Arizona silver belt., 1888-04-07
fneis Abou, the ofig;n of our Nalionai
 Flag and It's Meaning


 Flag and It's Meaning
 u. Thomas Turner in Washington Star
 So much has been said and written concerning the origin of the American flag, our cherished banner of the Stars and Stripes, permit me to fur nish 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 king dom of Great Britain, and then this kingdom with Ireland. This IS termed the great union flag of Great Britain, and was brought by the colonists 10 America.
 When the thirteen colonies began to feel the iron pressure Of Brtisa tyranny and despotlc rule, they placed upoh their banners rattlesnake, cut Tn thirteen pieces, representing the thirteen original colonies, with the motto, "Join or die" When these colonies became more united in their purposes of resistance to British en- slavement they placed npon their flag a well-formed rattlesnake, in the atti- tude of about to strike, with the mot to, Don't tread on me '
 Dr. Franklin, seeing this emblem on che of tue drums of that day, writes as follows 'On inquiry, and from study, learned that the anclents considered the serpent an emblem of wisdom, and, in some attitudes, of endless duration. Also, that coun- tries are often represented by animals peculiar to that country. The rattle snake is found nowhere but in Ameri- ca. Her eye is exceedingly bright and without oyelids-emblem of vigilance. She never begins an attack, and she never surrendsrs-emblem of magma nimity and courage She never wounds even her enemies, till she generously gives them warning not to tread on her-which is emblamatic of the spirit of the people who inhabit her country. She appears apparently weak and de- fenceless, but her weapons are never theess formidable. He poison is tba necessary means for the digestion of her food, but certain destruction to her enemies, showing the power of American resources. Her thirteen rattlss, the only part of which nereas- eS in number, are distinct from each oyher, and yet so united that they can not be disconnected without breaking them to pieces, showing the lmpossi- bility of an Amerlcan republic with out a union of States" How marvel ousIy prophetic.
 "A slngle rattle will give no sound alone, but the ringing of the thirteen together is sufficient to startle the boldest man alive. She is beautiful in youth, which increaseth with her age. | Her tongue IS forked, as the lightning, | and her abode is among the impene. ir5ble rocks,
 The next form of the United States flag was the stars and stripes. Its proportions are perfect when proper ly made, the first and last stripe being red, with alternate stnpes of white. The blue field for the stars is the | square of the width of seven stripes. On the 14th ot June, 1777, the Conti- mental Congress resolved, "That the flag of the United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white, and i that the Unlon be thirteen white stars on a blue field, representing a new constellation. Previous to this, how ever, our national banner was the Union flag, combining the crosses of St. George and St. Andrew. The stars and stripes were unfurled 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 CovenanterS of Scotland, likewise of the league and covenant | of the United Colonies against oppres- sion and incidentally involving yigi- l