Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1876-05-24
flag PRESENTATION

nlteu Win the ltienus oil the Shciiuah
Guards, both young and old, to wit
ness the formal presentation of
beautiful flag. The Hall was taste
fully decorated, long line of small
flags were stretched across the hall
from one side TO the other over the
stage. On the flags, worked in ever
green, were two large letters as. g."
and the columns were wrcathcd with
maple leaves and evergreen. The
company numbers forty members,
we believe, and as they marched into
the hall last night presented very
creditable appearance, and consider
ing their age as an organization they
are remarkably well drilled. The
men are fine-looking set of young
fellows, and seem to take great pride
in their organization, which will in
time be not only credit to them
selves, but to the city they live in.
After the parade and the audience
had become seated, the badges were
presented by committee consisting
Of DIR. Douglass, Tim Eagan, Mrs.
Mclaughlin, and Mrs. p. B.. Murphy.
The badges are a present from =. G..
Ballingall and arc very beautiful.
They are in the form of a Greek
cross, attached to a rosette by a tri-
colored ribbon, and set off the uni
form to good advantage.
Mr.. Ballingall came to the front of
the stage and said that arrangements
had been made with Gen. Baker to
make the presentation speech, but the
General was unable, owing to official
duties, to leave home. A letter was
read from Gen. T.. III. Sheridan,
thanking the company for the honor
conferred on him by their selection
of a name--regretting his inability
10 be present.
The flag which is of the regulation
size, 6 by 6ia feet, is made of heavy
banner silk and surrounded by a
heavy gold fringe. and mounted on a
staff of new construction. From the
top of the staff hang two LARGE gold
tassels, suspended by heavy gold
cords. ss',a-
Mayor Tisdaie was selected 10 pre-
sent the flag TO the company which
he did i'm neat little impromptu
speech, as follows:
| CAPT. DAUGHERTY AND SHERIDAN
GUARDS IL am called without n mo-
mcnts notice to present you this flag.
Under different circumstances i
might hope to do so in words fitting
to the occasion. and even now the
sight Of your exact drill and soldier
ly bearing inspires me with courage
to stand before You and in behalf 81
your friends, the ladies of Ottnmwa,
to present you with this beautiful
banner. Take it. the emblem of all
we hold dear in the proud heritage q
our fathers To every patriot, the
sight Of it is an appeal to him to be
proud of his ancestry and yigilant i'm
defending and perpctuating the boon
of civil and religious rights which
|they bequeathed him. We know
that in peace You win cherish it. and
should the hour come when the Re
public shall call her sons to her de-
Tense that you will rally around and
defend it.
The speech was loudly cheered.
Captain Daugherty responded as
follows;
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN How
can l find words to express the
thanks of my comrades and self fol
this beautiful present. ] am sorry il
has been my misfortune, in early
life, not to have obtained that very
requisite art of public speaking
What would not give on this occa-
sion for the ability of our worthy
friend to speak to you in words be.
fitting the occasion. hope, however,
you will see'in our countenances, il
not in my words, the thanks we wonld
fain convey. SaE5 sGe $s
Now, ladies and gentlemen, pcrmit
me, on behalf of my comrades and
self to extend our heartfelt thanks
for the beautiful stand of colors, and
4 to say for them that If am at loss f0l
choice words, and the occasion should
lever offer itself and we are called
upon to defend that flag, YOU will
Guards unworthy the name they bear
much less the confidence reposcd il
them by our friends here, and tht
people of Ottumwa.
i Ladies and gentlemen, look at thai
God-given emblem, and particularly
I. the children of dOwn-trodden Ire.
land, and your hearts must swell with
a pride and gratitude that no nation
on the face of the earth is blessed
with. How often have l,when con-
il templating the grand institutions
of this country, and of its noble and
generous people, of their great arms
as it We're, thrown open To The op.
pressed of all nations. I hiiyc many
times thanked God that was citi-
zen of this glorious country--ls,
thank God tonight with all the fer
vency in me, that / am a proud citi-
zen of America
II THREE CHEERS FOR THE FLAG OF
THE UNION and that in the future
as in the past, we pledge ourselves to
defend 1t.
The Warmest spot in my heart, next
to God. will be this whole country
from the Atlantic to the Pacific, from
the Gulf Of Mexico to Lake Superior
1
At the conclusion of the Captains
remarks the flag was received by the
company with cheers, the band sl'uel
up the Marsellaise hymn, and thu
boys seemed about as happy as peo
pie ever get. After marching a few
times around the Hall the company
stacked arms and the regular pro-
grammc was taken up,
i The Star Spangled Banner wa
sung by select choir, after whicl
r. L. Tilton read Buchanan Reid
poem, "Sheridan's ride" in a very
ere ditable manner.
Tom Tobin read Major M oily,
and Miss Biddy Moriariy suns
"Wearing of the Green splendidly
Il The lst tableau "Crowning the Ma
tional Emblems of the United State
, and Ireland" with wreath of sham
! rock, was very pretty and called
forth IA cheer from the audience.
AT this stage Of the proceeding
the band struck up a hornpipe ant
Master Francis Edward Copple,
child less than four years of age
stepped out on the stage and danced
for a few moments, keeping tim
with the utmost accuracy. The it'll
fellow seemed to enjoy the sensation
he created hugely. +
\ The I'd tableau, representing TIL
"Soldier's Return" was well goitel
up and reflects credit on the partici
| nanfa The nro6ramlnp was yariai