Show THE SACKED the banner of the elars and stripes haa waved over this freest and grandest of nations for more than one hundred years it was first made by the genalo hands of patriotic women who let fall upon its silken folda the tears of love and fear and chopo before the yent it forth in a sterner grasp to cruel but yet triumphant battle ten million copies of the grand original have since been made to tower where the fray was thickest and point tho way to death and victory or to swing with undisturbed wan in the untainted breeze of peace the flag has b acome by actual possession the beloved property of the nation and of each individual citizen warrior statesman artisan and little child it has expressed the count rys joy and the count rys sorrow the exultation and the individuals woe it belongs to all alike and with ft are entwined our common hoac 8 and beara when li waves from ahe top 0 athe towering staff ita mission is to signify that national and per bonal liberty are still preserved when it is stayed midway upon its upward flight from earth to ita triumphant station we know that bamo bomo woe public or private has come if tire nation or the indi be stricken tho alagi laid with lovea sanctity and reverence across athe wounded breast who shall stay the hands which thus do use the glorious glori oua standard the flag is not tho triumph of the revolution it is not the soul of undying liberty often to patriotic eyes it seems radiant with eus pernal tints a heavenly azure flaming crimson pura white and brilliant stars but after all it ia only the emblem of tho glory and freedom of the country within tho human heart must bo the un perishing life and if tho citizen shall feel that liberty is threatened that injustice is thrusting its fatal knife against the honor odthe annd no power on earth must stop him he drapes the flag or hangs it ow upon ita woe to the laud when thin warning shall bo called tho land when a governor entrusted with hia count rys faith ahall call the soldiery to strike and oyer awe se loyal civilians liberty was born and joy and triumph followed but she roust live and when her tender existence is endangered let every patriot mourn and cry aloud to avert her threatened fate and that all tho nation may see and heed let the sacred flag be hung at half mast |