American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1857-07-04

This day is tho anniversary of the
adoption Of the American Flag, res
olution having been introduced in the
American Congresa, June 13, l777,
THAT the flag of the thirteen United
States be thirteen stripes, alternately
red and white; that the Union be thir-
teen stars, white in a blue field, repre-
senting new constellation. There
is q striking coincidence between the
design OF our flag and the arms Of Gen.
Washington, which consisted of three
stars in the upper portion and three
bars running across the escutcheon.
1t Is thought by some that the flag was
derived from the heraldic design
History informs us that several flags
were used by the Yankees before the
present national one was adopted.
In March, ITS, minor flag with a
red field was hoisted in New York.
bearing the inscription on one side of
George Rex and the liberties of A.
merica, and upon the reverse, "No
Popery." Gen. Israel Putnam raised,
on Prospect Hill, July Is, ITS, a flag
bearing on one side the motto of our
Commonwealth, "Qui transtuM sus-
t.nct --on the other, can appeal to
Heaven, an appeal well taken and
amply sustained. In October, 1875,
the floating batteries of Boston bore a
flag with the latter motto, and a pine
tree upon n white field, bearing the
Massachusetts emblem. Some Of the
colonies usedin 1775 a flag with rat
tlesnake coiled as if about to strike, and
the motto, "Don't tread on me-"
On the I'd January, 1776, the grand
Union flag of the stars and stripes was
raised on the heights near Boston, and
1t Is SAID that some Of the regulars
made the grand mistake of supposing
1T was token of submission to the
King, whose speech had just been sent
to the Americans. The British Reg
ister Of l776 says: "They (the rebeis)
burnt the Kings speech, and changed
their colers from plain red ground to
flag with thirteen stripes, as a symbol
4 OF the cumberland union of the colo
MES. A letter from Boston publish.
cd in the Pennsylvania Gazette, in '76,
says: The union flag was raised on
the I'd in compliment to the United
Colonies.
The various flags we have mentioned,
the Pine Tree, Rattlesnake, and tho
Stripes, were used, according to the
taste of the patriots, until July, 1777,
when the stars and stripes were estab-
lished by law. At first stripe was
added for each new State, but the flag
became too large, and Congress, fore.
seeing possibly the spirit of annexa-
ton, reduced the stripes toathe origi.
nal thirteen, and now the stars are
made to correspond in number with the
States. ....
The American flag is one of the most
beautiful that floats upon any land or
sea. Its proportions are perfect when
1t is properly madc-one- half as broad
as it is long. The first stripe at the
top is red, the next white, and these
colors alternate, making the last stripe
red. The blue field FOR the stars is the
width and square of the first seven
stripes, viz: four red aud three white.
The colors af the American flag are
in beautiful relief, and it is altogether
a beautiful national emblem. Long
may it wave untarnished. He who
would erase one stripe, or dim one star
upon it, "acts traitors part and de-
serves traitors doom. "-BoSton Her.