The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1880-09-01

leadership of their officers to the Plaza.
where the other companies, civil and mill
| tary, had alraadE assembled. The Los
Angeles Greys preceded By. the band,
were next detailed 60 es0orH the national
dag to the Plaza where it was presented,
10 neat and spirited speech. by Maj. P.
banning on behalf of the citizens, to the
Union club, and received by g. Sims,
4 es4a president. After the marching of
ftfle procession. it returned to the court
house, and halted, preparatory to hosting
1.-The flag, Prayer was offered, for the
PRESERVATION of the country after which,
alta signal from the marshal, the national
flag was slowly unfurled TO the breeze, the
band struck up the "Star Spangled Ban
ner," and the cannon on the hill pealed
/ tired. one for every state in the union,
Patriotic speeches were then made by
General Drown aud Major Carleton, when
Captain Hancock was introduced and
spek cas- follows: -------
st@Eeliow Citizens: 1t has been truly
said that soldiers are not orators, never
Itheless. few words from me In response
to- the call just made and in consideration
fofthe Importance of the occasion, may not
seem to you Inappropriate. / tIust not.
III : consider the occasion of honoring the
flag ofour country as one of the appeals to
| the patriotism of all,
1 Can it be because there is diversity of
sentiment in this community on the SUBJ
Iject Of the agitati1g questions which have
lately been presented to US, that there
should be found any so unpatriotic as not 10
be ready to do honor to the flag which
has borne us through eighty years of
ltriumphs and prosperity unparalleled
in history. and which is still the flag
/ of our country and under the pro-
| lection of which so many of US have
drawn the first breath of our life; | trust
not, and yet il any such there be, say to
you that it should not prevent us from
assisting in performing that patriotic duty,
That il has not deferred us let the events
of this day bear witness.
Rest assured that none of US will ever
regret or forget the occasion. Our child
rem will reccollect it long after we have
the example of their sires.
With us at present it is not matter of
party. We have had our political differen-
ces it is true. but that time has passed.
The only question for US now to consider
il, shall we sustain the general government
In the hour of its need, or shall we suffer
tito tbe usurped or destroyed? We are
already TO do justice, substantial justice,
TO eur brothers of the south who feel ag-
grieved. But. on the other hand, would
we not have our own grievances to be re-
dressed if the history of eighty years, which
is so dear to us all, should DO obliteratedH
IF the labors of our forefathers should be
pronounced fruitless, their counsels de-
spised aud their experience declared to be
o. myth? Hea@
They made this government and en-
Joined us to preserve it for our pesterity.
for they had dearly purchased it by the
agonies of long and bloody revolution.
Shall we now disregard their counsels
and permit this union to be destroyed?
No. neverl Let US recollect that they are
this day looking down upon US. Ii altera-
tons are necessary in our constitution, let
them be made Let us do justice TO all,
but let US Dot desert the good old ship, and
in an unknown craft. without flag, without
rudder and without compass. drift to uu-
known seas. r-less from greater necess
ity thar has yet been presented to us. Let
US steer the old hi barque. the coDsti-
tuition, safely in to T )rt, CARR 0g aloft her
thirty-four stars-Bot one lessl We can
part with lone, May the union continue
to exist and the time soon me, when
with the good will of all, its flag viii float
over our whole country. Let US never
desr II of the Republic.