Chapter VIII: The Grandest Scene of All

It was July 4th, 1893. The lake breezes in the early morning floated over the White City. Flags filled the air; eight hundred acres of flags? Yes, more: in fact, Chicago was a sky of flags; and so was the State of Illinois.

Hundreds of thousands of people were pouring, like a multitude of tides, toward the scene of enchantment. The avenues of the Exposition were thronged early in the day, and the crowds grew. The Lake was here white with craft and there shadowed with steamers. There was music everywhere.

The flags of all nations mingled; the national airs of all nations mingled; people of all nations mingled. The White City was the festival of the World.

Guns boomed, the wonder grew, and high noon was a scene of glory.

Our trio were early on the grounds.

“What is wanting here?” asked Mr. Marlowe, as they stood in front of the Administration Building, and looked down the Court of Honor toward the Peristyle and Lake.

“Only a White-Bordered Flag,” said Grandfather Marlowe, looking up to the allegorical figures of the elements controlled and uncontrolled,—“only a Peace Flag to lead the future, and stand for the brotherhood of all mankind.”

While he was speaking, from his Quaker view, as it were, out of the Inner Light, there was a gathering of people, and it was led by a woman, with a new flag. It presently shot into the air and unrolled, amid the allegories of the uncontrolled and the controlled world. Its border was white. It was hailed with cheering.

The old Quaker looked up, and saw it. It was like a vision to him. He had dreamed of it through all his life: the fact had been within prophetic sight, but he had never expected it in a vision so glorious.

Could it be true? The flags of all nations filling the air, the sea, the prairie; hundreds of thousands of bright, happy faces passing, their eyes filled with scenes of marvellous beauty, and their ears with the patriotic musical inspirations of struggles for liberty and progress for the ages; and with the crown of the great throne of the Administration Building, the White-Bordered Flag of Peace, floating in the shining sky, radiant, glorious—could it be true!

“Manton,” said the old Quaker, “that is the grandest sight that you will see at the Fair; you need look no further. That is the grandest sight that has appeared since angels sang over the Plains of Bethlehem. I can go home now content, and die in peace. The world is destined to follow that flag!”

“I expect to see no grander sight than that,” said Mr. Marlowe. “I have almost made up my mind that the sympathetic, good-humored laughter in the Street of Cairo is the funniest thing we have seen; the Philadelphia Working-Man’s house, the most useful thing; and I am sure that the White-Bordered Flag in the Court of Honor on this Independence Day, will be the prophetic glory of the Fair. I have now to study the most noble lesson of the Fair.”

The reader may like to know something of the history of the inspired, unselfish, and most earnest woman, Mary Frost Ormsby, whose influence caused the White-Bordered Flag to be raised over the Court of Honor on this thrilling day.

That patriotic magazine “Home and Country” for February, 1893, has an article from Mrs. Ormsby’s pen, in which that lady gives an account of how she carried the White Flag to Rome. We quote a part of the article:—

PEACE CONGRESSES AND THE PEACE FLAG.

As an accredited delegate of the Universal Peace Union, founded by
the Quakers, or Friends, twenty-six years ago, also as a substitute
for the Rev. Edward Everett Hale, D.D., of Boston, Massachusetts,
and Mr. William O. McDowell, of Newark, New Jersey, in representing
the Pan-Republic Congress and Woman’s Freedom League, it was my good
fortune to carry the flag of peace to Rome.

It was not until the day of my departure I learned that alone and
unattended I was to cross the ocean and the Continent with this
treble duty intrusted to me. With the New Orleans matter then
unsettled, and the diplomatic relations between Italy and America
inharmonious because of what to the Italian people seemed an utter
indifference on the part of our government officials in regard to
the massacre of Italian subjects, it was no easy task to present the
flag of our country to a peace congress at Rome. But the influences
that emanated from friendly discussions at this gathering, the fact
that many of its members were also members of the Italian parliament,
and the influence exerted by letters sent to the American press,—all
were, in my estimation, most efficient aids in speedily and amicably
adjusting the much-deplored New Orleans tragedy. The starry flag was
never so precious to me as when it was consigned to my care until it
should grace our congress in Rome.

This particular flag was made by American women from American silk
wrought by the Woman’s Manufacturing Company of Philadelphia.

Pennsylvania women arranged it: ever from its earliest history this
State has proved the power of justice to obtain peace.

After a perilous journey, having encountered a storm at sea, and
having been compelled to ride alone all night in a closed compartment
while crossing the Continent, I reached the Eternal City on the
morning that congress was to convene.

Here at Italy’s capital had gathered a corps of philosophers,
scientists, artists, statesmen, authors, and journalists, to advance
the cause of peace and prevent bloodshed. They came from different
points of the compass, from every form of government, with a variety
of aspirations, judgments, and tastes, but with, one common purpose.

This remarkable assemblage of three hundred delegates, representing
eighty-eight different peace societies, and speaking seventeen
different languages, had gathered on the historic spot from which
went forth the edict that “All the world should be taxed.” In
full view of the ruins of the Forum and the hill of the Cæsars we
proceeded to discuss the one common sentiment,—“Peace on earth, and
good will to men.”

Flags of every nation decked the capitol. Music from the municipal
band stationed near the Aurelian statue stirred every heart with its
inspiring strains. It was on this spot that Antony and Pompey once
swayed the people and urged them to fresh carnage and conquests. Now
we came to pray that the temple of Janus would forever be closed, and
war reign no more.

Up the splendid stairway and over the beautiful serpentine road
guarded by gendarmes, in company with Rev. Dr. Sturgis and Miss
Rutter, of England, I carried the American flag,—the Flag of Peace.
The formal presentation was made on the succeeding day, accompanied
by an appropriate speech, which was enthusiastically applauded,
especially by the Italians, although the New Orleans tragedy was then
fresh in their minds.

