Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1867-07-18
A True Union Flag.

especially wEere the agents of the Freedmen's
Bureau have the control of such matters. none
others are expected to feel any interest in s.the
dear old flag than the class known as cum
conditional Union men" and the colored popu
lation generally. They neither desire nor ex
pect any man who participated in the rebellion
to be present. or have anything to do with the
raising of the national flag. Those who can
not give the radical couutersgn are looked up
on and treated as s'rebels," TRAITORS" and
outside barbarians. The flag belongs to those
only who can pronounce the shs5boLeth of the
party as it is taught and pronounced by the
grand sachems of the Union Leagues. 1t is
their peculiar province and privilege to dance
and sing around the s'bangtanged stanner,"
''down with the traitors and up with the flag"
Rebels have, and can have, under the auspices
ofthese Africanized guardians of the emblem of
our national greatness, no part nor lot in any
thing that relates to the flag
On the evening of the 3dinst the ssstars and
stripes were displayed from the top of tall
pine pole at the headquarters of the Bureau in
this place. This was done, not particularly
that it might ''wave DER the land of the free
and the home Of The brave" as in former times,
but to the chorus Of sup with the stars and
down with the bars 1t was run UP to indi
cate that We (the rebels were under military
despotsm, bereft of all civil rights, and amen
able only to The edicts and mandates of rulers
who possess more power than is welded by
any despot in Europe. Not to be ou+done by
the Bureau in patriotic devotion to the glorious
tri-colored banner, our estimable friend, M. B.
TAPLEY, ESQ.,, assistant assessor Of internal
revenue for this county, determined to put up
flag which should represent the civil authori
ty of he government in our midst, ifthere beany
civil authority. Accordingly, on the morning
of the GLORIOUS fourth at his Office at the
court house, he ''fung to the breezes Of heav-
en- without the aid of the self-constituted pa
irons Of the late Union, a beautiful banner
with stars representing all the States of the
Union as they ought to be, and will be when
restored to their former relations. In the even
ing Mr.. TApLEY delivered an address to a large
crowd Of his "fellow-citizcns, without refer
ence to past political relations. He said that
he felt much gratifed. though a yankee from
the old Bay State of Massachusetts, at the priv
ilege Of greeting them en- the anniversary Of
the nations independence, under the same flag
that had so long waved over our forefathers
and their descendants, and under which so
many battles had been fought in defence Of
the nation honor and the nations rights. He
said that although we had fought against the
''old flag" in the late War, we cannot but ad-
mire it when We associate it with the glorious
measures of the past. We should net look up
on it as the emblem Of oppression, even though
it may be prostituted to the ignoble purposes of
base men. He said Washington fought for the
liberties of which the flag is the emblem, and
that all the heroes and statesmen of former
DAYS had honored and reverenced it, He charged
upon the extremists of both sections the trou-
bles that had heen brought upon the nation,
and stained our soil with blood and filled the
land with the grases of the slain and it was
now the duty Of conservative men to work to-
gether for the restoration of the Union and the
recuperaton of the fortunes of desolated
country. He said we had all suffered, and we
should all labor to bring about peace, harmony,
and friendly relations between the discovered
sections. He took great pleasure in saying
that he believed if good men, North and South,
would unite heartily in an earnest effort to
save the land from the effects Of the war, we
should soon witness a better state Of things
than we now have. He took pleasure in say
ing that he had been treated with great respect
by the people Of Shenandoah, not only in the
discharge of his official duties, but socially.
He could not have been treated better by his
own people and SO all Northern men would
be treated if they manifested a spirit of for
bearance, kindness aad humanity toward the
people of the South. The people here had
been misrepresented by radical partisans for
selfish purposes. If any man doubts this, let
him come here and Judge for himself. We must
all act toward each other in spirit of con-
cession and compromise, and We shall soon see
( the end of the chief difficulties in the way of
reconstruction.
But We have not the space further to COM
ment upon Mr.. TAPLEY's address. We will
add, however, that by his urbanity of manners
and gentlemanly department, not only in his
official capacity, but privately, he has won the
confidence and esteem of all classes of
the community, except, perhaps, few of the
uncompromising radicals. In making his as
sessments of taxes he has sought to conform
to the letter of the law, 'swithont fear, favor or
affection" And SO it would be with the Bu-
reau, and all other government agents, if they
would seek to accommodate themselves to the
new condition of things, and pay less attention
to the behests of their party.
Who Wants Good Scales?
We call the attention of our readers to the