Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1874-07-09

e been in
duced to-~ stco like that sent
to Mr.. Kirk. 1t seems to us that every
sentiment expressed in hat note must
have been repugnant to their feelings
and that they could not have been in
duced toperform so disagreeable a task.
except through the imperative demands
of an organization to whosc mandates
they had s,corn obediance. True, it is
claimed by some of the parties involv.
ed in this transaction that their objec-
ton was, mot to the flag, but to the man
who proposed to plant it." Ifthey can
derive any comfort from this view of the
$ we are willing that they should
have the benefit Of it, but it seems to
us that the unquestionable character of
the man, his standing as a christian
gentleman in the community in which
he lives, his answering devotion to
principle, his undoubted loyalty, and
the many sacrifices, he has made in the
defence Of principles which every
Union man holds dear, ought to be a
sufficient excuse for any minor faults
which his neighbors might find it nee.
essary to criticise, and with which the
people in general have nothing to do.
An insult, to the United States flag
is an insult not alone to the man who
bears it, but to the whole people who
have chosen it as their National stan.
dard. In a battle, the flag bearer is an
Insignificant object compared with the
flag itself. All eyes are fastened upon
that, and he receives no attention ex-
cept as he recedes or advances the
standard toward the enemies lines. In
the present instance the standard bear.
er done his work we'll and all praise to
to him for it! He had a right to plant
his flag wherever he chose, and those
who opposed it must bear the response
bility of that opposition.
The only question for lovers of the
flag to consider is: Who is responsible
for the insult offered to it? The Grange
as an organization processes to escheu
politics altogether but a committee
appointed by that institution, and au.
thorized to act for it, sends a request to
a Union man not to hoist the Ameri-
can flag on the 4th of July,-he refuses
to comply with the request and this
action Of the Committee is, so far as
we know, the exciting cause of the
subsequent attempt to pull down the
fiag-Union men, members Of the
Grange, who were present, felt the in
suit and promptly resented it. 1t is
safe to presume that they knew the
nature and extent of the responsibility
that rested on the Grange for that in
suit and the simple fact that they, who
were inside of the ring, and consequent.
ly thoroughly informed, felt it their du.
ty to defend the honor of the flag from
the insults ofthose who attempted to
pull it down is a strong argument in
favor Of placing the responsibility on
the Grange itself. 1t is for the Grange
to shift the responsibility if it can, and
for the sake of its future we advise the
members Of that body to take steps to
do 80 at once, but an outrage of this
kind is more than the Union people of
this county is able to tolerate or is will
ling to bear.
We have only one question to ask
and they must answer as best they can
Is it necessary in order to exclude po-
litics from the Grange to discard the
National flag?