Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1861-06-13

HIsTOEY oF THE STARS AND STRIFE.
The most interesting incident connected
with the battle If Saratoga Wa the unfBTliD-
for the fir-t time the stars ami stripes n tn
surrender Of Burgogne. Bunker Hill wa
fought under a rsd hag bearing ihe uao't9.
Gone if YOU dare out on the 18th o. jun
l777. the Continental Congress resolsei
that ;h'- ia. oi the thirteen United Sal
be- thirteen sfrine-. alternate red and whit
and that the 1 MON BIZ thirteen stars. white
Oh blue field. representing new cOnstells-
ton" This was made public on the = o;
September following. Previous 70 this or
national banner was the Union flag, combi--
Ing the crosses Of 81. George and 81. AndTeW
(taken from the English banner with thir-
teen stripes alternate red and white. The
banner Of 81. Patrick 1reland's emblem)
was not combined with the crosses Of 81
George and 81. Andrew in the standard o.
Great Britain until sol. the year Of the In
ion with Ireland
The stars Of the new flag represented the new
constellation Of states. the idea taken from
the constellation LgTia, which signifies haT-
mony. The blue Of the field was taken from
the coyenauter- banner in Scotland, Ekewi-e
significant ofthe league and covenant d the
united colonies against oppression. and .n-
aud Justice. The stars were disposed II
circle symboiizing the perpetuity Of the IL
ion. the circle being the sign d eternIt.--
The thirteen stripes shovel with the star
the number Of the united colonies, and de-
noted the suboriinatiOn Of the state %
their dependence upon the Union, a. vel a.
equality among themselves. The whole va
a blending OF the various flags previous 70
the Union flag. viz: the red flags Of the zTZ.r
and white ones d the floating b&tterles-fhe
germ Of our nav. The red color also, Which
in Roman DAYS was the signal Of defiance, de-
noted daring. and the white purity.
What elUguence do the stars and stEpes
breathe when their full significance Is know
4 new constellation: union perpetuity
covenant against oppression justice e.aa-
lty; subordination courage purity.
b. the United States law of January H.
1874. it was enacted that from and after Il
Isl Of Nav. 1875, thefag Of the United Stat.
I be fifteen stripes. alternate red and WHIT.
ana that the Union be fifteen stars. white 1
blue field" This was our national flag d.
ring the war Of 1912.
On the 4th Of April, 1915, Congres. a.
tered the flag by directing a return to ;as
thirteen stripes a. follows.
Belt enacted, SC, That from and afte-
the 4th day Of july next the Tag o. tie III
, ted States be thirteen horizontal stripes. a.
ternate red and white that the un,oa Be
twenty stars, white. N a blue field.
And be 1t further enacted, That on To-
admission Of a new state into the Union. one
star be added TO the union ofthe flag: al
that such addition shall take effect on the III
day ofJuly next succeeding such admission.
The return TO the thirteen stripes was By
reason Of the anticipation that the addiuo-
Of a stripe on the admission of each state
would make the flag too unwiledly. The ol3
number Of stripes also perpetuated the or
inal number Of states Of the Union, whi.s
the addition Of the stars showed the Union Il
It's existing state.
The flag planted by our troops in the e..E
Of Mexico, at the conclusion Of the Mexica1
war. bore thirty stars.
The size Of the flag for the army Is SIX .s--
six inches in length, four feet four incazs
IN width, with seven red and SIX white strip
The first seven stripes (four red and til
whIte) bound the square OF the blue field fer
the stars. the stripes extending from the eZ-
tremIty Of the field 10 the end Of the fag-
The eighth stripe l. white extending partly
at the base Of the field. The number Of TIE
stars now Is thirty-four.