East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1866-02-28
The American Flag.

and use of Seals, by Albert Wad.
hams, Esq, lately published.
Previous to the battle Of Bunker
Hill the colonists used flag combin.
ing the crosses Of st. George and St
Andrew The battle of Bunker Hill
was fought under red flag bearing
the motto ''Come if you dare" 1
The first regular army flag Of the
Revolution was a red flag with the
notices "Qui transtulit sustinet" and
Gan appeal to heaven" one motto on
each side.
This flag was carried until the first
of January, l776, when a Union Flag
was first unfurled by General Wash
ington over the American camp at
Cambridge, composed Of thirteen
stripes, alternate red and white, sym
bolising the thirteen revolted colonies.
In the upper corner on blue field
the crosses of st. George and st. An
drew were blended, as they are in the
British Union Jack. The idea Of the
stripes was. derived from the crest of
the Washington family. DIR. Frank
lin, Mr.. Lynch, and Mr Harrison de-
vised this flag, which was called in
camp and elsewhere "The Great
Union Flag" In June, l777, the
stars were substituted by law, for the
British crosses on the field of blue,
and tho common name, the "Stars and
Stripes" became general. BY three
acts of Congress the flag has reached
its present and permanent character.
The first has been already noticed !;
the second enacted that the flag should
be formed of fifteen stripes, alternate
red and white, and fifteen white stars
in blue field. This act was estab-
lished in 1894. The third enactment
made in April, 1918, established the
present Flag. 1t discarded the two
stripes which had been added to rec
ognize the admission of Vermont and
Kentucky to the Union, and as it was
evident that the addition of a stripe
for every new State would speedily
destroy the symetry and proportion of
the Falg, it confined the recognition
of new States to tho addition of
star for each State admitted TO the
Union. The Stars and Stripes were
first unfured in October, l7l7, at the
surrender of General Burgoyne, the
law establishing the Flag not having
been promulgated till the September
previous.
The Stars represent the constella-
tion of States, the idea having been
taken from the Constellation Lyra
which signifies harmonious action. -
Tho blue field was taken from the
Covenanter's banner in Scotland, and
was significant of the league and
onr1nant Of the United Colonies
the original number 'tinesg sg0rgR,e,u,ty g,.su, y,
C,l,n;es, and, jon d with the stars,
the subordinatlon to, and dependence
upon the Union, as we'll as equality
among themselves. The red color de-
noted daring, the white purity, and
the blue harmony. In the revolution
the Flag had thirteen stars, in the
war of 1872 fifteen that Flag which
was planted in the national palace of
Mexico had thirty stars, and the one
on the Capitol at Richmond, after its
occupation by Grants army, counted
thirty-six stars upon its field of blue.
Every true American views this en-
sign of his country with gratitude
aud pride, regarding it as a memorial
of the patriotism of the founders and
preservers of the nation, and the sym
bo, of tho unity, equality and perpe-
tuity of the great brotherhood of
states in this fair land. That it may
exist, honored at home and abroad,
the banner of great, and glorious,
and good nation. while time endurcs,
is the heartfelt wish Of every patriot
as he beholds its waving folds in the
free air and sunlight of his native or
adopted land.
Long may it wave. Let it be tho
aim and purpose of parents in the
North and South, in the East and
West. to teach their childrento honor,
defend and love that z orious flag: to
count him an enemy to his country
who speaks lightly of the stars and
stripes and to cherish it as the SYM
bol of national honor, and power, tho
Flag of every true. hearted American
in the redeemed and indivisible Union.