The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1876-11-29
Batch Of History.
Who Raised the First Starry Flag?-
Looking for Franklins
Portrait.

The first fall meeting of the Penn
sylvania Historical Society, last eve
ming, was presided over by Mr.. John
Power Wallace. The President, in
calling the meeting to order, congratu-
lated the members on the success of
the Centennial Exhibition, aud on the
fact that one of their most active mem
bers, MIR. John Walsh, had helped to
make it SO. The paper of the evening
was read by Mr.. Thomas Roberts, a
youthful member, on Major General
Edward Whalley, one of the dyes
who condemned Charles 1. to the
block, Mr.. Roberts being descendant
of this, the last of the regicides to die.
Whallcy, who was born in l6l5, was a
relative of Cromwell's, aud was one of
the first followers of the Roundhead
leader. He commanded regiment of
horse in the battle of Naseby, and for
his gallantry in that decisive battle
was made a Major General. After
ward he was member of the tribunal
which tried Charles l., and as such
signed the death warrant of his sover-
eign. Subsequently he achieved many
honors under the Commonwealth, be-
ing one of the Lord Protectors most
trusted counsellors.. He was a mem.
Der of Parliament for two terms, and
ruler Of Scotland. After the restOra-
ton he fed to New England with Golf
and others of the regicides. For one
year he attempted no concealment, but
the Crown having put price upon his
head, he was compelled to wander a
fugitive through the Eastern Colonies
for sixteen years. The object Of the
essayist was to prove that Whalley did
not die at this period, as some New
England authors have said, but that be
went to Maryland, where be was join
ed by his family, and where he died in
1903, leaving large family. Many Of
his descendants are living to-day in
New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware,
Maryland and Virginia, After Mr.
Roberts sat down the deaths of VIM
P. Reynolds, LII. D., and Cornelius
Kettle, IL. D., members of the Socie-
ty,, we're announced, and tributes were
paid to their memory. DR.. Reynolds
was probably the ablest Scandinavian
scholar in the United States, and the
translator of "Acrelius," upon which
he spent twenty five years. DR.. Kettle
was the historian of the Moraviau
Church in America, and an antiquarian
of repute in Eastern Pennsylvania
DR.. Alfred l. ElwyD, grandson Of q
signer of the Declaration Of Indepen'
dence, from New Hampshire, then ask
ad for the appointment Of a Committee
to investigate and decide the question
who first raised the American flag, ani
the, time. He said that none of1tht
authorities agreed on the subject, ani
that the statement in the newspaper.
in connection with Miss Stafford 0
Trenton, who claimed to have the fla,
which JOHN Paul Jones raised in 1879
could not be true, as the flag was Ger
tainly thrown to the breeze years he
fore that. He read a letter from oil
john Adams to the speakers grand
father, dated in 1918, in which the for
mer said that the flag was first raise,
by Captain John Manly. The speak
er's impression was that it was raise,
by Manly, who was certainly cruise
before Jones, on the Delaware: TIL
Committee was, appointed and in
structed also to take steps to recove
portrait of Benjamin Franklin, nov
in possession Of Earl Gray, of Eng
land, which was taken from Philadel
phia by Major Andre, who, at tina
time, was Colonel Gray's abide
camp. The existence of the portal
las only recently been discovered
4 philadelphia Times.