, 1856-12-12

The AMERICAN FLAG.-The american
Flag" in plain English, is field in the
form Of parallelOgram, with six white
and seven red parallel stripes, denoting
the union of the original Thirteen Colonies,
with blue square in the upper corner,
next the flag staff, cutting of four red and
three white stripes, and containing thirty
one white stars, representing the number
of States in the Union, combined in one
large star, -symbolizing "the many in one"
of the National motto "E PllnibHs Unnm."
The great Union flag was hoisted on the
I'd day Of January, l776, aat Cambridge.
by General Washington. LIEUT.. Carter
wrotefrom Charleston HOisbtsr January
the 26th, l776: "The Kings speech was
sent by flag to them on the 1sti In a
short time after they received it, they
hoisted an Union flag Caboxe the Contin-
ential, with thirteen stripes( at Mount Pts,
got; their citadel fred thirteen guns, and,
gave the like number Of cheers, And
General Washington wrote from CAM
bridge, on the 4th of the same month"; to
Col. Joseph Reed: ''The speech 1 send you.
A volume Of them was sent out by, the
Boston gentry; and, farcicaI enough, we
gave great Joy to them, without knowing
or intending it; for on that day-the day
which gave being to the new army but
before the proclamation came to hand !, we
had hoisted the Union flag, in compliment
to the Colonies. But behold it was receiv-
ed in Boston as token Of the deep impress
sion the speech had made upon US, and as o
signal Of submission. So. we hear, BY per-
son out Of Boston, last night. By this
time, presume they begin to think 1t
strange that we have not made q formal
surrender of our lives" Thus we have an
acknowledgment of the presence Of the
stripes, and device resembling the British
Union Jack This latter, instead Of being
abOre the stripes, was probably in the place
now occupied by the blue square and the
white stars From this 1t would appear that
the Great Union Flag Of the Colonies was
the British flag modified by drawing six
white stripes thro ugh the red field, thus
making thirteen red and white stripes, repre-
senting the rebellious Colonies in Union.
This flag probably was originated by the
Committee Of Conference, appointed by Con-
grsss, and composed Of Dr. Franklin Mr..
Lynch, and Nj. Harrison; and the idea Of
such notifications Of the British flag is not
only simple but certainly q very natural one,
when we consider the circumstances and
history of the times. II ,iga35I iagos3sg o.
The necessity for change Of the emr
blem of union was apparent; and the thir-
teen Colonies readily suggested the idea
Of q constellation Of stars, Consequently
we fnd that the constellation Lyra was
actually under consideration and was used
onpassports. July l4,777, Congress passed
the following: Resolved, that the flag ofthe
thirteen United States be thirteen stripes,
red and white: That the union be
thirteen stars, white 10 blue felds represen-
ting new constellation" It appears that
teh FIRST act of Congress changing the flag
was on the 18th Of January, 1874, whenit
was enacted, THAT from and after the lst
day of May, A. d., 1895, the flag Of the
United States be fifteen stripes, alternate
red and white; that the Union be fifteen
stars, white in o blue field" The stars
were arranged in circle indicating eternal
union. This was the flag Of the United
States during the war Of 1874. In l6lSs :
the flag of the United States was again B
altered, and, as we are informed, on the
suggestion Of the Hon. Mr.. Wehdover, Of
New York, return was made TO the thir-
teen stripes; as it was anticipated the fog
would become unwieldy If stripe were
added on the admission Of each State; and,
moreover, by the plan proposed, the union
of the old thirteen States, as we'll as the
number ofmembers composing the existing
Union, would be presented BY this flag Of the
United States, Mr.. w. also proposed the
arrangement Of the stars in theunion in the
form of single star. In'this there was q
departure from the original design, as the
perpetuity Of the Union ceased to be indic-
atcd by the flag, as it had previously been
in the circle Of stars, except SO far as indie
ated BY the several stars forming one large
star. The Resolution Of 1918 was as fol-
lows: THAT from and after the fourth day
of July next, the flag Of the United States
be thirteen horizontal stripes, alternate red
and white; that the union be twenty stars,
white in blue field. And that on the
admission Of new State into the yUpiong
one star be added to the union Of the Gag,
and that such addition shall take eject on
the fourth day Of July next succeeding such
admission. !" Ai~ ~ ''' tfAf -"H t'A
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