Weekly Trinity journal., 1872-12-14
NUMBER 80.
THE AMERICAN FLAG.

We find the following history of the
" Flag of our L Union in late number
of the New York Journal of Commerce.
The Stars and Stripes became the ma
tional flag of the United States of Amer
lea by virtue of resolution of Congress,
passed June the 4th, 1777: Resolved,
That the flag of the thirteen United
States be thirteen stripes, alternate red
and white that the Union be thirteen
stars, white, in blue field representing
a new constellation The resolution
appear in the Journal of Congress, vol
ume ., page 1863. Although passed on
the date given above, it was not made
public until September Sd, in the same
year, when it appeared in the Boston
gazette and Country journal. The flag
seems to have been the result of the work
commenced by Washington, DR.. Frank
lin, Mr.. Lynch, Mr.. Harrison, and Col.
Joseph Reed. On the I'd of January,
l777, Washington was in the American
camp at Cambridge, organizing the new
army which was that day created. Tho
Committee of Conference, consisting of
Franklin, Lynch and Harrison, sent by
Congress to arrange with Washington
these details of the army. were with him.
Col. Reed, one of the aides-de- camp, was
also Secretary of the Committee of Confer
ence. The several designs for flags had
long occupied the thoughts of Reed and
his associates. The flag in use by the
army was plain red field, with the Brit
ish union of the crosses of st Andrew,
st George and st. Patrick on the upper
left corner. Several gentlemen of Bos-
ton sent to the American camp copies Of
the kings's speech. II was received on
the date mentioned above, and the effect
is described in the BRITISH AnnudI Reg
tStcr, l777, page l47, thus:
"Thc arrival of the copy Of the kings
| speech, with an account of the fate Of the
petition from the Continental Congress
is said to have excited the greatest de-
gree of rage and Indignation among them,
AS proof of which the former was pub
licly burnt in the camp and they are
said on this occasion to have changed
their colors from plain red ground,
which they had hitherto used, to n flag of
thirteen stripes, rs n symbol of the num-
and union of the colonies"
The use of Stripes to make the num-
ber of the States on the flag cannot be
clearly traced, but may be accounted for
by the custom Of the camp at Cambridge.
The army of citizen volunteers comprised
all grades of men. Very few were uni
formed. 1t was almost impossible for
the sentinel to distinguish general officers
and privntes. Frequently officers were
stopped ut the outposts and held for ident-
! ifcation until the arrival of the officer Of
the day. Orders were issued that the
different grades of officers should be dis
tnguishcd by stripe of colorcd ribbon
worn across the breast. Washington, MS
commander-in-c chief, wore n ribbon of
light blue. The stars on the blue field
"a new constellation "--were suggested
by the constellation Lyra, time honored
as an emblem Of union. The thirteen
stars of q new constellation were placed
ms the circumference of a circle, and on q
blue field, in accordance with the reso-
luton already given. That was the flag
used at Burgoyne's surrender, October
II, 1777. BY resolution of Congress,
passed january l3, 1874, to take effect
May |, l705, the flag was changed to ff-
teen stars and fifteen stripes. That
was the flag Of 1872. By resolution,
passed April 4, 1878, to take effect on the
following July 4th, the flag was again
changed to one Of thirteen stripes and
twenty stars and a new star to repre-
sent new State, ordered TO be placed on
the blue field on the 4th oil July follow
ing the admission of such State. The
flag planted on the National Palace in
Mexico had thirty stars. 1t now carries
thirtyseven.