National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-07-24
MORE ABOUT THE FLAG IN THE
-- SOUTH

The Democratic, sham Conservative and
secession press of the South, sustained by q
few hot-headed followers among the oppo-
sition journals of the North, still insist that
THE NATIONAL REPUBLICAN is engaged in
arousing the forgotten enmities and bitter
ness Of the late civil war. The reason for
this charge, as we have repeatedly ex-
planned, is that we print record of current
news, and, printing it honestly without fear
or favor, are compelled to make public IN
deniable evidence of the existence of q
reasonable spirit in all Of the ex-rebel
States. This evidence is mainly to be found
in the fact that the Confederate flag is still
displayed as the emblem of cherished SEN
timent by certain classes, and that the Stars
and Stripes are either ignored as the ma
tional colors or are subjected to such insults
as the one related in the following extract
from Tennessee exchange:
{ "a difficulty occurred at Limestone depot,
Washington county, on the 4th of July. The
Jonssboro' Herald gives the circumstances as
follows:
"There was a called meeting Of the Grange
on that day, and members Of the Order from
all parts of the country, with their families,
were present. Previous to the meeting, Mr..
Alexander Kirk, the father of Col. George W.
Kirk, having large United States flag IN his
possession, proposed to raise it on thatday, and
was invited to do SO. Some dissatisfaction
having been expressed, however, by certain
parties, the committee of arrangements, con
sIsting Of the following gentlemen: George w,
Williams, Prof. W. A. Nelson, Aser Miller,
John Keebler and E. s. Mathes, addressed the
following note to Mr.. Kirk:
"'MR. ALEXANDER KIRK It is the wish Of
the committee that you do not put up your
flag at this place to-day. W. A. NELSON.
LIMESTONE, july ls7I.'
'Mr. Kirk, who was a very ardent Unionisi
during the war, received this in a spirit of in,
dignation, and determined to plant his flag OF
the grounds regardless Of consequences. He
did 50, and soon after certain parties under the
influence of liquor made an attempt to remove
it. This movement was promptly frustrated
by several Federal soldiers who happened tc
be present, some of them members Of the
Grange. One gentleman, laying aside hii
Grange regalia, was heard to say, That as be
tween that and the flag of his country, he pro
posed to stand by the latter"
We do not deny the fact that the enemie:
of the South may use the incident above
quoted for political purposes and to the in
jury Of that section; but we insist that the
persons engaged in the transaction art
manifestly responsible for that injury. 1
they persist in this open display of treason
able sentiment, it must be expected that the
direct influence of their acts will be to over
come the beneficial results which would
otherwise naturally follow from the peace
full behavior and truly conservative de
meanor Of the majority of the Southern
people. Our object in making these fire.
quent publications regarding this subject il
not to arouse feelings of enmity, but Il
awaken the Southern leaders and the South
ern people generally to due realization o
the harmful results of such occurrences. 1
they did not occUr, if the Confederate flaS
was not ''aoated to the breeze" and if thu
Stars and Stripes were honored as they
. should be, the opportunity to injure tn
South would not be afforded to its enemies
Again we say that the persons directly in
terested as actors in these occurrences arr
alone responsible for the unfortunate conse
quences, and they should be held TO Stric
accountability.