The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1876-01-05

breeze, bearing no inscription Of revenge or
suggestion of conquest. silently tells the
world its story, tells that its triumphS have
been victories of peace. The history OF
that flag from the day when 1t was first
raised sioft, with the sunlight of Heaven
frightening Its c0lors, TO the present
day when forty millions of freemen
rejoice under its protection, Is history
that swells the American heart with pstri-
otto pride. That history has no blot upon
It's fair pages. That flag never waved over
a conquering hero bearing back to his coun-
tsy the trophies and spoils of a conquered
foe. 1t never Haunted In the face ola weary
captive, lead in the train OF a triumphal
march. 1t never was borne before an army,
or floated from the mast of sn American
ship commissioned to attack weaker foe
for conquest or gain. Its battles have been
battles of defense. Its aggressions have
sas aimed to conquer q1,S peace: One S;nha6. hun
one hundred years and the stripes
all there. No nation has ever with impun-
ity insulted It, and yet wherever civilization
prevails it is honored and revered. But we
insensibly, at time like the present, let
our thoughts wander hack to the origin of
our nation as we contemplate the emblem,
remembering the growth and development
of that civilization which has become the
wonder of the world. We honor and love
the flag because it suggests to us the benfits
and blessings of civil and religious liberty.
It presents to us the idea of nation study
ing to develop it's own high ends, tree from
entaugling alliances, and devoted to
the attainment of true national glory.
It comprehends thu high and noble
theory OF government that presents the
broad world as a field for the development
of a common civilization, at the same time
holding in check the spirit of conquest,
curbiDg the ambition of the warrior, and
restraining the seli-sggrsndizment of those
clothed with official power. That flag rep
resents the
EQUITY AND BROTHERHOOD.
OF humanity in progress toward the highest
form of manhood that may be attained upon
the earth. The mere piece of bunting, with its
gay eoloring, were nothing to the American,
nothing to the world at large, If we separate
it from the theory and accomplishments
of our government in its history.
TSis flag that we honor to-day signifies to
US a hundred years of freedom. This flag
bears upon the field the arms of no man,
the insignia OF no dynasty, but tells us that
the ruler OF the state is a man clOtned with
the temporary power that the people confer
upon him. 1t tells us that God mas given
to no man here any evidences of a divine
right to reign. 1t tells that conscience is
unbound by civil courts or ecclesiastical tri-
bunals. 1t tells that there is no in he rent
virtue in ranks and titles, and that all law
is unrighteous, that bestows upon our fell
low man, with only like In naliensble
rights and capacities, advantages which
we ourselves may not enjoy. A government
that so guards and preserves the individual
rights OF the citizen, whose laws tend to the
development of the highest type or citizen
ship, can never become the aggressor ia for
eign warfare. The true theory aud policy
which our flag represents is 20 teach the
Ofh of nf a xuOrln honQffa
blessings of our own, not By the propaganda
ism OF the sword, but by the cOnstraining
power of example, by the prosperity and
happiness OF an independent people. There
is no lion coucbant upon our standards,
powerful aud great as we are. Our American
eagle is not bird of prey. Our flag
bears how no threatening device. Written
all over 1t In the clustering stars is the idea
CT union, and in union there is not only
strength but also peace. That flag can only
become the ensign OF oppression when there
is departure from the principles it typefies,
an overturning of the true theory ofgOvern-
ment that IL, for q hundred years, has rep
resented. During the century of national
life that will soon close, this flag has been
Il aching the old world silently, but surely,
and ste adily,
THE PRINCIPLES OF FREE GOVERNMENT.
1t has rendered the crown of France a
dangerous bsuble. 1t has given to united
Italy a constitutional government, con-
gress and a liberal king. It has fos-
tered the spirit of liberty in the
mountains of Switzerland. II has laid
it's hand upon the autocrat of Russia,
aud freed her millions of serfs. 1t has re
strained the oppression Of the house OF
Hspsburgh, and lighted the fires of liberty
in the Peninsula. Eoglsnd,, too, has felt the
power OF that dag, and the elective
Yet it has never waved over an
army OF American troops on the con-
tinent. No thrt atenIng fleet from our
shores has made demands at the ports of
Msrseiiles or Havre, Leghurn or Venice.
But our squadrons peacefully course the
English Channel, the Mediterranean and
the Adristic, rest quietly in the bay of Ma
pies, breast the British lion in the barber of
Liverpool, or gayly salute him in his stolen
fortress of Gibraltar, all the while silently
teaching lord and serf, duke and denizen,
the principles OF free government, and ex-
hiDitiug the prosperity secured to nation
by studying the arts of peace, and dill.
gently minding it's own business. Whatever
may be the future history of this flag, the
record and testimony OF an hundred years
are written. The past at least is secure.
Other nations have fallen, other flags have
nation, too, may fail, aud our flag cease to
be theme for patriotic euiogy. But that
time will only come when the mericsn
people desert the principles which the a g
has represented for hundred years. In
ternal corruption aud the ambitious sims of
bad men may prevail, and an oppressed
people refuse to gaze in rapture upon the
stars and stripes, but
PERISH TODAY THE THOUGHT.
Ii the flag has waved in beauty 8
century, the synonym of personal freedom
and national Independence, why may we
not hope that away down the progress OF
ages some millennial day of American inde-
pendence shall be celebrated, as we now
recognizs this Centennial of the nations
life? Why should thes3 stars fade out?
Has not the nation become strong and great
In unionf The principles of the American
constitution can not perish. Lst the union
also be perpetual, and let the grand old flag,
the SYMBOL of that union, wave on over
the land and over the sea, until the lesson OF