St. Landry democrat., 1888-03-17
STARS AND STRIPES.
The story of Their Origin as Told in Sun
set Cox's Book.

The ssory of Their Origin as Told in Sun
set Cox's Book.
There is one romance come citing
America with the Orient, and religion
with patriotism, which should be re.
corded. 1t involves the ''Star Span
gled Banner warn my reader that
with this sedate subject of religion
am about TO associate a patriotic Incl
dent. The Washington family has
been traced back to the time of the
Norman Conquest and 10 the north of
Humber. The princely see of Durham
had Il prelate who was a feudatory of
the Conqueror. He was a warrior
priest, and had many feudatories under
him. Among the rest was the knlghtly
William De Hertburn, who. IN ex-
changing his village of Herr burn for
the Manor of Wessynton, gave not
only the first recorded link in the fam
lily, but the immortal name of Wash
ington, further west"
The Ottoman dynasty had risen TO a
formidable power; and Richard the
Lon Hearted had pawned his patri-
| mony for crusade and had been inn
| prisoned on the shores of the Bos-
| phorus; the story of the Planta genets
had been played before the world;
stately and warlike scenes in the west
and east had come and gone; and the
name of De Wessynton, after illustrat-
ing many heroic qualities, bad died
out from the chivalric rolls OF Durham;
but it was preserved in the cloister by
doughty abbott. The stock was di-
vided into various branches. 1t was
scattered over England. About the
time the great grandson of the con-
queror of OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
tho Magnificent-had raised his realm
to its acme of fame. one of the Wash
ingtons, Laurence. was practicing law
at Gray's inn. When the Sultan Ibra-
him was trying 10 foil the intrigues of
the eunuchs. Colonel Henry Washing
ton was defending the city of Wor-
cester for King Charles against Crom-
well. Happily for America, England
became uncomfortablef un 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. mar
ried and died. OF his sons. George
was the eldest. But as the genealogy
shows, although he was out of the di-
rect line he had inherited the stamina
Of the stock. What of all this, now and
here? There is another George Wash
ington 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 direct line from the
De Wessyntons of the Conquest In
his keeping is the crest of the family.
What is the romance to which have
advertcd? Nothing less than the in
comparable growth of great Western
nation, directed. moderated, energized
and inspired by descendant of the
martial and priestly family whose
stock is noted in the stalwart folk of
Northumberland and whose branches
are as widely apart as Bosphorus and
the Potomac. Rev. George Washing
ton is an accomplished gentleman and
scholar. He is quite friendly to Amer
leans, as, of course, he should be.
| can not refrain from inserting here
a little note which he sent to my wife. |
1t contained his own card and, doubt
less, the arms on that card, as has
been often surmised. if not proven.
gave the first idea of the American
S az Spangled Banner:'
PERA, January 10, 1886.
DEAR MRS. COX-It might interest Mr.. Cox |
to see these quarterings of which I was speak |
ing to you the other evening. You see the |
'stars and stripes are there. I have always |
heard that the story mentioned to you was |
correct, W.: That casting about for flag
when independence had been declared, the |
Americans thought that they could not do bet
Ger than take their General s family quarterings
as foundation. Hence the ''stars and stripes r'
With kind regards believe me yours very truly. |
GEORGE WASHINGTON.
The quarterings referred to are
shield with three stars at the top and
the stripes below, running across the
shield. Above the shield are the head
and wings Of an eagle. rising from
crown and below it the motto, I'm cruce
glorior." Below all is the name,
George Washington. Memoirs of a
Diplomat.