The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-08-05
THE GLORY OF THE FLAG.
Ex-President Harrison's speech at
Patriotic Celebration.

: .
was the principal speaker, and reused
great enthusiasm by his patriouc re-
| marks on the Stars and Stripes lie
| avoided any reference TO politics, ana, n
deed. was introduced by Mr.. Mowry. who
is one of the leading Democrats or the
| country. Gen. Harrison's speech was ire
quently interrupted by applause. lie
| said:
Mr.. President and Neighhors and
| Friends: I congratulate you upon the
| success which has attended this patriotic
effort. You have triumphed over all con-
| ditions. / thought for time this morn
ing that you would postpone TO more
| suspicious day the raising OF this hand
some flag at Old Forge.
| And. after all, this beautiful emblem
| OF liberty never shines so well as when It's
| BACKGROUND is dark 1t has been loved
| hesu when the clouds were low In those
| dark days in its early history when IL
! seemed that the God in whom our fathers
| trusted had forsaken them, when their re-
| sources seemed almost spent and their
indomitable valor to have reached its last
| attainment. the flag which was the hrst
emblem of our organization for free gov
| eminent shone so brightly and so lum-
/ nousiy, and so drew the hearts of men and
! the love and prayers Of women, that IN
/ that dark day we were lifted out of the
! valley of despair and defeat to glorious
| contamination and 10 victory that sur
prised the world.
And so. in the serious days of our later
! conflict for the integrity of the Union,
men seemed to love the flag most when
/ fortune was most against ii. In the dark
| days of So, when every circumstance of
| almost every campaign seemed to be adj
| verse. when Kirby Smith had penetrated
! the Cumberland Gap and was threaten
! ing the OHIO river cities; when Buell. was
returning unsuccessful from his cam
| Inlf 10
! seemed 20 be rendered powerless In the
| Peninsula-in that time, when the clouds
| hung very low. there was revealed an
| other illustration of the indomitable pa
| triotism OF our populate ton. For Just at
| that time, when Mr.. LincolR's call came
| for 100000 volunteers. though there seam
ed to be for a time a rest and pause, yet
| it was only the rest which the water
| makes before its leap over Niagara. That
| call was responded to with magnificent
| impulse and quickness that again sur
| prised the world and renewed the heart
and courage of that noble man who pre-
sided over the 5estinies of our country;
| and again these clouds were lifted with
| the pledge that in no time of darkness
would we forsake the flag.
| THAT flag stands to us for sentiment,
/ for institutions. In itself, in the comblna-
| ton of colors that made it. in the bunting
| or silk of which it is made. there is moth
| ing. 1t Is what il STANDS ioT tifaI UdheS
| ii dear to us 1t is not this land OF ours,
wide and rich as it is; ii is not this won
| derful scenery that opens to us here, these
| mountain peaks, these great lakes, these
| tnticing summer grounds, nor the great
| plains of the West, where. while we rest,
the farmer is pushing the plow TO fill
| the granaries that can feed the world; IL
is not this stretch of land these rivers
| and mountains and plains: it is not the
| pr oduct of these: ii is not Wall street; 1T
| is not the produce exchange; it is not
bulk meats: it is nothing that has bulk
! Ii is something that lives in the heart;
| il is an enshrined sentiment that makes
| this flag and ii stands for glorious his
| tory.
| 1--WE look upon that flag and we think OF
| Bunker Hill, and we see the gallant band
| expendng the last charge Of ammunition
| and battling with dubbed muskets over
| the be stworks and retiring at asst de-
| feated: yet, as some one said, Britain Won
| the victory that day and we kept the hill.
| 1t speaks TO us of Lexington and Con
! cord. of Valley Forge. of Saratoga, Of
| Yorktown and of all those great achieve
! ments. We look upon ii and think of
| Washington. We look again and see the
| benign face of Abraham Lincoln. We
look again, and Grant and Sherman and
| Sheridan are revealed to us. We see upon
| it's folds the story OF NicksburG and
| Chickamauga and Chattanooga, of Get
| tysburg and of AppomattoX. 1t is the his
| tory that is woven into it that makes it
| precious to US; ii is thus that it inspires
| Ii is that for which it stands-a Union of
| States, government of the people, for
| they made il: by the people, for they con-
duct it; and for the people. for 1t has
| missed It's object If ii does not accomplish
| their good.
| 1T stands for government of law: for
| a civil organization; for a constitution
| that has assigned powers. 1t stands for
! the thought that our people have pledged
| their loyalty 10 a system of laws Of their
own making. subject to be changed by
| them; but while they are laws demanding
the allegiance OF every man and woman in
| the country.
| 1T is because we have learned the les
son that IL seems 10 me the Anglo-SaXon
! people, or a people that has been wrought
! out Of the various contributions that have
! come to these shores. the only people In
the world that understand what 1t Is to
! give the allegiance Of the mind and or
/ the heart 10 the civil institutions ana not
I TO men.
What can any man do against that
flag? Let him have mounted ever so high
! upon the rol of honor, let him nave en-
! trenched himself ever so strongly IN the
! affections Of the people-if he lifts his
/ hand against the flag he falls ~ once
/ He can lead no following against II or
! against our free Institutions. We have
not forgotten as people TO esteem ana
Z 20 honor greatness In men. We have a
/ veneration. deep abiding and fervent for
! the great men who have served this coun-
/ try. but we love them because they have
/ served it-nouc Of them has ever been 50
/ great that ne could steal away the hearts
( OF people from their love OF il.
We have IN this at once the eNpiana-
/ ton and guarantee of the permanenCe OF
/ our civil institutions. Why IS it that the
/ South American countries that lave imi-
/ tated cur example and organized repub-
/ lican governments have been so racked
T., and tortured with revolutions? IL Is be-
I cause they have not learned this great
/ lesson-t0 give their affections and allie
I glance to institutions. To a constitution,
/ and nos to a man In their inpetaosity. tn
. their Wild. unreguiatcd thoughts OF lo-
/ orty. they follow a cOckaae, ana are con
z tinually led into revolution
Il congratulate you. fnN country men,
I that il has become oar settled aauit %
/ give our love 10 lnsurutions-to the in-
/ situations FOR which that beautiful I'm
blem stands. Again ] congratulate you
. THAT you have lifted here IN this gate
vrav 20 this beautiful chain Of lakes this
+ emblem that shall greet the coming and
{ the going of me tourist. and beg 10 ex-
4 rress my qualification at having been Per
/ rnitted 20 participate in these ceremonies.
and to thank YOU for your generous ard
kind attention"
/ B,3rxfnEharn's Dive for the Whiskers is
/ a r,suular preparation in one bottle. and
( colors evenly a brown or black ANY Per
4 son can easily apply Il At home.
/ .srsf,,, 49,, .-rsvht Madison mark