Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1867-03-14


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THAI Flag.
On Esiday last, tAreecwhite mon, and fifteen or
twenty negroes raised the American flag, IN front
of the town Hall, in honor it is said, of the pass
age of the S. S. s.. Bill, b. Congress
That flag, how languid it droops its folds. and
seems to refuse to float to the breeze and display
its gay stripes and bright stars Not as in DAYS of
yore, was it sent streaming to the gale hailed
by the lastly Shouts and deafening huzzas. thai
seemed to rend the very pulses Of the air. bv glad.
free people. That flag. once the ensign OF a proud.
free people, raised by a molly creMd of negroes,
in honor of an occasion, in which they iubilantly
proclaim themselves the political equals of that
race who.bores that Gag where itsgathezcl the
brightness ofits stripes I'D tie halo that cncircled
its stars with disc of glory
We were ia ght from tender infancy to love
and revere it as the ensgna Of free people
proud and happy under Its projection Its glories
We still cherish as rich legacy Of honor from
noble ancestry, of which neither time nor Vanda-
ism shall ROB Us In the past, how glad hearts
were won't to thrill with pride and JOY, When on
the-anhiversafy of our past political Freedom, we
were accustomed to gaze upon its proud rich folds
asst spread itself, gay panoply, over wor-
Shipping people before the altar of American Lib
erty. At Bunkerhill Brandywine in the Valley
OF Union Forge, at Yorktown and a host OF bloody
s;,lI. -
spray of the Delaware, tossed by the chilly night
wind, turned into tringes of glory upon its folds.
1t was the fit winding sheet ola brave and gallant
hero, when the noble and inagnanimous Lawrence
fell in his countrys cause.
In our time, how Young hearts leaped
when we were told. how, like A thing of glory,
that flag borne by proud, brave men, waved tri-
umlhartly DER the bloody fields of Mexico and
tlapt its bright folds it was borne by conquer
ing array through the streets % the proud CITY of
til. Moptezu,nas. ~ -
1t was loved and honored by whole continent
of people. and respected or feared wherever it was
seen. neither upon the utmost confines OF civil
station, onahe waters ofevcry known sea- or quiet
!, ,noored in the distant lialbor-at home and a.
broaa-t was the @gis Of Liberty.
But We come down thesscale of history to
times, these glorious reco!lcctions are
dimlned by sadder reflections, and the heart turns
six to see that proud old banner used as the gay
g"nftlons OF hreling mob, carrying the sword
and fiji ebrand othc hearts and homes of defence
less people. Its said that history repeats itself
and ii it does. then must this glolsous banner be
dyed in the red blood from those hearts that first
gave strength and impulse to the strong arm that
first bore it to glory and to victory, and be set up
the standard Of the Revolu,ionist to mark the
entrancc to the Base the site of the guillotine
That flag. the glorious emblem of the white
mans government it hangs too high in sight of
the uncoifed heaps of s;harres and blackened
ruins around, that mark the course Of the wand
sis march, its folds sink lisicsslr around It's staff
and hangs at half-mast. mourning the final
throw Of American Liberty and greatness 4