ld not observe
That sacred instrument, but it should break
By sending men of war from out their states
To subjugate us of the knightly South.
Our party hath indeed a record grand.
Its _flexibility_ to all demands
Doth admiration claim from all the world.
Today it loud proclaims "sixteen to one;"
Tomorrow to the golden calf it kneels.
Today those stars we worship in our flag
As emblematic of each sovereign state;
Tomorrow we demand the "stars and bars"
Supplant them as Imperialistic sign.

A DEMOCRAT:
But would not that involve the speedy death
Of that grand song which we have learned to love,
The song which doth demand that those bright stars
Shall wave in triumph through the ages long?

COUNT LUIE:
Oh we could substitute for it our hymn
Which fired paternal hearts in sixty-one;
The "Bonny Blue Flag" doth have a smoother ring,
Or "Dixy" might supplant the time-worn song!

SIR LA MUTT:
Ah "Dixie" were indeed a noble air
And caryeth upon its varied strains
Our mun'ries back to those embattled days
When our forebears did war a vandal host.

A DEMOCRAT (_with wool not deeply dyed_)
I fear the people's hearts in northers climes
Are wedded to the flag as it did wave
When they were battling for the nation's life
And ne'er such innovation would approve.

SIR LA MUTT:
When we like game-cocks strut and fiercely crow,
These men _for sake of peace_ e'er knuckle down
Fear not, for we are in the saddle now,
And so the charger yieldeth to the spur.

COUNT LOUIE: (_continues earnestly_)
And when the debt gigantic which was made
To war our fathers till they bit the dust,
Matured, our party instinct did invent
A method to repudiate the claim
By paying greenback printed nice and clean,
But which with gold would never be redeemed.
Alas! those Yankee soldiers called the bluff
And once again encompassed our defeat.
While principles unchanging we declare,
Yet what, indeed, is it that changeth not?
Why, every Democrat shou