dinary means fail to give that protection absolutely necessary to the welfare of every well-organized community. Then it is that the brutal force of armed men is called in; and the dread arbitrament of the sword, the musket and the cannon is used to determine which shall rule, the law or chaos. * * *
“More than a century ago, we Americans crowned as King The Law made by ourselves. None but ourselves, through our duly chosen representatives, can make this, Our King, The Law * * * and he who raises his hand against Our King aims his blow not against a single life, which could be readily replaced, but against the life of the Nation. Without the Law, Liberty, Safety, All is lost. It is, or should be, our guiding star by night and day, the rudder without which our Ship of State would inevitably be wrecked in the storms through which every vessel has to struggle. To nothing else do we owe the same allegiance as to our Sovereign King, The Law. If the life of the State is threatened or turbulent violence raises its hand against the supremacy of the Law, we are justified, nay, more than that, it is our bounden duty to sacrifice human life, if necessary, in the defense of our Lord and King—The Law.
“It is with peculiar satisfaction that I respond to the request to present to you young soldiers this emblem of our great, free country, and I am especially gratified to make the presentation in the presence of this community, for I do not fail to recall the fact that only a little more than a year ago your young hands eagerly seized your rifles, and your young feet carried you to a distant part of the city to do—what? Was it at the demand of some arbitrary despot, to enforce his will perhaps in opposition to the welfare of his people? Was it to enforce upon unwilling people some hateful law enacted without their consent? Was it to aid power in forcing to the earth weakness? Was it anything calculated to work injustice towards the lowly and weak? No! It was none of these things which guided your hurrying feet toward those rifle shots which reveberated through the heretofore peaceful streets of your city.
“The patriotic fires which burned in your young hearts and guided your quickened steps were inspired by the fact that the life of our Sovereign King, The Law, was in peril, that help was far distant and your presence an urgent necessity.
“The flag which I now with pride and satisfaction entrust to your keeping bears upon its folds the date of this patriotic effort on your part. It is committed to you with the firm faith that as an emblem of our country, you will take pride in it,
15
