30 Four-in-Hand in Britain. 



American flag bears in every fibre the warrant, " We the 

 People in Congress assembled." It is their own child, 

 and how supremely it is beloved ! 



It is a significant fact that in no riot or local out- 

 break have soldiers of the United States, bearing the 

 national flag, ever been assaulted. Militia troops have 

 sometimes been stoned, but United States troops never. 

 During the worst riot ever known in America, that in 

 our own good city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, twenty- 

 eight United States soldiers, all there were in the bar- 

 racks, marched through the thousands of excited men 

 unmolested. I really believe that had any man in the 

 crowd dared to touch that flag, General Dix's famous 

 order would have been promptly enforced by his com- 

 panions. Major-General Hancock recently told me that 

 he had never known United States soldiers to be at- 

 tacked by citizens. He was in command of the troops 

 during the riots in the coal regions in Pennsylvania some 

 years ago, and whenever a body of his regulars ap- 

 peared they were respected and peace reigned. 



General Dix's order was, " If any man attempts to 

 pull down the flag shoot him on the spot." So say we 

 all of us. And it will be the same in Britain some day, 

 ay and in Ireland too, when an end has been made of 

 privilege and there is not a government and a people, 

 but only a government of the people, for the people, 

 and by the people. The day is not so far off either as 

 some of you think, mark me. 



