The record-union., 1891-09-05
THIRTY YEARS AGO.
Edgerton's Eloquent Apostrophe to
the Stars and Stripes.
Sacramentans Who Responded to the
Call to Arms-Pixley and the
Secession Pups.

cIdCy LOT Governor, anu I1SLIy iNUSOA-
ton, candidate for Congress, addressed an
immense mass meeting in front of the st.
George Hotel in this city. Newton
Booth presided, Daniel Whipley was
Vice. President and George Haswell Sec
retary
Edgerton's speech was a marvel OF elo-
quence, and his hearers were so carried
away by his magnetic presence and fiery
oratory that their enthusiasm knew no
bounds. In his opening remarks Edger-
ton paid a beautiful tribute to the women
of America. He said that, in view OF the
graceful presence of some of Sacramento's
patriotic women, he could not forbear to
remark that as Republican institutions
gained ground, woman appeared less and
less prominently upon the theater OF
events. She whose presence in this liv-
ing world was like the lily among the
furze; whose smile was pleasant as the
morning light; whose eye was the gate OF
heaven she whom nature so reyered that
the lovely shrine of her spirit was the
best emblem of terrestrial beauty-had
ceased to command armies or reign
supreme over nations. Yet the progress
ofliberty, while il had rendered her less
conspicuous had nevertheless redeemed
her into the full possession OF the dignity
of her nature, and made her-not mans
slave, but his companion, his counselor,
or his fellOw-martyr. For an occasional
ascendency in political affairs, it had sub
Stituted uniform enjoyment OF domestic
equality, and while it closed against her
the avenues Of active public life, 1t had
not impaired her power over man or his
fame. The Tyre was as Obedlent TO her
touch, the muse as echoing to her call as
to that of man, and truth found no more
honored Interpreter than IN her. lie
therefore invoked wOman's sympathles
for the great and sacred cause he was
there to advocate, and her active aid IN
behalf of the solemn mission he was there
TO defend.
The address, which was largely an
argument against the constitutional right
of secession, closed with an eloquent eX
hOrtation in behalf of the flag Tor which
so many volunteers were daily giving up
their lives, and a beautifully painted
panegyric on Sacramento.
''WhO that has read history" said the
inspired orator, 'can doubt the power Of
an emblem? For eighteen centuries the
hope and pledge Of Immortality for hu-
Iaanity has been represented by the sym
Dol of the cross; and so, IN the loved and
cherished banner of our Constitution, we
behold the symbol of liberty. The
Frenchman reads in the tri-color whole
history of national glory and renown; the
EngliShman, when he sees the red cross
of sturdy manhood and lndOmltaDIe
vigOr. So with our own loved stars and
stripes. Who that has seen them in tor
eign ports, waving proudly amid the en-
blems Ofthe bigotry and tyranny of other
natiOns-who that has seen them gleam-
ing above some border town OfIate, when
TO display them was danger, and perhaps
death; who that saw the old flags tat
tered folds as they foated from Sumter's
diSmembered battlement, but has had his
eyes filled with tears and his heart over
flow with emotion! The stars and stripes
symbolic the American idea, and now,
in its hour of peril, the heart of the people
sprang to it like a passion. Let the peO-
pie wrap each thread of the glorious tissue
OF their country's flag around their
hearts, catch the spirit that breathed upon
them from the batle-felds of their
fathers, and resolve that, come veal or
woe, they will in life and in death, now
and forever, stand by the stars and
stripes 1t has floated over their cradles
let it be their prayer and struggle that,
when lIfe's mission shall be ended and
they shall be laid at rest forever, it shall
also float over their graves! This banner
is for US the emblem of all that is grand
in human history and inspiring in hu-
man hope. If it is destined now
20 be sacrificed upon the altar of Satanic
ambitiOn-to be lost forever amid the
night and tempest Of rebellion-then
the GesOlation OF that falling! Then the
sun viii indeed be stricken from the fir
mament Of our lives, and we Will be
thencefOrth wanderers and outcasts upon
The earth, with only the bread of sorrow
and penury, with our hands Outstretched
in feebleness and supplicatiOn, upon
which any tyrant might in any hour rivet
the chains OF never-ending and despair
ing bondage. May God, in his infinite
mercy, save us from such terrible and
undCserved doom
Under the mild and benign influence
of the Government under which we live,
this proud and happy city of Sacramento
had sprung from the bosom of the beau
tiful plain like a fairy creation at the
touch of the magician's wand. Here
may it stand forever; here may the evil
dences of prosperity and happiness which
we see around us endure so long as time
shall last and the seasons roll. May tenn
pies Of religion continue here to rear
their sacred fanes; here may seminaries
of learning multiply and pour out their
mellitluouS streams Of benefits and bless
ingS, and here may this proud and beau
tiful city forever stand, loyal and patr-
lotto, place of homes, Of wealth, OF merit
and of joy the sojourn."
THE Washington Rifles, one of the
military companies enlisted in Sacra-
mentO, was composed Of the following
named officers and men: Captain, 7. /.
Roberts: First Lieutenant, w. 4. Thomp-
son; Second Lieutenant, J. S. Hunter;
First Sergeant, c. Kellogg; Second Ser
geant, j. +. Dudley; Third Sergeant, S.
Aspell; Fourth Sergeant, w. w. La Bean;
tOrpOrals, NJ. Poole, j. Van Meter, \. j.
Fountain. G.. l.. Eagan; Clerk, c. c..
Allen; Treasurer, y. V. Carson; Drum
mer, /. Mccormick; Privatcs-O. Adel,
J. Antelotti, J. Barr, T. Baxter, l..
Briggs, J. Brady +. \. Bean, y. J. Cros-
son, j. Cunningham, z. Camppean, j.
CASTLE, a. COnover, G. w. Dement,, =.
Friel, J. Finegan, c. George, +. J. Gould,
W. II. II. Garrett. L. Gerlack, II. Gors,
II. Hyde, Z. w. Hazen, +. Harder, T.
Hartley, p. Hawkins, w. Hollinghead
+. Hodges, y. J. Harrington, p. y. Holm
Jr., +. Hale, II. c. Johnson, J. Jellings
q. kaley, J. Kinney, j. Kelley, L. H.
Ludlow, J. d. Langdon s. Miller, w.
Masters, s. Moore. J. 7. Mcnamara. c. S.
Miles, J. McIng, r. Melhause, q. Macy,
C. w. Phillips, T. Reed, r. w. Roberts,
J. p. NJ. Rainbow, J. Riley, w. RAIDER. G..
Y. Sullivan. J. Sullivan, w. Schramm,
c. Tubbs, l.. Trancil, +. Wabaker, O. A.
Warner, NJ. Welch, r. Wilson, L. a. Will
Jams. NJ Yager, r. Parish, Matthew
Sholtz, Henry Myers, Anthony Lorr,
George Kelley, Fred. Hillec, Philo Sopar,
Horace Arden, Adam Pearson, George
Corson.
When the Twelfth Massachusetts
Regiment was on its way to Washington,
a week after the Bull Run disaster, the
rum0r was current at Harrisburg that the
rebels had opened an attack on the Ma
tional Capital. Colonel Webster at once
called upon the engineer of the train to
throw open the throttle and rush things.
The engineer replied that his locomotive