The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1879-03-20
The First American Flag.

The First American Flag.
ASIDE from the honor and glory
which cluster about the American flag,
associated as it is with unsurpassed her
oism and noble deeds, it has another
virtue. By unanimous voice of the
world, it has been declared unexcelled
in its beauty. ''The banner of beauty
and glory" "The star-spangled ban
ner," 1.-The broad stripes and bright
stars,'' "The red, white and blue" :"
have been the themes of the poet, as
well as the inspiration of the noble men
who have carried them in the conflict
against oppression and for the rights of
man. We have no fears that there is
any danger of Americans becoming vain
or over-enthusiastic in their love and
veneration for the flag. Ifit were pos
sible we would excite in the minds of
the young American a ten-fold greater
love for this &c banner of beauty" We
would infuse such spirit of devotion
all National holidays with shouts of
welcome. or inspire the populace to
stand uncovered when tattered and torn
it returns from the conflict. 1t is Just
what young America needs to-day, more
love of country. deeper devotion :. for
the flag" We have got to be such a
are often in danger of forgetting that
this emblem of our country floats over
what, in spite of its imperfections. is
yet the best and happiest land that the
world affords. Not that it has no foul
spots, but that it offers the opportunity
for, and has under the protection of its
he, 1n,, II 1<~,,
rowing ones than any Nation of the
earth. "The History of the First
Flag" though often told more or less
minutely. still possesses an interest,
and especially to younger readers.
has just written a concise little &C
count of it, and from his sketch
we gain many interesting facts.
with the emblem, from the fact
by patriotic woman. Miss Elizabeth
1742 In 1862 she married John Ross,
merchant of that city. She was
known in Philadelphia as being the most
ingenious and finest embroiderer in the
city. She delighted in her art, and the
ported to her orders, upon which she
displayed her marvellous skill. She
called to her aid her sisters, daughters,
and nieces, so that at least a dozen
were thus constantly engaged in this
class of work, and many relics afe yet
preserved as souvenirs by the decend-
ants of the old families. Among those
upon her list of visitors were George
Washington, General Hand, Thomas
Mifflin and Governor Morris. She
adorned the halls of the Continental
Congress, and the Governors recep-
the streamers for Caleb and Thomas
Cope's packet ships. of red, white and
blue. At the request of DIR. Franklin,
Robert Morris and Col. George Ross,
she designed and made the first flag of
the United States, consisting of thirteen
red and white stripes, a blue field
as square on the left and upper
corner. Upon the blue field was
spread eagle, with thirteen stars, in a
circle of rays of glory surrounding its
head. This design, and another of a
shield of red, white and blue on the
breast of an eagle, holding in its talons
an olive branch and thirteen arrows,
and in its beak q scroll, with the motto,
"E Pluribus Unum," was approved by
the committee, and adopted by Con-
gress, before the words, limited States
of America" were legally used.
The country Was at that time called
Columbia, and the Congress was called
''The Continental Congress of the
North American Colonies;" neverthe-
less Betsy Ross worked upon her flag,
in words of prophetic vision, :" The
United States of AnericG." In 1775
DR.. Franklin, John Adams and Thomas
Jefferson were appointed q secret cem-
mittee of Congress to prepare flag
and seal. Upon the fourth day of
July, 1776, the Declaration of Inde-
pendence was signed and read. The
Rev. DIR. Duche, Chaplain of Congress,
offered prayer. and Betsy Ross Star
Spangled Banner passed from her
keeping to the hands of the truest and
bravest men of the Nation, to be for
ever, it is hoped, an emblem of liberty
and union. The red stripes were em-
blematical of fervency and zeal; the
white of integrity and purity; the blue
field, with stars of unity, power and
glory. The number, thirteen, was to
Symbolic the thirteen original colonial
States. In 1918 Congress passed an
act adding a star upon the admission of
each new State.
Such is a very brief synopsis of the
history of our flag. "Our girls" as
we'll as /" our boys" may well admire
the part this noble Quaker lady took in
the grand work. She was q modest,
plain Friend, who talked "thee" or
" "thou," and often was found bearing
her public testimony among the peace
full worshipers of the society. She was
also q marked woman in her devotion
to the sick and wounded and suffering.
She was every day q visitor of the hos
pitfalls of the Revolution, and the cele-
brated DIR. Rush styled her the magi-
cal Quakeress." Knowing this history,
one can even more ferventiy pray that
heaven will bless the stars and stripes,
and fervently hope that the " flag of
beauty" may ever be carried aloft by
true men, whose arms have power to
crush wrong and defend the weak and
helpless, and that it may be reverenced
by the children as fervently as by the
fathers and mothers, while it continues
to symbolic the National flag of free
and happy people.-Inter- Ocean.
RICE PANADA.-Boil half pound of
rice (Which costs five cents). quarter of
a pound uf suet Cat two cents). with
one tablespoonful of salt and one of
sugar (cost one cent?, fast in boiling
water for fifteen minutes; meantime
mix half a pound of -four (cost two
cents) gradually with one quart of
water and one gill of molasses (cost
two cents), stir this into the boiling
rice and boil it for about five minutes;
this makes nice supper of over five
pounds of good, nutritious food for
twelve cents.
DURING difficulty near Magnolia,
KY, recently, Oscar Pittman was shot
in the abdomen by John Laurender,