The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1891-05-13

OuT corps Oh lcacDcrS nave laDOr-
cd faithfully to advance our boys
and girls in the way of knowledge
and have given to patience her per-
feet work while leading those com
mitted to their charge up the sleeps
of learning. TO you we can say,
"well done, good and faithful serv-
ants"
But coming back TO our flag.
Where is there another symbol of
nationality around which centers
such an inspiring history as that
which marks the "siars and s;ripes?"
Where is there such an unsuilied
glory as that which wreathes the
"banncr of the free?n Where is
there such untarnished beauty as
that which adorns the alag of the
brave?" Where are Their such halos
of victory as crown the Stag of the
seas?" Where is there such grand
ure as that which arises from the
flag of the free hearts hope and
home2" ~
The fiercest war that ever ragged
in the soul of that great warrior,
Lee, VAS when his sense of duty
constrained him to unsheathe his
sword against that flag which he
had foughtsto defend.
When his career of military life
closed on the field of Appomattax
he again sheltered himself beneath
its ample folds and renewed to it
his pledge of fidelity which he bore
unbroken in all his after years TO
AN honorable grave.
This flag was first hoisted by
George Washington at the head of
his army at Cambridge, in Massa-
chusetts, on the first day of Janu-
airy, 1916, and the shout that then
greeted it is still resembling around
the world The echoes of that glad
acclaim will never die. How often
it was bathed in. tears during our
heroic struggle for independence
How many shouts, groans and
prayers were uttered beneath it
during the war OF the Revolution
1t has been the emblem of victory
in every war into which it has been
carried. God seems to have hedgcd
it around with myraids of flaming
swords. But think of this,
WI en- freedom from her mountain height
Unfuflcd her standard to the air,
She tore the aznre rube of night
And set the stars of glory there.
She mingled with its gorgeous dyes
The milky baldric of the skies,
And striped its pure CELESTIAL white
With streakings of the morning light.
Then from his mansion in the un
She called her eagle bearer down,
And give unto his mighty hand
The symbol OF her chosen land.
Majestic monarch of the cloud!
Who rears't aloft thy regal form,
10 hear the tempest trumi ingS loud
And see the lightning iances driven
When ride the soldiers the storm
And rolls the thunder drum of heaven.
Child of the sun. to thee tits given
To hover in the sulphur smoke,
To ward away the battle stroke,
And bid its blendings shine affair,
Like rainbows on the cloud Of war,
The harbinger of victory.
Every nation in the world has its
flag and there never was time in
the history of man that this was not
the case.
But many of their standards and
ensigns are seen no more and are
only known TO him who studies the
records of the past. Their ensigns
have symbolized us many causes as
have marked the struggles of the
race. Tyrants have turne them to
good account in their march to do
minion and dcspotism and fired
their deluded followers with un-
bounded zeal and confidence. Su-
perstition and fanaticism have had
their standards under which they
have rallied their devotees and to
uphold which men have given up
their lives. The spirit of conquest
has always protested TO conquer in
the interest of some flag beneath
which it artfully concealed its dc
signs. And peace has its flag, and
the color of that flag is the same all
over the world being that of pure
white. And "peace has her con
quest no less renowned than those
OF war" We are nation OF peace
and daily illustrating the truth of
the maxim which we have Just
quoted. This is shown by our tran
guilty at home and our just and
humane dealings with nations
abroad. We are modestly exhibit
ing TO the world what can be done
by wise diplomacy and the quiet
channels of peace. We have incor-
porated into the law of nations in
the western world arbitration as the
only just method of settling inter.
national disputes and to this code
all countries OF the globe will sooner
or later subscribe. Indeed our
greatest achievements have been
those of peace.
In education we are in the fore
front of nations and In inventive
genius we lead the world and in
manufactures we may justly boast
of substantial progress and in the
arts and sciences we will soon rival
the greatest of other nations.
These and many other things dis
tinguish us rs people.
We feel that our aspirations and
hopes center in the proud title of
American citizen. Whether we
hail from the land of granite or the
ever-glade of flowers; from the tenn
ing bosom of the West, the sea-.
washed shores of the East or the