The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-12-19
ANoTnER ONE sMAsHED.

ANOTHER ONE sMASHED.
 VIII the wicked ieorocIasfs never stop destroying our cherished beliefs; They are always smashing something that we have been won't to look on as seeoud only to the f}itie In rellabllity. Here. for example. we have been taught almost religiously to heiive that Gen l B. F. Butler. when he took possession l of New Orleans. hauled down Con- Eederate flag frsm the fagstaR of the l city hall. as an evidence of his heroism in the face Of danger. Not only that. 1 hut we have been taught that said rebel flag was still held as q trophy | of war and other things by some of the l patriotic citizens of classic Boston. stIIl more. we had seen the statement recently that the people of Boston burying sectional animosities and iii feeling, were preparing to return the 1 flag to the people of New Orleans in the name of fraternity. brotherly love and the like of that. We were prepar- ing to keep one eye on Boston and New Orleans. expecting that deputation
 
 the Crescent City with that flag safely locked in a silver mounted suit cass. to be received by a delegation with drums beating. flags flying ana cham- pagne spouting. Speeches were to ba made. songs sung and high jinks were to be on tap for ali who chose to att tend,
 We say we had expected all this and were preparing to write a sereed on How good and how pleasant it Is for hrethern to dwell together in unity" and possible shed few joyous tears over the event. but we are knocked out. Here comes a witness who cites Gem eraI Butler himself to show that the cherished relic of the brave days of old" never floated from the aforesaid fagstaff or from any other pole as to that, matter. He assurees us that the ''rag" which Boston has been cherish ing 50 fondly ana preparing to return with eciat and other ceremonies was taken away from private home where some rebel ladies had heen sewing 1t together over their tea"
 This is the story as told by The Prov idenee journal. and we have no reason to doubt its accuracy. The story is In strict accord with Buffers record while in New Orleans. It was much more to his taste--and to that of some 6e his troops--tO enter and rob q pri- vate house and snatch Q flag from rebel ladies' than to take 1t from a flagstaff, The former was safe pro- eeedina. but the latter might have caused the man wfo tried to haul down the nag to get bullet from some un- regenerated rebel. Getting the flag in the way asserted would have been thoroughly typical of Buffers course while in New Orleans, but what now becomes of the screed we were going to write and the salty tears we were getting ready to weep2 To the waste basket with the whole lot. and to the deuce with the whole tribe of icono- clasts. ..... -.. .- This descent from the sublime to the ridiculous reminds us of another stsry. | There Is now in tho State House of Rhode Island, so The Journal says, a cannon which is claimed to have been l captured from the confedcrates on the gory battlefield. What thrilling blood l curdling stories of @"hair- breadth 'seapes by flood and field" have been told of this gun we know not but doubtless many a quiet freside has been enlivened by those who relate the story to gaping audiences who listen with wrapped attention. and wonder how such deeds of valor could have been performed and any human being left to narrate the story.
 | But alack. also, alas. Here comes l the true story Of this historic relic and knocks the romance into match sticks and tooth picks. The true story. as we are assured, is that the old gun was found hiddNn in barn where COnfed- crate camp or line of battle. or some- thing of the kind. had stood, and that 1t had been abandoned by them because 1t was disabled, or because of a lack of ammunition, or some other and alto l gether unromantic reason. So that story goes into the junk heap along with the flag. and we arc again left up in the air. Is there no truth in le- legend, romance or tradition any more ? Must all the heroic deeds be fiattened out like pancakes and nothing left bat the commonplace to Inspire us? Hang the ieonoclasts!