The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-02-25
THE STARS AND STRIPES.
Its Origin as Told by Sunset Cox in
Ais New Book.
From the Baltimore .imericdn

From the Baltimore -inieficdn.
There is one romance connecting America
with the Orient and religion with patriot
ism, which should be recorded. Itinvolves
the Star Spanged Banner" | warn my
reader that with this sedate subject of re-
ligion am about to associate patriotic
incident. The Washington family has been
traced back to the time of the Norman Con
quest and to the north of Humber. Tho
princely see of Durham had prelate who
was feudatory of the conqueror. He was
a warrior priest, and had many feudatories
under him. Among the rest was the
knightly William de Hertburn who, in OK
changing 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 further
west"
The Ottoman dynasty had risen to a for
midable power; and Richard the Lion
Hearted had pawned his patrimony for a
crusade and mad been imprisoned on the
shores Of the Bosphorus the story of the
Plantagenets had been placed before the
world; stately and warlike scenes in the
West and East had come and gone; and the
name of De Wessynton, after illustrating
many heroic qualities, had died out from the
chiValric rolls of Durham; but 1t was pre-
served in the cloister by doughty abbot.
The stock was divided into various branches.
1t was scattered over England. About the
time the great grandson OF the conqueror
of NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. the Magnifi-
cent-had raised his realm to
its acme of fame, one of the Washingtons.
Laurence was practicing law at Gray's Inn.
When the Sultan Ibrahim was trying to foil
the intrigues of the eunuchs, Col. Henry
Washington was defending the city of
Worcester for King Chai les against Crom-
well. Happily for America, England be-
came uncomfortable for the cavaliers, who
had fought for the Stuarts, and the brothers,
John and Andrew Washington, emigrated
to loyal old Virginia. John settled near the
Potomac. His grandson, Augustine, was
born there. There he lived married and
died. OF his sons, George was the eldest.
But as the genealogy shows, although he
was out of the direct line, he had inherited
the stamina of the stock. What of all this
now and here9 There is another George
Washington living at Constantinople He is
the chaplain Of the British legation, and by
no means not so mute, if not SO glorious, as
his American namesake. He is in the direct
line from the De Wessyntons of the Con
quest. In his keeping is the crest of the
family. What is the romance to
which have | adverteda Nothing less than
the Incompatible growth of a great
Western nation, directed, moderated,
of the martial and priestly family whose
stock is noted in the stalwart folk OF North
CUMBERLAND, and whose branches are as
widely apart as Bosphorus and the Potomac,
The Rev. George Washington is an accom-
plished gentleman and scholar. He isquite
friendly to Americans, as, of course, he
should be. / cannot refrain from inserting
here u little note which he sent to my wife.
1t contained his own card, and, doubtless,
the arms on that card, as has been often
surmised, if not proven, gave the first idea
of the American "Star Spangled Banner"
PERA, Jan. 10, 1886.
DEAR Mrs. Cox-It might interest Mr. Cox TO
see these quarterings, of which was speaking
to you the other evening You see the stars
and stripes are there | have always heard
that the story mentioned to you was correct,
viz; That, casting about for flag when indie
pendence bad been declared, the Americans
thought that they could not do better than take
their Generals family quarterings as a founda-
ton. Hence the stars and stripes" With
kind regards believe me, yours truly,
GEORGE WASHINGTON.
The quarterings referred to are shield,
with three stars at the top and stripes be-
low, running across the shield. Above the
shield are the head and wings of an eagle,
rising from a crown and below it the
motto: "In cruce glorior." Below all is the
name, George Washington,