St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-01-23
ORIGIN OF THE U. s. FLAG.
The Story as Tod BY Sunset Cox
in His New Book.

III HE new hOOk.
"There is one romance connecting
America with the Orient, and religion
with patriotism, which should be re-
corded. 1t involves the Star Spangled
Banner warn my reader that with
this sedate subject of religion j am
about to associate patriotic incident,"
says the Washington Star.
1.-The Washington family has been
traced back to the time of the Norman
conquest, and to the north of the Hum
Der. The princely see of Durham had a
prelate who was feudatory of the
cOnquerOr. He was warrior priest,
and had many feudatOries under
him. Among the rest was the knightly
William de Hertburn, who. i'm eXchang-
ing his village of Hertburn for the
manor OF WessyntOn, gave not only the
first recorded link in the family, but
the immortal name of Washington, fur
Their west
THE Ottoman dynasty had risen to
formidable power; and Richard, the
lion-hearted, had pawned his patri-
mOny for a crusade, and had been
imprisoned on the shores of the
BOSphOrus; the story of the Plantage-
nents had been played before the world;
stately and wariike scenes in the West
and East had come and gone; and the
name of de WessyntOn, after illustrat-
ing many historic qualities, had
died out from the chivalric rolls of Dur
ham; but it was preserved in the
Chester THe sto eE was d0a dT1dEed aOR ntc
various branches. 1t was scattered over
England. About the time the great
grandson of the cOnqueror of CONSTANT
nOple-Snlieman the Magnilicent-had
raised his realm to its acme of fame, one
of the Washingtons. Lawrence. was
practising law at Grey's Inn. When
the Sultan Ibrahim was trying to foil the
eunuchs' intrigues Col. Henry Washing
ton was defending the city of WOr-
cester for King Charles against CrOm-
well. Happily for America England
became uncomfortable for the cavaliers
who had fought for the Stuart, and the
emigrated to loyal old Virginia. John
settled near the Potomac. His grand
son Augustine was there born. There
he lived, married and died.
''Of his sons. George was the eldest.
But as the genealogy shows, although
he was out the direct line, he had inner
tied the stamina of the stock.
"What of all this, now and here?
There is another George Washington
living at COnstantinOple. He is the
chaplain of the British legation, and by
no means mute, if not so glorious as his
American namesake. He is in the di-
rect line from the de Wessyntons of the
conquest. In his keeping is the crest of
the family. What is the romance to
which l have adverted? Nothing less
than the incompatible growth of great
western nation. directed, moderated,
energiZed, and inspired by descendent
of the martial and prieStly family whose
stock is noted in the stalwart folk of
northumberland, and whose branches
are as widely apart as the BOSphOrus
and the Potomac.
REV. George Washington is an ac-
complished gentleman and scholar. He
is quite friendly to Americans. as, of
course. he should be. cannot refrain
from inserting here little note which
he sent to my wife. 1t contained his
own card, and. doubtless, the arms Oh
that card, as has been often surmised,i if
not proven, gave the first idea of the
American Star Spangled Banner
fERA, Jan. 10. 1SS6.--Dear Mrs.
Cox-lt might interest Mr.. Cox to see
those quarterings of which l was speak
ing to you the other evening. You see
the stars and stripes are there. l have
always heard that the story l men,
JlOned to you was correct. viz: That
casting about for flag when independ-
ence had been declared. the Ameri-
cans thought that they could not do
better than take their generals family
quartering as a foundation. Hence the
stars and stripes!' With kind regards,
believe me yours, very truly,
GEORGE WASHINGTON
1.-The quarterings referred to are
shield, with three stars at the top and
stripes below, running acl oss the Shield.
Above the shield are the head and wings
of. an eagle, rising from crown, and
below it the motto, In Cruce GIorior.''
Below all is the name, George Wash
ington