Briefly relating the Columbus incident in the discovery of America,
I stated that in behalf of my sister countrywomen I had come to his
native shores to unfurl under Italian skies the Stars and Stripes,
our “Banner of Liberty” and “Flag of Peace.” I had also to thank
Columbus’ countrymen for all that his discovery had accomplished for
those of my own sex. In America, as nowhere else, women have attained
intellectual and moral advancement, independence of support, and
peaceful happy homes.

I said, “Under this flag dwell sixty-five millions of people whose
interests, in common with those of all nations, are to be promoted by
the universal settlement, through arbitration, of all international
difficulties.”

At this juncture a gendarme handed me the flag, which I unfurled
and presented to the president as a contribution from America’s
daughters. It was greeted with most enthusiastic applause, lifted
gracefully to a niche at the right of the president, and placed
in the arms of the gladiator Steigile. Its silken folds fell over
the cleft arm of the statue, partially concealing the figure
representative of cruelty and death.

Pointing to the Stars and Stripes I suggested that its tricolor made
it a fitting emblem of the third assembling of our Peace Congress.

Standing on the dome of our capitol in Washington the Goddess of
Liberty holds the scales of Justice, and standing upon an island in
New York harbor she bears aloft the symbolic torch that enlightens
the world. Women of America are forming associations of all kinds
whereby they can benefit humanity.

“We are not unmindful of the fact that the discovery of America
by Columbus was accomplished through the self-sacrifice of a
woman,—Queen Isabella,—who pawned her jewels to defray the expense of
the expedition. Ought not America then to be, as it is, the favored
land for women? And woman continues her good works.

“From the prison to the paupers’ home, from the health-saving to the
soul-saving house, you will find armies of women, not clothed for
war, but in the garments of charity, chanting and living the song,
‘Glory be to God on high, and on earth peace, good will to men.’”

The same flag was carried to Bern last summer by the Italian
delegation.

Germany was represented in our third congress by delegates from
five societies, England from sixteen, France from five, Italy from
seventy-one, Servia and Switzerland each from two; while Austria,
Belgium, Denmark, Spain, Hungary, Norway, Holland, Roumania, and
Sweden, each sent one representative.

General Howard’s brother, Rev. Rowland B., was the only delegate from
America besides myself, who crossed the ocean for the express purpose
of attending the congress. His journey cost him his life. He died in
Rome after a long illness.

Captain Siccardi, one of the bravest soldiers of Italy, who resigned
from the army because he felt it was a fratricidal occupation, in the
course of an able address before the Peace Congress at Rome, made
the following points, which are worth repeating: 1st, The army costs
more in the otherwise possible gain which it interrupts or prevents
than is wasted in what it consumes; 2d, The maintenance of the army
increases taxes and duties; 3d, The workman whose son is in the army,
loses an income, and thus is left in debt; 4th, The soldier, on his
return to his deserted family, receives no indemnity; 5th, Organized
liberty and justice do not abide with the army of to-day; 6th, What
we expend on the army is no insurance against losses by war; 7th, By
the removal of so many workmen from their industrial pursuits the
army is one of the greatest enemies to civilization.

Following this speech, resolutions regarding the disarmament of
all nations, and the establishment of permanent international
arbitration, were offered and accepted.

The delegates were from the world’s highest ranks of scholars and
humanitarians. Many distinguished officials and representatives of
their respective governments were present.

We were entertained during and after the Peace Congress at Rome,
by members of the Italian Peace Society. Its president was Signor
Rugurio Bonghi, an ex-minister, philosopher, and author, whose
masterly works on the conduct of national affairs have greatly
interested statesmen and humanitarians of many lands.

* * * * *

“The flag has begun a new era of the achievements of Columbus,” said Mr. Marlowe. “It leads what in old Rome would be called a new Seculum. The history of this incident will live and grow. Let us go to La Rabida!”

The trio pressed through the crowds, and found their way to the reproduction of the old Spanish convent, where Columbus had found a friend in Father Perez. Here was the original Commission of Columbus, and the supposed anchor of the “Santa Maria.” They rested in the court of the convent, amid the cool air of the Lake, and were grateful to the genius of Mr. Ober, which had caused this most realistic Columbian Museum to be erected.

Here, amid the relics of a long historic past, they talked over the events of the day. Sundown found them there. As the shadows of evening fell, all the White City thrilled with electric light, and shone in outlines of unimagined splendor. It was at the convent that replicas of the ships of Columbus came to be exhibited, and afterwards the “Viking,” or the Northmen’s ship.

The hour of nine found the city, the Lake, and the air a living glory. The Court of Honor blazed, and the many-colored fountain threw its rainbows into the air.

Then if ever the trio felt the force of the great discovery, and the long procession of progress that had led up to this wonderful hour!

MORNING OF THE DISCOVERY.

IMMORTAL Morn, all hail,
That saw Columbus sail
By faith alone.
The skies before him bowed,
Back rolled the ocean proud,
And every lifting cloud
With glory shone!

Fair Science then was born
On that celestial morn,
Faith dared the sea,
Triumphant o’er her foes,
Then Truth immortal rose
New Heavens to disclose
And Earth to free!

Strong Freedom then came forth
To liberate the earth
And crown the right.
So walked the pilot bold
Upon the sea of gold,
And darkness backward rolled,
And there was light!

Sweep, sweep across the seas,
Ye rolling jubilees,
Grand chorals raise;
The world adoring stands,
And with uplifted hands
Offers from all the lands
To God its praise!