Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1854-02-23
= National EmbIems.

:, aw are that the rose is the nations
! flower of England the shamroc
N Of Ireland-the thistle of Scotlan
n and the Aeur-de-lis, or lilly, (
.e France, but as some among them ma
e not be aware of the circumstances I
e their becoming so, we subjdin the fol
lowing information or the subject:
y The most disastrous and trouble
: some period OF English history, from
, the Norman conquest to the presen
time, was undoubtedly that which
E elapsed between the accession o
Henry vi and that of Henry VIII
extending over period of fifty years
. Never were there so m any rival
claimants for the throne, never were
the pretensiops Of any more fercely
or perseveriugly maintained; scarce
ly had one candidate dis isaPpeared
from the stage, when another started
up to Gil his place; and surely it is
strange, that the longest and most
bloody civil war which desolated Eng
land, should have been na med after
the loveliest floweri in our gardens; and
that the rose, which we hold so sacred
as an emblem Of love and beauty,
should MeR have been made the
badge Of parties carrying on san
culinary war. The circumstances
which led to such an anomaly are
briefly these: In the early part Of the
reigp Of Henry VI, about the year
1880, a few mobiles and gentlemen
were discussing the question which
then agitated the heart of every one
who loved his country--na namely, who
was the rightful heir to the English
throne' After time, they ado urned /
to the Temple Garden, thinking that
there they would be more free from
interruption. Scarcely, however, had
they arrived, when they perceived I
Richard Plantagenet, afterwards
Duke Of York, approaching. Un.T
wiling to continue the conversation
in bis presence, deep 81 lence ensued-
lie, however, inquired W bat they y had
been 50 anxiouBly talking about
when he joined them, and whether
they espoused the cause Of his party, 4
or that. of the usurper, Henry off
Lancaster,who / then filed the throne.
A false and absurd politeness pre- !
venting their making any reply, he
added:
"Since you are so reluctant TO tell
ne yeur opinion In words, tell me by
signs nd let him that is an adher +,
mt of the house Of York, pull a
White rds Sc, as bdo.' II
Then said the Earl of Somer
et, "let him who hates lattery, and
lares to maintain the cause Of our
awful b ht absent king, even in the !
presence of his enemies, gather red +
ose wit me-
sBe SO, said the brave Enrl Of :,
Warwick. "My flower shall be the J
White rose, and as pull it | pledge /
nyself to be a staunch supporter of ]
he bou Be of York. +
but, . said Vernon, a friend Of !,
'lantaganet's, "before gathering any i
nore roses, we ought to agree, that
'bichev er party has the greatest /
timber gains the day |
This proposition was at q nee agreed 4
0 by all; but now their angry pas d
ions began to rise, and fierce and 5,
litter threats were uttered on both i
iaes, each prophesying Nth bitter d
lunts and execrations, the speedy d
ownfall Of the other At length Id
hey separated, to make known TO i
heir various friends the badges which III
ere henceforth to distinguish the add |
ereuts of the houses of York and
ancaster. Id,
A few years after this event, an ef- ID
rt was made to reconcile the con 81
ending parties. Several of THE j
lost poweriul noblemen on bot b dI
des met, and certain artiel les of sl
eace were agreed upon, which were DC
terwards signed by The king and ",
IS ministers, and the Duke of York Sc
ID his friends; and in order to give th
to the Circumstance, a pro- =
,ssion to st. Paul's YEA thedral was TO
,pointed. when the Duke OF YORK ha
d Margaret of Anjou, wife of Hen, TO
: VI, by the hand; anf the rival Nv
ses were seen in conjunction. Inc
Y Of the nation, however, which ly
ID been groaningf under the mlser- ca