The Republican., 1891-11-27

W CIidG country. IHe raCLlcSnakC
is found nowhere but in America.
Her eye is exceedingly bright, and
without eyelids-emblem OF vigi-
lance. She never begins an attaks,
and she never surrenders-emblem
OF magnanimity and courage. She
never wounds even her enemies till
she generously gives them warming
not to tread on her. which is en-
blematical of the spirit of the peo-
pie who inhabit her country. She
appears apparently weak and de-
fenseles, but her weapons are new
ertheless formidable. Her poison
is the necessary means for the di-
gestion of her food, but certain
destruction to her enemles-show-
ing the power of American resour-
ces, Her thirteen rattles, the only
| part which increases in number, are
distinct from each other, and yet
united that they cannot be discon-
nected with breaking them to pieces,
showing the impossibiIty of an
American republic without union
of States. A single rattle will give
no sound alone, bnt the ringing of
the thirteen together is sufficient to
startle the boldest man alive. She
is beautiful in youth, which increas-
eth with her age. He 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.
Its proportions are perfect when
properly made-the first and L'st
stripe being red, with alternate
stripes 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 blue field,
representing new constellation"
Previous to this, our National
banner was the union flag. combln-
ing the crosses of st. George and
st Andrew.
The stars and stripes were un-
furled for the first time at the bat
tie Of Saratoga, on the occasion of
the surrender of General Burgoyne.
The stars of the flag represented
the idea taken from the constella-
tion Lyra, which signified harmony.
The blue of the field was taken
from the banner of the covenanters
of Scotland, likewise significant of
the league and covenant of the Uni
ted Colonies against oppression, and
incidentally involving vigilance,
perseverance and justice The
stars were disposed in a circle, SYM
bolizlng the perDetulty of the un-
ion. the circle being the sign of
eternity. 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
we'll as equality among themselves.
The whole was a blending of the
previous banners, namely, the red
flag of the army and the white one
of the navy. The red color, which
in the days of Roman glory, was
the signal of defiance. denoted dar-
ing, and the white, purity.
On the 18th of January, 1894, by
an act of Congress. the flag was al
tered to fifteen red and white stripes
and fifteen stars. On the 4th of
April, 1918, 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 soon make
the flag too unwieldlY. The new
star is added to the flag on the 4th
of July following the admission of
each State into the Union.
Another definition of the colors ::
The red signifies courage and forti-
tude, and is emblematic of the
blood shed so freely by our forefath-
ers in their great struggles and bat
ties for the priceless boon of liberty
which we now enjoy; the white sig
nltied purity IN our social and po-
litical life, while the bluols emblem
attic of union, harmony ana justice
to all sheltered by its folds.
Hamill Spedden departed for
Buckhannan, W. Va, Wednesday