The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1879-04-16

WAsu,yaroS. April - 1879.

WASulSuION. Apru IL 1917
The Norfolk City Guards. g rebel or
gaDization. from Virginia. on the anniver
sary OF the surr~ndcr OF Lee, 1T Appomat
tox. visited the National Capitol, and wer,
The guests of a local militia organization
of this city, designated as the Washington
Light Infantry corps.
For fear OF offending the visiting gray
bacss with the Stars and Stripes, the Light
Infantry corps omitted to carry the flag 81
our country 10 the procession on receiy.
ing their guests and visitors at the steam.
boat wharf. This act, caused the blood Of
the Union veteran soldiers OF the late war.
to boil 10 overlooking with anguish at the
sad spectacle rs they marched through the
streets OF the Capitol without the colors
and made the hearts Of the o~ne-legged
veterans blush with shame. The indig
nation ielt, was too much to stand in the
face of the threats of these black-hearted
rebels TO capture the capitol, that the old
VETERANS met together in mass meeting and
denounced the proceeding. Never since
the war has such a scene occurred. The
Union soldiers turned out in mass to give
vent TO the insult, and pursuant TO the call,
Grand Army Hall was filled TO overflow
~ DfJCIaIr WCAC nl8tC W ca lniOn
soldiers, calling attention TO the fact that
this was the second time within a year
thai a visiting military organization had
paraded the streets of Washington under
escort Of the local military organization
and studiously avoided displaying the
United States flag. Last year no less than
four companies from Virginia visited
Washington, all of whom failed 10 exhibit
anything but q blue rebel flag speakers
said the time had come for Union men to
do something. These internal rebels had
been whipped al AppOmattox Court House
by the men who carried the Stars and
Stripes and skunk OF like whipped ours.
Now they are coming back and exhibiting
rebel rags instead OF the flag OF the Nation.
No flag was seen except u blue one bear
ing this inscription '.Sic semper tyrdR-
ms" This motto was dear TO The South
ern people. especially since Booth bal
used it at the time he assassinaied Presi-
dent Lincoln. The feeling of the large
assemblage was. that this thing must stop.
These Southern militia companies are
made up mostly of young men. born since
the war, and raised in the sand of seces
sion. Their first lesson had been that the
Stars and Stripes were not their emblem,
but the stars and bars were. As the nc
ton OF these young Southerners. yesier-
day. was The result of their training. they
could hardly be blamed. When the Wash
ingion Light Infantry visited Northera
cities they carried the United States flag.
Custom So dictated but when Southern
graz backs visit the Capitol they stadlousl,
avoid showing it TO their eIayback visit
ors for fear of offending them or hurting
their feelings. The result OF this was.
when ihe rebels returned home. thev
boosted that no Union flag waved over
them on their trip. Colonel Stiles. d OF
the speakers, said the meeting was not
bOrn IN frenzy and excitement. II was
called 10 calmly but emphalicilly rebuke
the insult that had been offered the coun-
try, especially the soldier element thereof.
Ii was a Democratic insult. They ha6
captured the capitol but the Government
would never be delivered to them The
brave and intrepid OF all that is lett OF the
Army and Navy will again put down trea-
Sun \ silent man on horseback was com
ing 10 lead them. The very bones OF fall
len Union soldiers would leap from their
graves 3 0 welcome him. The name OF
Grant WAS greeied with laundering ap-
plause and the meeting with such empha
SIS as would have made the hearts Of alb
sent veterans leap with Joy. adopted the