The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1885-03-11

I - AbbiiEt SITS LLdl bfA mat QAf iIitIc
were in the ranks of that monumental
procession, first, your Gen. Ayres, and
second our Gen. Fitz Hugh Lee, and
/ that side by side were Edmunds, of New
| Hampshire, and Carlisle of Kentucky
| Winthrop, of Massachusetts, and Daniel,
/ of Virginia. The object of one and all
was to contribute their respect TO the
memory of that man who had been pro-
nounced first in war, first in peace and
/ first in the hearts of his countrymen-
/ the greatest of good men, and first of
best men," The speaker recalled
"reminiscences of the war, showing the
| bravery that had been evidenced on
both sides, and ended by quoting the
words of the immortal Webster, that
the union of these States shall exist for
ever, and that liberty and union shall
be one and inseparable, now and for ever
more"
Major Geo. NJ Govan, representing
the ladies' department of the State of
Mississippi, next spoke:
No words of mine can express the
emotions which swell my heart and the
I hearts of all Confederate soldiers on this
occasion, nor language give utterance
! to the mingled Joy and sadness which
! possess me as my eyes turn once again
on these familiar colors.
. This flag was mere bunting once
common merchandise on the merchants
J shelf Patriotic hands and patriotic
hearts made it an emblem of Southern
pride and Southern chivalry. 1t be-
came the flag under which the Third
Mississippi Regiment went out to battle:
''The hooes, the fears, the prayers the tears,
The hopes triumphant DER the fears"
of loved ones followed it. The sons of
Mississippi rallied round it, to follow
where it should go, to do and die in its
defense. Thus going forth, its mission
was to stir the hearts and nerve the
hands of Southerp soldiers, and to find
its place among the scenes of carnage to
| which its presence would be an incite-
ment. Grand flag it was then-the flag
of the brave. How few survive who
knew it in the p9mp and circumstance
of its early days.
A change came. In the fierce struggle
its defenders went down. The fortune
of war transferred it to enemies hands.
1t was borne away from Southern soil,
away from those who loved it, away
! from its baptism of fire az d blood, to be
, trophy of victory in the hands of foe
men. Far from the land of the magno-
liza and the orange it found its new
home. For twenty long years it has
remained in its Punishment. There it
has borne witness to the valor of its
captor. There it has told of South
land humiliated, down trodden and left
desoate.
But another change comes. Once
more that old flag is under a Southern
sun, and once more Southern hearts beat
| around it. Once it was an emblem of
the high hopes and the grand enthusi-
asm with which the young men of Mis-
sissippi rushed to battle for their much
beloved State. Once again it was an
emblem in the hands of victorious sons
of Connecticut, to tell how nobly they
performed the task which Connecticut
assigned to them.
Now once again it is an emblem.
Sons of Connecticut and sons of Missis-
sippi are once more around it. 1t went
down in its beau5y and its pride amid
scenes of fratricidal strife With its
stains and its battle scars it went among
strangers, and has been treasured as a
trophy won by brave men in fight.
With its stains and battle scars it is here
to-day 1t does not look upon fields of
blood. 1t does not lead and inspire to
deeds of daring and death.
| 1t is an emblem now of peace restored,
reconstruction complete, brotherhood
re-established.
1t is an emblem now of mutual inter
est and mutual affection between the
States of Connecticut and Mississippi.
| 1t is an emblem of a Union cemented
afresh by Northern and Southern blood,
Union to endure forever.
| We welcome the old flag for what it
has been, and for what it is. We vel
come our Connecticut brothers, who
bring it as a token of kind feeling and
reconciliation. Dear old flag; dear in
the memories that cluster around it;
dear in the association of which it re-
minds us; dearest of all in its present
mission of love.
Now it tells us that the struggle was
not in vain; now it tells Us that the
rich blood of n orth and South that
mingled upon our battle fields WAS not
wasted, but has been the seed of new
nation which shall know no North, no
South, because their blood has been so
blended.
We thank you, men of Connecticut,
| from our hearts we thank you Tor TINS
consummation. We thank you that we
see this old flag once more. Come, let
us join hands around it, and take up the
old anthem:
Liberty and union, now and forever,
one and inseparable."
Eloquent and patriotic addresses were
also delived by Hon. Phineas c. Louns-
bury, of Connecticut and Mr.. J. R. G..
Pitkin, of New Orleans; after which the
Mexican Band, with the grand organ
accompaniment, then played Marching
Through Georgia" followed by Dixie. J"
Both were received with the greatest
enthusiasm, which arose to a pitch of
intensity when the two great military
anthems were blended into one, as it
were, and ''The Star Spangled Banner" "
sprung from the union.