The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-11-10

M"hr uuARD-SPEECHEs OF GOVERNOR
tu!ItER ALkER AND CAPTAIN BAss.-Company B,
omaIker Light Guard,) CAPTAIN L. L. Bass
.oilmandlng, made most creditable Dr.
.aoe on Yesterday on the occasion of the
| presentation to them of stand of eolors
DY Governor Walker, after whom the com.
paay Is named. The company assembled
at thelr headquarters, on Broad street
1uu marched thence, preceded by Smitb's
bana, 10 the Governors mansion. Here n
large crowd, Including numerous ladies
and various State and city officials. had
ga1nered to witness the presentation.
!ne company being drawn up In line Mt
panaoe rest In front of the mansion, Co.
vernon walker came forward with the flag
in hand, and spoke as follows. he he,nn no fres r
quently applauded: :
0qptoln, Soldiers, Gentlemen-aU of the
Walker Light Guard: "'o
+bo T " nen l learned that you had honored
| tne communicating Chief by adopting his ma
the name of your organization. / fell II Iine no
anhe 10 you and myself that I should. at an
early day, make suitable acknowled dgment
ol Tue nlgh compliment you had paid me.
ana no more appropriate mode of doino
tpas occurred to me than to present yoT
| with stand of colors. = oA' ~"
In all times ard in all countries mill
lazy, organizations have been distiu g1ished
Dy thelr banners, generally designed to be
somewhat significant of the character and
purposes OF those who bore them. In the
| days of chiyalry, when chiyalry was the
synonym of honor, the Christian knight az
he wended his way through infidel herds TO
the tomb of our Saviour bore aloft the
white pennon Of his order, emblematic
alike of the sacredness Of the cause be had
espoused and the purity of the motives
which actuated him.
"Nations, too, have their flags and en-
blems more or less typical of national cha
racter. France bad her Lily-beautiful.
graceful, tickle; England has her Lion
bold. aggressive, substantial !; America has
her Easle-noble, powerful, soaring. But
Virginia has 'graven upon her honored
escutcheon the immortal genius of the
Commonwealth herself, with her heel firmly
planted upon the mailed tyrant she has
overtbrown, and holding forth her victc-
rous sword, proclaims that glorious le-
gend 6 Sic Semper IyrGnnis.'
eyes Sic Semper Iyr1nnis! Let it
sound along down the corridors of time,
the hope of freedom and the terror of ty-
rannv. This device, designed by the fathers
Of the Commonwealth as expressive Of the
real spirit of our people, is beautifully pic
tured upon the one side of this banner.
Upon the other is emblazoned the appro-
pirate and soldierly coat of arms of your
company, with its significant motto, SEM
per Pdratus.'
Soldiers, this banner, thus appropri-
ately inscribed, / commit to your keeping
with the injunction that you never permit
its silken folds to be trailed in the dust, but
rather that you keep 1t proudly floating in
the breeze, always prepared on your part
to do manly battle for the overthrow of ty-
ranny, oppression, and wrong, wherever
and whenever occasion may require. Re.
member that
Freedoms battle once begun,
'BfqGeIthcd by bleeding sire 10 sou,
Though baflled Oft Is ever won.'n
Captain Bass, in receiving the flag, spoke
as follows:
81 am deeply sensible that in attempting
anything that approaches public address
am ont of place, but feel confident that
the motive which prompts me will be duly
appreciated by your EXcellency as we'll as
my soldier comrades, and that the few hum
bic words ! may utter will be charitably re-
ceived. [ will venture on behalf Of the
company I have the honor to command to
receive from your hands, sir, this beautiful
stand of colors, and gratefully return their
thanks. Rarely if ever has so high COM
plimeut been paid to any military Or
guniZation by the Chief Executive Of q
State; and approaching the high honor
conferred, | receive it with the feeling
of just pride which / know fills the
breast of every member of the company.
It comes, comrades, tits true, from an
adopted son Of Virginia, but from one who,
though not 'native aud to the manner
born,' is so true to every interest OF our
dear Old Dominion that every one of her
true s,rs delights to honor and love him.
1t bears the coat OF arms and motto Sem
per Pardtus '-oI our company, and as we
all stand always prepared to aid in the over
throw of tyranny, SO are we always ready
to do honor, and only honor, to the name
we bear, and are always ready to respond
to every call Of duty" [Applause and
cheers.]
The formal presentation over, arms
were stacked, and the active, contributing,
and honorary members of the company
were invited by Colonel Owens into the
Executive Mansion, where they were
seyeIally introduced to his EXcelcncy,
aud all partook of refreshments. The
company then moved off; and after
marching through the principal streets
the parade was dismissed at late hour.
The flag presented on this occasion is q
remarkably handsome and costly one,
made of blue silk and trimmed with yell
low fringe. On one side is the inscription,
Walker Light Guard, organized April
10Th, 1871" surrounding an elegantly.
executed painting Of the coat of arms of
Virginia. On the other is the coat of arms
of the company and its motto, "Senlper
PdratuS." The staff is surmounted by
massive gilt battle-aXe and spear.