its fair folds is the
inscription, "From the ladies Of joliet
Fair hands and bright eyes worked this
banner for Us. and we would deserve never
again to be greeted by either fair hand or
bright eye. if we failed in preserving this
gift, not only from the possession OF the
enemy, but from the disbonOr and shame
that deservedly follows cswardice, or re-
fCsal to do our whole duty.
Once more, ladies, permit me 10 thank
you. we leave among you many dear
and tender memories Visions Of home
we trust. will ever follow US, and our
hearts will cling to the hope that when
our duty shall be done. aud well done, and
we come back bearing our flag covered