The Lake County star., 1877-06-28

June the 14th was the centennial of
the adoption Of ths American Flag, an,
event which seems worthy of COM
memorati0n. The legal existence Of
the present flag Of the United States
dates only from the fourth of July 1918.
The Colonists were always attempting
to adopt q Tag Of their own. From
the time that the indignant Gov. Endi-
colt, of Massachusetts, i'm moment of
fury at the ROmish tendencies of the
English government, cut out from the
Colonial flag the cross of st. George,
until Washington raised the flag with
the present thirteen stripes and the
crosses Of st. George and st. Andrew,
at Cambridge, on January 2, 1778, the
country was almost as full of different
kinds Of flags as 1t was Of different
ideas of liberty. When the war of the
Revolution began, the regiments were
distinguished from one another by the
different designs and colors of their
respective flags but there were two of
these flags that were more popular than
all the Others. These were the pine
tree flag, white field with q green
pine tree In the centre, and the rattle
snake flag, national emblem. The
newspapers of that time used to print
cuts representing q field Of thirteen
stripes, with a rattlesnake of thirteen
rattles and thirteen points, each Of the
latter named after one Of the Colonies,
stretched across Il. These cuts were
soon copied into the Colonial flag,
called the rattlesnake. The motto OF
this flag was, Don't tread on me,n
and the meaning Of the thirteen divi-
si0ns Of the snake was the vital neces-
sity of unions and some of theee flags
bore the inscription under the snake:
"JOiD or die.n The reason the royal
crosses were retained by Washington
In the flag raised at Cambridge was
that the Colonies still acknowledged
the legal rights Of the mother country,
but the stripes were intended to repre-
sent their union. Asa, ss.t,,. 3.b
After the Declaration of Indepen-
dence, the royal crosses were done
away with. On June, IA, 1777, Con-
gress resolved ''that the flag of the 13
United States be Ia stripes, alternate
red and white; that the Union be 13
stars, white In o. blue field, represent
ing anew cOnstellation.' y \ That reso-
luton Is the first recorded legislation
concerning the flag. vt was not pub
kahed ollloialav vun1il September q, ,1777,
although the newspapers published 1t
was thd fifstpersoS nhS had he honor
to unfurl the flag. He was given the
command Of the glln-boat Ranger the
same day the resolution was passed,
and run up the new banner. Who
suggested the stars Is unknown. =. At
this time the stars were put In . circle.
This flag was, unchanged until 1794,
when v Vermont and Kentucky having
been admittod to the Union, Senator
Brsdley, Of the fOtmer State, intro
duced B resolution that on and aftef
May 1, 1895, the flag consist OF fifteen
stripes, white and red, and the Union
Of fifteen stars. The war 0f 1872 was
fought under this Hag. and it was not
till 1915. .althO9h several States
had me4hwhiIe Been admitted. When
Indians came intO,th6 Union, In 1915,
Q committees ON the hAg was appointed.
They reported, o bill on Jan. 2, 1917,
which was not deted on, This bill
was drefted aftef 6uegestions BY, Capt.
Samuel O. Retd, who, Ut BAyaf RoAds,
30 bravel, defended the United States
brig, GSaersl Armstrong, against SUI
peric2 British forces, Can't. Reid's
were that the Stripes be /
reduced to the original thirteepb and
that the stars Of the Union, equal to
the member Of the States DO placed In 1
the form Of q single. star, and that q |
new star Be added to The constellation
ON the 4th Of July next succeeding the
Of every new State into the
Union. On April 4, 1878, q bill en-
bodyfng those suggestions, with the
exception OF the one regulating the