Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1880-08-20
FI.AUNTISG THE FREE FLAG.

The Ban ner of the Bird Gusrds-It
IL Presented Last Might by III. O..
Conrad and Received by Richard
Harrlng tOn-The BilVer.TOnKu.
ed Kent COuniian at His Best
The Flag and the Lessons II
Teaches-An Enthusiastic kaIiy.
Institute Hall was crowded last nigh!
as II has not been since the rooms were
opened. Back on the stage, where sat q
number OF leading Republicans, stood
the banner and transparency which
Levi c. Bird, Esq, was TO present to
the Bird Guards. After the band had
played lively air James L. Hawkins,
Captain of the Bird Guards, called the
to order, and amid applause,
introduced Henry c. Conrad, who was
received with cheers.
Mr.. Conrad said:
FELLOW CITIZENS - At the request
Of the donor, Levi c. Bird, Esq, it is
my pleasure to present to the Cap
tain Of the Bird Guards, this handsome
flag and campaign transparency. In
doing 80 ! desire to congratulate your
company on the vigor and energy
whic Oh has been displayed by the mem,
bsrs in organizing, thus early, a large
and efficient political body, well oalcu'
lated to perform most effective work in
the campaign. The presence, tonight,
of so many other organizations, oonclu-
.iyely proves to my mind that not only
are the Republicans of the nation rising
in their might, but the brave and cour-
ageous Republicans of little Delaware
are keenly alive to the important issues
involved in the present struggle. ZAP,
plause.
When armies are enlisted for battle
they are uniformed and equipped, and
the standard bearer is given banner,
with the injunction that wherever duty
calls he is to carry it, and afterwards,
when the long march comes, and the
fierce battle, amid the dust and smoke.
the flag is kept q ying and many o.
you who are listening to me caI under
stand how much Of an encouragement
the sight Of the old flag is to men, who,
bravely battling for the right-yet are
footworn ana weary Of the strife-and
so l, liken you, tonight, members o.
the Bird Guards, to an army going ou1
to battle, and l give you this flag tt
carry with you through the campaign
with the hope, both for myself and the
donor, that it will lie to you an incen
tive in every hour to be brave, to be
vigilant, and ever to be found at the
post OF duty. This is the flag of the
Union, the flag we love. This is the
flag that Grant carried into Vicksburgl
and under it our lamented General
Smyth fell before Petersburg. For il
General Hancock fought like q hero a
Gettysburg, and l praise and honol
him for it. [Applause,] | only wish
he was fighting at the head Of the same
brave army now.
This is not the fsg that Lee ard
Jackson fought for, for four years. Thii
flag is in peril again. We need every
loyal man at his post just as we did il
1861. The issue now is whether thu
men who saved the nation shall rule Of
whether the States 80 lately in rebel
lion shall assume control. Let thu
Bird Guards and the Young Men'i
Club, and the Hastings Club, and the
Higgins Club, and the Republican:
every where join in redeeming New
Castle county, [Applause] and the
State of Delaware, [ApplauseI and in
keeping this great Government that
protects, in the control Of the Republi'
can party, the party Of Union, and o.
peace, under whose influence plenty
and prosperity have come to all sections
of our loyal country. The one watch
word must be work work work
Richard Harrington, Esq was ther
introduced to reply on behalf Of the
Bird Guards, and as he stepped for
ward many pairs of hands and feet
commenced to applaud him. But the
crowd was too enthusiastic for that. A
man leaped upon bench and proposed
three cheers for the speaker. They
were given with will.
"My Dear Sir" said Mr.. Harrington
turning to Mr.. Bird and bowing, 81
would that the time and circumstance
had given me opportunity fttingly to
respond to the graceful manner
in which you have presented the
Bird Guards this banner, for in the
presence Of this audience and in the
presence Of this flag feel somewhat as
Moses must have felt when he address.
ed the children Of Israel-ofslow speech
and stammering tongue. And we
take the flag with all the memories and
all the history clustering around it.
We remember that under 1t Washing
ton fought, and Hamilton wrote. 1t is
the flag that was borne at Bunker's
Hill, that floated over the heroes at
Valley Forge, that streamed above the
6eht at Germantown and danced in the
sunlight on Yorktown's proud day.
T Applause. I 1t is the same that waved
over Buena Vista and was carried
the halls Of the Montezumss.
Applause. ] 1t is the some that went
with the Northern men through five
years Of slaughter, it is the flag Of
every hero and patriot. No one can
give it, no one can take it away. 1t is
dear to us by the blood of our fathers.
We will stand by it amid the graves Of
our brothers. [ApplauseJ
Gentlemen of the Bird Guards l have
accepted this flag in your name. You
must remember that like the white
plume Of henry of Navarro it must al.
ways be in the thickest Of the fight.
You need not fear harm from the other
,ide. They shot at it from BULBS Run
10 Appomattox, but it is still there
Every rebel for five years thought 70
,trike the stripes from its folds, to pluck
Ibe stars from its feld,-what then Is
ID be feared from the Democracy OF Del
1rhaorz I For five years wei