The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-06-07
The American Flag in Mobile.
PATRIOTISM OF THE GERMAN TURNER'S.
IFrom the M bile Nasionaiist.l

IRON the M bile Nationalist
Since the day the National forces entered
this city, the eyes of loyal men have been
gladdened by no sight so pleasant as that
which greeted them on May day. On the oc-
casion, for the first time since the restoration,
the old flag appeared in public, berne at the
head OF civic procession land we owe this
pleasure to the Turner Society, who march
ed through our streets on their way to the
festival ground, preceded by two beautiful Ma
'tional colors. We acknowledge that the sight
filed our heart with deep emotions of pride,
not unmixed with sorrow; sorrow that the
first public honorS to our common country
should have come from her adopted children.
1t may seem small matter to the people in
the North, that a body of stalwart men ven
ture to parade the Nationa! colors, under the
protection of National bayonets; and they
will be the more led to underestimate the i'm
portance Of the act, in proportion as they are
deceived as to the true state OF Southern feel
ing. by the representations OF men whose po-
sition in the State should at least be guar
antee Of the possession OF common sense.
The truth is, it is just in this matter of the
flag that the peculiar Southern feelings OF
twenty years growth show their most in
tense vitality. In public and private, this
emblem of the nation is the object ofconstant
contempt and hatred, and to do it honor is
the most defiant expression, of opposition to
the popular sentiment that can be made. 1t
is to incur hostility, against which bayoIets
are no protection. for it is that of public opin-
ion. The spirit that dares this is that of true
moral courage. We would recall two marked
public instances OF this hatred of the old flag,
of recent occurrence. We saw that on the
9th OF April, the anniversary of the Fire De-
partment, not only was blue even in the form
of flower. ostracised from the decorations,
L,1f fI,o vo1
ly chosen to avoid passing BY any United
States colors; also that the authorities order
ed down again national flag raised sover an
engine house. The other instance is that fur
nished by the Creole erglne company. Moth
ing showed more clearly the intensity OF the
sentiment here on this matter, than that
colored company were cowed into rejecting
proposition to carry at their head the symbol
of that power that alone saves them from alb
ject degradation.
All honor then to the Germans, who thus,
with true heroism, which only he who lives
here can estimate at its real worth, dared to
make public profession ola hated faith. To
them is again the glory of showing, as was
done throughout the war, that German
neither sells'hls principles moi de erts them
through fear. With them the question has
ever been not what was public opinion, that
they might conform to it, but where lies the
right, in order to do it. There have been
here or there exceptions to this nobility OF
character, for every people has Its unscruplous
and unprincipled classes, whose only aim is
worldly success, no matter at what sacrifice of
integrity. The majority, however, have
shown that steadfast loyalty to principle
which is the offspring of their national trait,
conscientiousness.
Southerners are apt to look upon this loyal
ty OF our resident Germans as a sort oftreach-
cry. There is miserable sentiment here, to
the effect that man should conform his SEN
timents to those OF the immediate community
from which he derives his support. A senti-
ment like this, that makes conscience subor-
dinate to interest, is an invention of the devil
and with all his so-called ungodlness, the
German has never so far forgotten the spirit j
ual nature of man as to allow him room tor an
instant in his heart for so degrading a propo-
sition. His heart and home may be in the
South, but his sentiments are national, and
he acts accordingly. ~