Telegram-herald., 1889-11-18
srAss AND STRIPES.
ChanxSs Th4E Have Hss1 A-as ls ~
f14g II oSr N4tl0z- a.

TIE aadl tea of new stars - nos
interfere slth The symmetry q The Gag,
szxs rhe NeN York Mzl and Express-
Had the original intention OF Congress
iof aadiug star ana stripe foF every
nsw state been carried out or 1sg
would nov Be = Curious CON blnstlon-
Wheu The colonists 6rst came ~
Amstca they broagbt tie Gag 81 Great
Britain tbs Bzs formed of q union
OF three crosses Of - George. 81 An
drew snd ST. Patrick, and marked The
lnion u England Scotland Gna IRE
and.
When the colonies begsH 70 rebel
against tie pressure OF British laws
they constructed q plain nag without
the bars or crosses and placed upon u
rattlesnake cut into thirteen pieces,
representing the thirteen colonies With
the motto Ia large capitals: Unite OF
Die" Bat after the thirteen colonies
became more united and determined 70
resist British tyranny, they placed
well-formed rattlesn2ke On the nag,
with the new motto. "Dont rezt on
me" BENJAMIN Franklin, on being
asked the meaning Of that emblem
wrote as follows "On inquiry and
from study / learned that the ancients
considered the serpent an emblem OF
wisdom, and, IL some attitudes, OF end
less duration. Also that countries are
often represented by animals peculiar
10 that country. The rattlesnake Is
found nowhere but in America Her
eye is exceedingly bright and without
eyelids emblem Of vigilance. She
never begins an attack, and she
never surrenders - emblem Of mag
nanimity and courage. She never
wounds even her enemies till she gen
erously gives them warning not 70 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, but certain destruction 10
her enemies showing the power Of
American resources. Her thirteen
rattles, the only part which increases in
number, arc distinct from each other,
and yet SO united that they can not DO
disconnected without breaking them 10
pieces, showing the impossibility of an
American republic without union OF
States. A single rattle will give no
sound alone, bat the ringing OF the thir-
teen together is sufficient 70 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 impenetrable
rocks"
The next form OF the United States
flag was the stars and stripes. The pro-
portions are perfect when properly
made, the first and last stripe being red
with alternate stripes of white. The
blue field for the stars IS the square of
the width of seven stripes. On June IA,
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 blue field, representing a new
constellation" The stars of the flag
represent the idea taken from the con-
stellation Lyra, which signifies har-
mony. The blue of the field was taken
from the banner of the Covenanters OF
Scotland, likewise significant of the
league and covenant of the united
colonies against oppression and Incl
dentally involving vigilance, persever-
ance and Justice. The stars were dis
posed in a circle, symbolizing the per-
petuity OF the Union, the circle being
the sign Of eternity. 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
equally among themselves. The whole
was blending of the previous banners,
namely, the red color, which in the DAYS
Of Roman glory was the signal of def
ance, denoting daring, and the white,
purity.
On the 18th Of January, 1914, by an
act of Congress, the flag was altered to
fifteen red and white stripes and fifteen
stars, there having been two new States
added TO the Union, and the flag thus
altered and enlarged was the one which
was borne through all the contests of
the war of 1872 On the 4th of April,
1s1S, Congress again changed the flag by
returning TO the original thirteen stripes
and fifteen stars, as the adding of new
stripe for each additional Sta 10 would
soon make the flag too unwieldy.
Now new star Is added to the flag on
the Fourth OF July following the admis-
sion Of new State into the Union. Tho
perfect flag, with its thirteen stripes Of
white and red, and its blue field, with
its fifteen white stars, was unfurled for
the first time at the battle of Saratoga.
October :, 1777. by Benedict Arnold, who
bore tho flag during that important en-
gagmont. After his descrtion Of the
American army he carried his uniform
and tho same flag 70 England, where he
died in poverty and distress in the year
1901.
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