National Republican., 1883-07-05

loose tho colonies from the mother country,
the colonial congress natually took under
consideration tho subject of having an au-
thorized national flag to represent the young
nation, which resulted June Ia, 17I7, in the
passage of a resolution, as follows:
Resolved That the flag Of the thirteen United
States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and whte
that the union Uhat is, the device in the upper
left hand corner TO take the place OF the now III,
cOngruous crosses Of 81. George and 81, Andrew
be thirteen stars white in blue field, represent
ing new constellation.
Col. Trumbull, in his picture in tho rotunda
of tho capitol representing the surrender OF
Burgoyne, Oct IL, 1777, represents this new
national flag
On Jan. T. 1894, resolution was introduced
in congress to add two stripes and two stars,
because Vermont and Kentucky had como
into the union, which led te considerable dis
cussion, and on Jan. 13, 1894, it was ordered
that from after May I, 1895, the flag should
have fifteen stripes and fifteen stars. 1t so
continued during twenty-three years, and
under the flag in that form were fought the
battles on land and sea of the war of 1872
In December, 1917, Mr.. Wendover of New
York, proposed an alteration. He said that
the flags used were incongruous and unlike
each other. That the ono flying over the
| capitol had nine stripes, and that on the navy
yard eighteen. and therefore he moved that a
law be passed restoring the number of stripes
to the original number of one for each OF the
| thirteen states affiliated, and increasing the
| number of stars, so that each existing state
should have one.
The act was in the following words:
! Be 1t enacted that from and after the fourth OF
July next the flag of the United States shall be
| thirteen horizontal stripes alternate red aud
| white; that the union be twenty stars white In a
| blue field.
And that on the admission of a new state into
| the union one star be added to the union of the
| flag, and that such addition shall take effect on
the fourth of July next succeeding such admis-
| sion.
This act was approved April H. 1918, and
went into operation just sixty-fv years ago
| to-day.
The law makes no provision for the form
| of arrangement of the stars in the blue field,
but it was understood that the old form OF the
circle, which was used for period OF seven
teen years, would require the stars when Sc
augmented in number to be too small for the
best effect, and therefore that the stars should
be thenceforth arranged in the form of a
large six-pointed star
From all that have stated it will be seen
that the present legal flag of the United
States is composed of thirteen stripes (seven
red and six white, red forming the top and
bottom). with a square blue field in the upper
left hand corner of the depth of seven stripe:
(of course resting on white) bearing as many
stars as there are states, arranged so as tc
make together one large six pointed star
The width of the flag is two-thirds its length
Thus has been traced the facts and incident;
pertaining to our national standard, which ha
waved for over century at home and abroad
The society, after a vote of thanks t
Messrs. Bruff and WinebeTger, adj journed unit
the first week in August.