The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1893-05-10
Flag PresentatiOns.

There. were two flags presented-by the Reiieft
Corps to Mcintosh Post at G. A. R. Hall. last
evening, the first being of silk, beautifully adorn-
ed and of exquisite make. 1t is 6x61z feet in |
dimensions, and cost about $500. Itwas pre-
sented by Mrs. Maria Garfield. The other was
a bunting flag, I2x6, to be hoated from the
cemetery staff on Decoration Day. 1t was
presented by Mrs. Elvira B. Smith. The re-
sponse, made by L. v. Wood, was as follows:
Mrs. Canfesd, and Ladies of McIntosh Relief
Corps:
In accepting this beautiful flag in behalf of
Mcintosh Post, would were able to do SO in
more appropriate language than can command,
and to express to you how much we thank you,
and how dearly we shall ever regard this pre-
cious gift, this beautiful American Flag.
I'm bringing my humble tribute this evening
l must speak of it as the one flag, the pride of
every true andil iloyal heart,and as the one which,
thank God. today waves over the fairest land on
| God S green earth.a i would I were gifted with
| the flower of speech, that / might accept this
beautiful gift in words commensurate to its glo-
rious past its deep Specification. and all of its
Ihallowed associations We loved it in the days
of our young manhood, and were willing to
defend it with our lives, if it must needs be
and now, in our maturer years, as we behold it
rescued from traitor hands, and floating over
our beloved country, which was once almost
severed by sectional strife and dissension, we
regard it with holy reverence. have never
las yet beheld its beautiful folds thrown to the
breeze but have felt like uncovering my head
and thanking the God of battles for its glorious
victory over treason and rebellion.
Let US roll backward the wheels of time, and
go with me, if you will back to an April day in
| 1861. What means this mighty wave of emo.
ton that is sweeping over our countrya These
sad but determined looks on almost every hith.
erto happy and peaceful countenacef The
wives come ladened with the answer. and the
news is being hurried to every city and hamle
throughout the land, that the old flag has beer
fired upon. What means these many sad anC
fearful partings of husbands and wives, brother
and sisters, mothers and their dearly beloved
sons? They are the loved ones rising in thei
patriotic majesty, going to DEFEND that old flag
| What means these vast throngS that we behold
this mighty assemblage of men arrayed in al
the panoply of WARP They are these same hus
bands and sons, in whom the love of country i
paramount to that of home and all its mex
J pressible endearments, now gallantly treadinI
the wine press, treading the red and slipper
fields of carnage down to the blood-beSprinklet
, doors of death, that this same old flag shoul
wave over an undivided country, THEN, NOW
!, AND FOREVER. What means these armies
sleeves, these crutches, canes and scars-thes
prematurely gray hairs, that are so mutely tell
ing the sad story that we are fast approachin
the twilight and the night far in advance of ou
9 generatone They are but the living broke
+ remnant of that mighty army of young heroe:
? who went down into that baptismal font of hel
that this same old f1ag-starry emblem of all ii
heart holds most dear-should wave, aye, an
forever wave, over the Land of the free an
+, the home of the brave.
r Flag of our country All hail Thank Coz
traitorous hands have not polluted thee. Tho
art still unsullied, without one star dimmed {
plucked from thy bright galaxy nay. but wi
= every star, and every stripe, and every fold mat
to glow with a renewed lustre from being ba
r tised in as good blood, as patriotic blood as ev
+ flowed from mortal veins.
9 Ladies of Mcintosh Relief Corps, let n
again thank you for this beautiful flag, and
It believe l am only expressing the sentiments
1t every member of Mcintosh Post, when rene
1t the promises we made in our young manhoo
ever to defend the old hag-the promises
made when patriotism was more than gold, ,wh
loyalty was more than place or power, and VIII
manhood was all our nation had to give.
Misses Clara Cruise and Mabel Smith add
to the interest of the occasion by recitil
9. Guilty or Not Guilty. and =" "Honora M,
lally.'
:. Several visitors from neighboring Posts a
n Corps were present, among them being F.
a Vickers, of Kent.
s The exercises proper were followed by br
IN volunteer talks from various members of I
in two Orders. closed by rousing rendition
"a Jthn Browns Body