Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-02-20
RECEIVED OLD GLORY
Flag Presented to the Oolored High School
Cadets.
Patriotic Address and Reply-Ths
Exercises-The Stars and Stripes
and What 1t Means.

handsome nag to the COlOred High ScnOO
Cadet Battalion by the Soldiers and Sail
ors' National Beneficial Union Of the Dis
| trict of Columbia.
After the rendition of the High School
Cadet March by the Monumental Orches-
ira. President James w. Butcher of the
Soldiers and Sailors Union called the as
semblage to order. The invocation was
offered by Rev. Robert Johnson, pastor of
Metropolitan Baptist Church, following
which the hymn America was sung by
the audience.
Capt. Alexander Oglesby read preamble
and series of resolutions which were adopt
ed at a meeting of the Soldiers and Sailors
Beneficial Union October 5, 1896, in pursu-
ance of which the flag was secured and
presented to the battalion.
After some Introductory remarks by Maj.
Charles b. Fisher. the presentation address
vas Tade by Maj. c. A. Fleetwood and
| which in part was as follows:
There are some supersenSitive persons
who hold to the idea that the rising gener-
alton should not be reminded of former
days. have no patience with such finicality
Rather would I stand with the grandest
negro that ever trod Gods footstooi-
Frederick Douglass-when he said, Meas
ure me not by the heights to which l have
attained, bu by the depths from which l
came. And thus on this OCCASION, so big
with subjects for thoughtful minds. feel
inclined first to glance rapidly over things
as they were when l and my comrades
were in years what you and yours are now.
In those DAYS the laws of the south forbade
with heavy penalties the teaching of ne
groes to read and write. They could not
assent le even in their own homes, for a
wedding or christening without permit
from the chief of police and the presence of
white Mali. They could not be on the
streets after or 10 o'clock at night with
out pass from some white citizen without
having their bare backs introduced to a.
Cowhide or the at-o-nine-tails in the
morning. bond or free. Here and in my
own home of Baltimore a few small schools
existed exist, by sufferance simply. in which We
could acquire the three Rs but we gen
orally graduated at The single rule of
three. as II was then called, and l can
never forget how good old mana doctor
from sturdy New Hampshire, God bless
hlm-had me come after nightfai to his
residence, and, after locking and barring
tne doors. took me into the back part of
the house, and so night after night pre-
pared me to enter what is now called Lin
coin University. in Pennsylvania
need not recaDitulate the advantages
you nave now. said ne. addressing the
CADETS You know them. and can contrast
them with those days. But few il any of
you stop to think that it is to the brave
men who come here tonight and their COM
rades you owe in greatest measure these
measurable privileges Illiterate as they
mostly were. they could feel in their true
brave hearts that who would be free him
self must strike the blow and bravely
went forth to battle for the freedom of a
race You probably do not know though
you should. that 17S,975 black men enlist
ed in the armies Of the United States. and
that 36,S4I of them laid down their lives
for you and for the flag. There was a time
when this flag was for US. as grand old
Ben Butler said, only flag of stripes in
which no glory shone,' but, thanks be to
the God of battles. and to our brave COM
rades who followed that flag by land and
sea, through cold and heat, sunshine and,
tempest. through storm of shot and smell
and rain of bullets, that day has passed
forever.
If Necessary.
While we do not bring you this flag
with the idea that you will ever need to
bear 1t to battle, stranger things have hap
pened, and some day you may be called
upon to march forth under it's folds to
protect the capital of the nation from foes
without or foes within, and. should that
day come, you will not be found wanting.
We read much in these days of 'arbitra-
ton. universal peace and all that sort of
thing, but there is more enduring reace
where there is a good gun and a good man
behind it VINO knows now and is not afraid
to use ii. than In a thousand Bibles in
these days. People send i'll long petitions
against training young men for war, but
so long blood is thicker than water. so
long will occasions arise when the deep.
strong heart of a nation will demand and
will have the arbitrament of the swcrd and
the cleansing by blood, and then the read
lest man will win. Tonight we come to
place in your hands Old Glory and tell
you why We call 1t so. Most of you know
that when the war which ended in freedom
first began ii was purely for the preserva
ton of tine Union. and was so proclaimed
by the highest authority IN the land, and
thus it was that the misguided slaves who
first found their way through to the Union
lines were sent back under guard to their
masters, until Drained BENJAMIN F.
Rnfla he NV ,la he
negro contraband of war. and that his re-
turn to his master was giving aid and COM
fort to the enemy.
"And there in cabin. hamlet and field.
the negro watched and prayed and waited
for this flag, until up through the dank
and tangled swamps, up through the dark
some pines, up through the green cane
brakes and snowy cotton fields, up through
the wales and over the hills they saw its
fair folds flying Free and on them written
in letters of living light, come to break
the bonds of the oppressor and to let the
oppressed go free Then, down on Bonded
knees with outstretched arms and tear
streaming eyes, they lifted up their hearts
ard voices to God and shouted, Glory!
Baptized in this blood and these tears Old
Glory it shall be till time shall end.
I'VE commit this flag to your keeping
Cherish it for what it represents. Value
it for the sake of those from whom you
receive 1t. March proudly under It's folds
upon the festal occasions that call you
forth to pleasure and honor but If at any
time you are called upon to defend it from
any enemy. bear it forth with the words
of the gallant flag sergeant of the LIST
louisiana Native Regiment ringing in
your and inspiring your hearts: I
will bring back this flag in honor or report
to God the reason why"
At the conclusion of Major Fleetwood's
address the Star Spangled Banner" was
surg, Prof John r. Layton singing the
solo part and the audience the chorus.
The Accentnn~e
The address accepting the flag was de-
livered by Prof. w. Scott Montgomery,
principal Of the Colored High School. Ad-
dressing Major Fleetwood and the mem
bers Of the Soldiers and Sailors Beneficial
Union. Prof. Montgomery, among other
things, said:
In rising to respond to the happy and
touching sentiments uttered by Major
Fleetwood I am deeply sensible of the
honor vouchsafed to one who highly prizes
and praises the services rendered by the
men competing your organization.
Naturally, the mind recalls the battles
sit ges, fortunes that you have passed
THE heroic sacrifices made by YOU and
your comrades on the tented field can new
er ne lost or fogotten. In our heart of
hearts we will treasure them Your names
are already inscribed upon the book of
rational remembrance.