Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1876-01-14
The Stars and Stripes.

A timely article in Appleton's for Janu
airy 1st furnishes material for a sketch
that it would have been difficult to get
at elsewhere. The "Stars and Strlpes.n
as we know them now, did not make
their appearance until very late in the
year 1776, and were not adopted BY
Congress as the National ensign until the
18th of June, 1777.
"During the first months of the war
each State had its own flag. The ban.
ner OF Connecticut contained the arms
OF the State and motto, in golden letters,
Qut transtulit sustinet-"God, who trans.
ported US hither, will support US. The
motto of Massachusetts, was, Gan Ap-
peal to Heaven" Her flag was white,
bearing the motto and green pine tree.
South Carolina had an ensign of blue,
with white crescent, made by order of
Colonel Moultrie. In the fall
OF 1775 Congress appointed a committee
to create navy, but nothing seems to
have been done about furnishing the
new made navy with a suitable ensien.
The captains accordingly followed their
own devices, sailing, probably, under
their State flags. One favorite device
was rattlesnake lifting its head ard
shaking its rattles, with the motto.
Don't tread on mel" Some flags added
a mailed Land clinching thirteen ar.
rows. The rattlesnake came very near
being our National emblem instead of
the eagle. 1t had often before been used
on flags, and its appearance at this time
on the ensign the commander in.
Chief OF our navy caused much discus
sion OF its claims. One writer, thought
by some to be Benjamin Franklin gave
weishty reasons for adopting the rattle
snake. 1t is found only in America;
was considered by the anc1ents az an
emblem OF wisdom; its eye is exceeding
bright, and without eye-lids, SO it signi-
fies vigilance; it never begins an attack.
nor surrenders when assailed; its deadly
weapons are concealed in the mouth. so
that it appears defenseless; and its
wounds, though small, are fatal; while
1t never attacks without first giving
warning. In addition to all this. its
rattles are distinct from each other. vet
so firmly united that they can not be
separated, while they also increase in
number. Bat the fact that the rattle
snake is a serpent, and under the curse
of God, probably caused its rejection"
That the rattlesnake should have
come SO near being selected for our
national emblem seems little strange
in view of the present use of the term
"copperhead"-though it really stands
better examination on its merits than
does the eagle bird o. freedom" How
Ben. Franklin came to be cured of his
love for it does not appear; but certain
it is thai, late in IT'S, he, together with
two other gentlemen, met at the camp
at Cambridge, authorized (by whom it
Is not quite clear to create National
Flag. They agreed upon thirteen
stripes of alternate red and white. repre-
senting the Colonies, and fixed in the
corner, which is now filled by our
"Union" of stars, the crosses of St.
George and st. Andrews to show that
the Colonies, while fighting against
England's tyranny, still acknowledged
her sovereignty. This flag was first dis
played from the Cambridge camp, on
the second of January, 1776, the very
day on which the Kings address to his
rebellious subjects was put into their
hands. This was the first appearance
of the "stripes."
The earliest public exhibition of the
"stars and stripes" is not so easy to
determine. The design was popularity
credited to Mrs. Ross. of Philadelphia;
but it is quite clear that the design was
furnished her by a Congressional Com
mite, with whom was General Washing
ton, in June of the year 1776. As late
as October, of the same year, however,
the flag had not come into general use,
and the State flags were still largely
carried on both land and water. In
June OF the next year, t777,) Congress
formally adopted it; at the Philadelphia
celebration on the 4th of July following
it received its public Inauguration, and
foated ever after in all the battles of
our country.-Cincinnati Times.