The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1862-01-23
f IFor the Riohmoad DispAteh.1
The .Cenfsdsrato Flag and she Ssuthsr.

11s Gross.
Much has been said, and not little writ.
ten, upon the subject Of the new Con fsderate te
flag. Many designs have been proposed,
some Of which have, at least, the merit OF
originality. That the present nag should bs
abandoned, we think, nearly every one WIN
admit: We propose as Q substitute for it tn
one which we will now describe: Dimen.
sions--the length to be double the width.
Colors-divide the length into twenty. four
parts; the 6rst seven parts to be scarlet; the
next dve parts TO be bright grass green; the
next four parts to be white; and the remain
Ing eight parts to be q deep sky blue, which
shall be the field. The kmblem-, cross COM
posed Of clustering stars Of gold, to be set in
the blue field. 1t may be constr ucted as fol-
lows: Place five stars, one above 1.-The other
and eQui distant, In the middle Of the field,
and parallel with the staff; divide the width
Of the field into thirty two parts. and arrange
the stars SO that the first one will be 81 parts
from its centre to the top OF the field, and the
fifth one the same mum ber Of parts from its
centre to the bottom Of the field Between
the second and third star from the tsp, place
a'star each side Of point midway between
them, SO that the four stars will form euni.
lateral triangles; then add two stare at the
top, two at the bottom, and two at each side.
placing them so to form eQuilateral tri-
angles. the sides of the angles being the same
length as the distance (measured from cen.
ire to eentre) which separates one from an
other the stars first arraneed, and YOU viii
have completed the cross
1t will be observed there are fifteen stars
altogether, which represent the fifteen Sonth-
ern states: The two stars between the tri-
angles at the sides TO be in eclipse, as they are
intended to represent the Southern States vet
rem aiming in the old Union.
The cross has. for more than fifteen ten.u-
res, been military EN- blem. 1t is as beau.
tlful as 1t is significant. Up to the time OF
constantine, it Was used by the kom ans as
an instrument OF torture, and malefactors
suHered death upon it--out, this terrible mode
OF punishment was abolished by him, and
the cross was elevated to q dignity IL hrd
never known before. The story ef his con
version TO christianity is we'll known. Lu.
seblus gives it in impressive language. 1t
was during his war with Maxentius, the RO.
man emperor, that he daily supplicatsd
Heaven TO aid him in overthrowlng his enc
mics. Abenef1cent creator heard his prayers
Ths sign OF the cross appeared in 1hs sky
above the declining sun-iumirous ana beau
tiful; having over it the words: "By this
conquer He and his whole army were
struck with wonder and amazsmeat. Il eing
unable to interpret its significance, Christ,
1t appears from the historian, came to his re-
lief; for when night came on, and he had re-
tired to rest, the Saviour appeared to him in
a vision, holding In his hand the cross he had
seen, and told him "To make a standard re.
sembi1ng the sign which he had seen in the
heavens, and to use it as defence in the ba tile
with his en- ernies." The lagious OF Maxent thus
were overthrown by the Christian warrior
on the plains OF Etruria, and the cross float
ed i'll triumph beneath the bright italian
skies.
The cross of St. Louis-a military order
instituted by Louis the 14th, is we'll known
The cross of st. Andrew, the cross Of St
George, the various crosses used hy the diff
ferent orders of Knights, such as Knights Of
the Red Gross. Knights of Malta, (who wore
white cross ON their breast, suspended by q
black ribbon. and many others we could
name. all having some military Specification.
Within the cross we have described, there
Is almost perfect representation Of "The
Cross Of the South" This constellation has
some eighteen or twenty stars, but only four
principal ones. Around some Of these are
clusters OF minute stars Just visible. 1t is
by far the most splendid object in the south
ern heavens. A traveller in Brazil writes !:
t'We beheld this glorious constellation for
the first time In latitude II deg min. We
all contemplated it with feelings OF profound
devotion. To the navigator it Is a token OF
peace. According TO its posi- ton, it in die atss
toe hours OF the night. We had long wished
for this constellation as guide to the other
hemisphere We therefore felt Inc pre- ssi BILE
pleasure when we perceived it in the resplen-
dent armament"
this constellation with peculiar feeling. 1--WE
saw distinctly" says the great traveller. .for
the first time the Gross Of the South or the
night Of the 4th and 9th of July in the l6 h
dagTee OF lantude-it was strongly inclined
and appeared from time to time between the
clouds, the centre Of which, furrOwed by un.
condensed lightning, ref scted q silver light.
The pleasure felt in discovering the So outhern
Gross, was warmly shared by such Of the
crew as had lived in the colonies. In
the solitude OF the seas, we hail star as a
friend, from whom we have been long sepa-
rated. The two great stars which
mark the summit and foot of the cross. have
nearly the same right ascension 1t follows
that the constellation Is almost psrpenaicu.
lar at the moment when it passes the merf. :.
dian. 1t is known at what hour
Of the night in different seasons, the Southern
Gross is erect or inclined. 1t is a time. place
that advances very regularly, nearly four
minutes day. How often have we heard
our guide exclaim In the savannas of Vene-
zdela, midnight is past, the cross begins to
bepd.'"
We think the cross would be particularly
appropriate as an em blem for the flag OF our
Crest Republic. We know that its brigh
stars are ever twinkling il the deep blue
vauit Of the Southern sky; and, as the course
Of empire with us. is toward the South, 1t
would seem to invite US there, and act as a
beacon light to guide us over its mighty
noun ntains, and it's broad and sunny plains.
Richmond, Jan. 20, 1862. j. BIT