Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-03-18
MORNING LEADER.
History of the Flag of the United States.


ted States. Itwas suggested by the passage by
Congress at its last session of joint resolution,
proposing to give ''the thanks of Congress to
SAMUEL c. REID, late commander of the private
armed brig, General Armstrong for having
designed and formed the present flag of the
United States" We copy the following pOr-
ton of the article =
The first flag displayed in tie cause of Amer
lean liberty appears, by historical dates, to be
that hoistcd by the hands ofPaul Jones, as first
lieutenant of the Alfred, on board that vessel,
before Philadelphia, in December, IT'S. Dur.
ing the Revolutionary war, both before and for
some time after the Declaration of Independ-
ence, a variety of flags were used, typifying the
especial colony that espoused the cause, and the
particular arm of service. The flag known as
the Great Union was first displayed by WASH
ington upon the highs before Boston, upon
assuming command-in- chief of the combined
army OF the Colonies, on the ID of January,
I776. This flag consisted of the crosses of St.
George and st. Andrew, with thirteen stripes,
alternate red and white, through the field. This
continued in use probably until the Sd of Sep
tember, l777, when resolution of Congress,
adopted on the l4th of June, Of the same year,
was promulgated as follows;
In CoNGRkss, June 14th, l777.
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IL as lam niem ',.anoass = ~ We wonid be f.
e~er ~@ % ignoring the pass while parading the pres
ent. 1t was suggested in Congress that we g
back to the act Of l777; but that again would b
| ignoring the present and recognizing the past
| which was directly opposed to our principle Q
progress.
It remained for Captain Samuel T. Reid to n
| the happy medium; TO combine the glory OF tn
past with the progress of the present, and t
| give q design for the national flag at once un
| ique, beautiful and satisfactory. He suggeste
that on the field there should be thirteen stripe
| (alternate red and whIte) IN oommemoratlon {
the thi4teen Colonies that look the field for free
dom, and in the Union as many stars (white o.
blue feld) as there were States, with the pre-
vision that new star should be added for ever
new State, such new star to appear on the At
of July succeeding such admission.
Captain Reid's idea was adopted by Mr.. Ver
dover, and incorporated in his report (of the sc
| Iect committee) presented to the House of ReE
resentatives, January 2, 1917. The bill accom-
panying this report was laid over from pressur
of business, and q motion for new committe
was brought forward and agreed to on Dec
Is, 1917. This committee, through Mr., Yer
dover, reported on the 9th January, 1878, !
in the words of the previous report, and SUI
mitted bill On the Gath March n =, 90,
gress, lst session. the Hn''- ,. 80 80 Con- 81,
mittee of the W. En- ~ - a. a.
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