Middletown transcript., 1893-04-22
WASHINGTON LETTER

WASHINGTON, April IL, lS95.-Mr.
Cleveland has certainly been unfortu-
nate In the orders he has issued con-
cerning flags. People have not yet
forgotten the howl Of Indignation that
was raised during his lrst administers
tion when he issued an order directing
that the battle flags in the War De-
partment, which we're captured during
the Civil War by union troops should
be returned to their original owners.
That indignation was so universal.
outside of the South, and even there
the order was not generally favored,
that the order was never carried iatO
effect and the captured flags are still in
the War Department. The indignation
over the order TO lower the American
flag which Minister Stevens had raised
over Hawaii months ago is even deeper
and st ronger than that aroused by the
battle flag order, but as yet it isn't SO
loud here, at Washington, because, be-
ing an International question, promi-'
nent men hesitate TO pablicly speak
their opinion about The lowering of the
American fag-the first instance of the
kind on record, and it is hoped to be
the last-for fear THAT ii may injure
American interests. But privately,
condemnation of the act is heard ON
on every hand, and mol a little of it
comes frem Democrats. Even those
Democra s who tiled to smooth the
matter over and talk about its coming
all right in the end admit their regret
that the flag should lave been lowered
upon Mr.. Cleveland's order and by a
man who spent four Of the best years
of his life fighting TO destroy that flag
and all i, represented. Perhaps the
members of the administration are not
fam liar with this quotation from Hon.
William Maxwell Everts' ''0m
National banner, which is echoed in
the hearts of millions of American
citizens, ready aud willing to fight, and
to die, if need be, for "Old Gloryn-
" Let that banner wave forever,
May its lustrous stars fade never,
Till the stars shall pale on high;
While there's right the wrong defeating,
While there's hope in true hearts beating,
Truth and freedom shall not die.n
Had the sailors on the u. s. 5.
Boston, now anchored in the harbor of
Honolulu, felt disposed to sing the
Star Spangled Banner,n after the
humiliating episode of lowering the
stars and stripes had occurred, they
might fittingly have used revised yer-
sion Of the familiar words, something
like the following
Oh. say, we can't see By noon's bright light,
"whatso proudly we hailed al the twilighrs
last cleaning
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, in the
dim light,
"oer the ramparts we watched, were SO
calamity streaming,
And the rockets red glare. the bombs burst
ing in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag
was still there
oh, say" the star-spangled banner doesn't
wave;
1t has been lowered by the hand OF q -
Raising the Constitution of the Uni
ted States as bar to prevent something
they do not wish to have done is very
old trick with the Democrats in Con-
gress, and yet it does seem surprisi ng
that they should be willing to 60 before
The country with such fiimsy excuse foI
not being willing to have the charge Of
criminal e.nbeZzlement against Senator
Roach investigated. The Republican
Senators being minority could not
force the DemocIa to vote on Seaa' or
Hoar's resolution, before adj urning,
but they could. and did, compel the
emocratic majority to put itself on
record as being afraid to allow this in
vesligation To be made, nub because it
would almost Ger; ainly i've resulted in
| the expulsion of Roach, but because 1t
would have laid bare the methods by
which the election of Roach was Sc
cured. methods far from creditable.
Republican Senators are willing to let
the matter go in that SHAPE to the in
telligent people of the country. for The
present at least, They will bring The
matter up again at the regular session
tof Congress, when they hope to be
able to compel the Senate TO take
action.