The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1888-05-05
THE STARS AND STRIPES.
Facts About the Origin of Our National
Flag and It's Meaning.
J. Thomas Turner, in Wcs1inqtOn Star.

j. Thomas Turner, in Washington Star
So much has been said and written concern
ing the origin of the American flag our cher
ished banner of the 'Stars and Stripes" per-
NIT me to furnish the following data, which
are authentic and historically true, as to the
history of the United States flag.
The idea of standards originated with the
Egyptians at an early age The Crusaders added
the cross to their banners. The union of the
three crosses of st. George, st. Andrew and ST.
Patrick marks, first, the union of England and
Scotland into the kingdom of Great Britain.
and then this kingdom with Ireland. This is
termed the great flag of Great Britain, and was
brought by the colonists to America
When the thirteen colonies began to feel the
iron pressure of British tyranny and despotic
rule, they placed under their banners a rattle
snake, cut in thirteen pieces, representing the
thirteen original colonies. with the motto,
Join or die" When these became more
united In their purposes of resistance to British
enslavement they placed upon their flag
well-formed rattlesnake, in the attitude of
about to strike, with the motto, Don't tread on
me-"
DR.. Franklin, seeing this emblem on one of
the drums of that day, writes as follows: ION
inquiry, and from study / learned that the
ancients considered the serpent an emblem of
WISDOM and, in some attitudes of endless dur
alton. Also, that countries are often represent
ed by animals peculiar to that country The
rattlesnake is found nowhere but in America.
Her eye is exceedingly bright and without eye
hds-emblem of vigilance. She never begins
an attack and she never surrenders-emblem of
magnanimity and courage. She never wounds
even her enimies, till she generously gives
them warning not to tread ON her-which is
emblematical of the spirit of the people who
inhabit her country. She appears apparently
weak and defenseless, but her weapons are
nevertheless formidable. Her poison is the
necessary means for the digestion of her food,
A,,k l.
ing the power of American resources. Her thir-
teen rattles, the only part which increases in
number, are distinct from each other and vet so
united that they cannot be disconnected with
out breaking them to pieces, showing the i'm
possibility of an American republic without
union of States" How marvelously pro-
phetic.
"a single rattle will give no sound alone,
but the ringing of the thirteen together is suf-
icient to startle the boldest man alive. She is
is beautiful in youth, which increaseth with
her age. Her tongue is forked as the light
ming, and her abode is among the impenetrable
rocks"
The next form of the United States flag was
the star and stripes. Its proportions are perfect
when properly made, the first and last stripe
being red, with alternate stripe of white. The
blue field for the stars is the square of the
width of seven stripes On the 14th of June,
1777, the Continental Congress resolved, ''That
the flag of the United States be thirteen stripes,
alternate red and white, and that the Union
be thirteen white stars on a blue field, repre-
senting new constellation" Previous to this,
however, our national banner was the union
flag, combining the crosses of st. George and
st. Andrew. The stars and stripes were un-
furled for the first time at the battle of Saratoga
on the occasion of the surrender of General
Burgoyne,
The stars of the flag represent the idea taken
from the constellation Lyra, which signifies
harmony. The blue of the field was taken
from the banner of the Convenanters of Scot
land, likewise significant of the league and
covenant of the United Colonies against OPP
preston, and incidentally involving vigilance,
perseverance and justice. The stars were dis
posed in a circle, symbolizing the perpetuality
of the Union, the circle being the sign of eter
nifty. Both the thirteen stripes and the stars
showed the number of the United Colonies,
and denoted the subordination of the States to,
and their dependence upon, the Union as well
as equality among themselves. The whole
was blending of the previous banners name
ly, the red flag of the army and the white flag
Of the navy. The red color, which in the days
of Roman glory was a singal Ofdefance, denoted
daring and the white purity.
On the 18th of January, 1874 by an act of
Congress-, the flag was altered to fifteen red
and white stripes and fifteen stars On the 4th
of April 1875 Congress again altered the flag
by returning to the original thirteen stripes
and fifteen stars, as the adding of new stripe
for each additional State would make the flag
too unwieldy. The new star is added to the
flag ON the 4th of July following the admission
of each State into the Union. | conclude
with the following apostrophe to the beloved
old flag:
Light of our firmanent. guide of our Nation.
Pride of our children and hOnored afar;
Let the wide beams of thy full constellation
Scatter each cloud that would darken a star.