The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-06-19
HERBERT ON THE FLAG
HE HOUSES "A WASHINGTON AUDIENCE WITH HIS TRIBUTE
An Incident in His Own Experience Illustrates How the Confed-
 crate Soldier Has
 Changed in Feeling.


 this. The Washington Post says:
 The climax of the days celebration came last night at the National Thea ter. where gifte.i orators sounded the praises of Old Glory to the applause of thousands
 Boxes. auditorium and galleries were crowded, while hundreds were on the stage. Everywhere was the flag and the national colors-around the galleries the front of the boxes, the front of the stage, the back of the stage--wherever. in fact, the flag could be appropriately and artistically placed. Many were there who wore the blue. many who wore the gray, but so close together and So intermingled that only the red, white and blue was left"
 A considerable program was carried out. and of a portion of it, The Post says:
 Then followed the address of the Hon. H., A. Herbert, former Secretary of the Navy, who represented the Con- federate soldier. MT. Herbert's words Of eloquence reused the audience to the highest pitch of enthusiasm that had been reached during the evening, and he was constantly interrupted by ap- plause. MT Herbert said:
 Ex-secretary Herbert's Address.
 MT. Presidential 1862. in the month of June, was prisoner of war at Fort Delaware. A Sunday came and I was invited by Union officer to at- tend divine worship. I accepted the invitation. When we reached the en- trance to the casemate where services were to be held. there was swinging over 1t a large Union flag. The im- provised pulpit inside was covered with another Union flag. When my eye took In the situation, I stopped short. refused to enter, and returned to my cell. thought of the Romans march ing their prisoners sub caudam' under the yoke, as a token of subjection, and l looked upon the offer to march me under that flag as a deliberate insult. was sensitive, taking umbrage per- haps where none was intended; but I was proud-proud as Lucifer-proud of the Confederate flag and fully deter mined never to acknowledge alle- glance to the flag of the Union. Little did I think then, MT. Chairman, that the day was coming when should &C., cept gladly, as I have accepted from you, an invitation to do honor to that flag, and that should come to say, as do here tonight, that is my banner;
 
 and seq; pdoud of 1t as tie emblem of the might and majesty of a reunited republicl
 speak of myself, MT. President, on- ly because represented in 1882, and represent here now, the Confederate soldier. How striking the contrast; how marvellous the evolution in the mind of that soldier! Heart and soul with the Confederacy then, and now with never a moments abatement of pride in the past. heart and soul with the Union! And our country, a gener- ation ago in the throes of the deadli- est of civil wars, now Union of States and people more perfect and complete than at any period since the adoption of the Constitution! What is 1t that has wrought these wonders? Feuds where passion dominates reason are eternal: but the American people are not only the freest, they are, as a peo- pie, the best educated, and, therefore, the broadcast minded and most mag unanimous in the world. Reason some- times drops the helm while passion blows a gale. but she is always prompt to resume her sway when the storm is over.
 Steps Toward Reunion.
 one step toward rehabilitation was the -I1dkMdnAIIlLy OL GCLGIdl 0l dAI SO his fallen foes at Appomattox. Anoth- CT was his chivalrous demand that the parole of Lee should be inviolate. He threatened to resign his commission II Lee should be prosecuted for treason Another was the broad acknoWledg- ment by President Cleveland, in 1885 of the trustworthiness of ex-Confeder' ates. He enabled them to show In of. flee that the war was over. Still other and never to- be-forgotten steps were the appointment of ex-Confederate and ex- Union soldiers, and of their sons alike. into our army and navy by Pres ident Mckinley during and after oul war with Spain. But, MT. President the initial steps toward reunion were taken by the soldiers of the North ant South, when from 1861 to 1865 they were fighting out the quarrel the poll ticians had made. Often was the crI heard on both sides in the thick Of bat tie: For Gods sake don't shoot tha man! Capture him; he is too brave tt be kllled! When the battle was rag ing every step taken under. fire o1 Union or Confederate to remove | wounded foe from the zone of dange was a step toward the unity of thii republic. When the battle was over WI ministered on each side to the wound ed of the enemy as we did to our own and this is not forgotten. We buried their dead beside ours, and this is no | forgotten. The foe from whose hand l the weapons of war had dropped was l foe no longer. And so when the armie I had been disbanded the soldiers or both sides were ready for peace, read! | for 1t long before politicians woul' give their consent. These soldiers mad | friends with each other, made peac'
 wherever they met, whether incidental | ly or in social life, in business. in tn halls of Congress or in governmen places-the American soldier and tn | American sailor. as they won our in dependence from Great Britain, nav
 been the prime factors in reuniting ou
 country after a bloody civil war; un
 der the flag whose birthday we ceie
 brate this evening.
 Constitution and the Islanders.
 "I hail with gladness the moYemen to honor this day. I trust that It WI come to be observed in every hamie in our country anG in all seas and lano where our flag shall float. There ar some of us who deplore, and deeply de plore the acquisition of so many lnsu lar possessions, but it has been decloe that the flag that carries our powe into those islands does not carry Wit Wit | it our Constitution; carries no lnVlts tion to those islanders to help gover this country. Thank God. it leave Il power and control under the Constl tuition to those who are fitted to exel else power and control, to such persons and such persons only as the IatheI intended should carry on this Govern
 ment.
 MT. President, the future Is bristlin
 with difficulties, but novel. compiler