The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1873-12-26
A DIsgraeeh Flag.

LEwIsBUR re-, Tenn, Dec. 10, IS,
To ne Editors Of the Herald and Nail:
Given: An American steamer sailing
on the high seas, commanded by a gall
liant veteran of other and glorious days,
which steamer is overhauled and carried
into the port OF Santiago de Cuba, and
her crew and captain inhumsDlv and
tiendishly butchered in cold blood, and
YOU have at once All epitome of the ecu
tan Question" As balance sheet to
this, We have a prOtocol-a delivery of
the ship-a salute OF the disgraced nag,
and other puerilities, which of course
atone tor ali the indignities suffered 10y
the American people. II the American
uStion longer submits ~ such gross and
shameless violations OF her fiag--if she
has not nerve enough to avenge the
blood OF Capt. Fry--if she has not patriot
ism enough to protect her shipping
wherever her navy rides the wave, then
does she literally deserve 10 be the
laughing stock of devils and OF fools"
for all time to come. If the Nirginius
was not orr ship, and sailing under our
Flag, why is she to he delivered uD"
ON a certain day? If she was not steam~
ing under our flag in mld-Ocean, why is
thai flag 10 be sAluted by cruel, re-
lentless Spaniard? These two PROPOSE
lions being true, was not the killing OF
her crew, murder in the highest and
most deViiish degree? Will the firing
tain dsy-will the delivering over of our
own property into our own possession,
wipe out these "blOats OF blood" which
stain the hands of our ancient friend
and ally" Will this satisfy our wound
ed honor and insulted dignity? Will
lhis give bsck to life the brave Fry and
his band? Will this insure our flag and
protect our shipping in the future7 Away
with all such. The time mas come to
strike blow which the treacherouh
SpaHiard will remember a. long ~ the
briny waves wash the shores of the
queen OF the Antilles For tar less
trAnsgressiOn of the laws Of civilized ma
tons, England would march Der armies
into the heart OF AbyssInis; France
would pour her legions in the deserts OF
Morocco; Prussia would marshal the
terrible Uhlans" again around the top
ping wall OF Paris; Russia would send
Cossacks on the waters of Tartary and
into the heart of China; even the sleepy
Turk would don his turban, and grid
himself with his cimitar, and under
new Solyman, scourge all Christen-
dom again. But alaSi America
the synonym of greatness-the of land
the tree and the brave-sbe must not on
~ suffer insult, cOntumely and disgrace,
hut is made to stoop still lower in the
scale and acknowledge her weakness and
confess her Inability TO sustain her char
acter among the nations of the earth, by
tamelv So bmitLIng to a salute OF her Ott'-
RACED fGg. 4 salute enforced is worth
nothing; d salute will mean something
when other nations know we eau and
UiL defend our flag aud our people.
Does any man believe that if Mason and
Sidell had been landed and butchered
on American soil during the late war.
that England would have been satisfied
with a SWjCei JttSiLGdc and formal deiiV-
erv OF her ship? We cannot bring our
selves to the belief that our nation has
sunk so low; we will still think that
there is life in the old land yet We
like the ring OF Forests words. We
love to hesr Gen. T. b. Smith proposing
a regiment 10 our veteran Governor.
We know that there is fire on the altar
still III the battle Scared South. We
know that he who would sRcrilegiously
lay violent hands on Our penates, there
would leap forth dart from our crumb-
ling shrine snd pierce him TO the heart,
FRY seems like one of our own people
a Nirginian-from the land OF lee and
Jackson be came. lie W IS murdered,
aud the Snnth feels the blood drilling to
her very heart! These things should