The Newtown bee., 1892-08-26
OLD GLORY UNFURLED
Plattsville's Flag Day.

towns gathered at an early hour. A
 } 30 P m, the platform and ground
 around were lined with people. The ex
 ercises were opened with music by tn
 Pequot drum corps of Southport, follow
 ed by prayer by Rev J. F. Duinkerk
 and the opening address. He thanke,
 the audience for their presence, speaking
 in eloquent terms of the banner of ou
 nation, also making fitting remarks t.
 the teacher, Mir Guernsey, to whose et
 forts we owe our gratitude for the rais
 ing of this pole. The teacher was aske,
 to rise and bow to the audience, to whicl
 he cheerfully complied, after whicl
 three rousing cheers were given for tn
 American flag. which was 14x20 feet ant
 was raised by three of the little schoo
 girls. The school children sang 9Th,
 Red, White and Blue."
 JUDGE D. B. LOCKwoOD's ADDRESS or
 1.-THE HISTORY OF THE FLAG"
 On the 4th of July, l776, the Deelarat ion of Independence was made, announc ing to the world the birth of new ma, tion. On the 14th of June, 1777, tn. American Congress adopted the follow ing resolution:
 Resolved, That the flag of the l3 United States be l3 stripes, alternate red and white that the union be l3 stars, white in a blue field, representing new constellation
 One writer has said that tour fathers chose the stars and stripes, the red tell ing of the blood shed by them for their country; the blue of the heavens and their protection; and the stars of the separate States embodied in one nation ality, pluribus unum." It is stated that this flag was first unfurled at Saratoga upon the surrender of Burgoyne to Gen. eral Gates, October 17, TIT.
 Alfred B. Street, poet and lawyer, in alluding to this fact, says: The stars of the new flag represent constellation of States rising in the west. The idea was taken from the constellation Lyra (the harp), which in the hands of Orpheus signified harmony. The blue of the field was taken from the edges of the Coven- anters' banner in Scotland, significant al- so of the league and covenant of the united colonies against oppression and involving the virtues of vigilance, perse- verance and justice. The stars were dis posed in circle, symbolizing the per petuity of the Union; the ring, like the cireling serpent of the Egyptians, signi- flying eternity. The l3 stripes showed with the stars the number of the united nn1nniaa nd ha of the States to the Union, as well as equality among themselves. The whole was blending of the various flags pre- vious to the Union flag, the red flag of the army and the white one ot the float ing batteries. The red color, which in Roman days was the signal of defiance, denotes daring and the white purity. What eloquence do the stars breathe when their full significance is known. A new constellation, union, perpetuity, covenant against oppression, justice, equality, subordination, courage and purity"
 It is stated that the first flag of the Union was made by Mrs John Ross of Philadelphia, after pencil drawing by Gen Washington. The stars and stripes foated to the breeze upon the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown, September 19, l7S1. They were hoisted in the city of New fork upon it's evacuation by the British, November 25, 17s3. The late F. T. Barnum says that the flag which was hoisted on the evacuation of the city was presented to Mir Scudder, the founder of the American museum in 1910 and was displayed on the museum on the anniver- saries of Evacuation day and the 4th of July. It was destroyed when the muse- um was burnt.
 In l7S3, the independence of the Unit ed States was recognized by Great Brit ain and, thereafter, the stars and stripes became our recognized symbol on land and sea. In 1794, Vermont and Ken lucky had been admitted into the sister, hood of the Union and an act of Con- gress was passed increasing the stars and stripes on the flag from 13 to 15.
 On April 4, ISIS, other States having been admitted, the following act was passed by Congress: AN ACT TO ESTABLISH THE FLAG OF THE UNITED
 STATES. seo.l l. Be it enacted, etc., That from and af- ter the fourth day of July next, the flag Of the United States be l3 horizontal stripes, alter nate red and white; that the union have 20 stars, white in a blue field. Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That, on | the admission of every new State into the Union, one star be added to the union of the flag; and that such addition shah take effect on the 4th of July next succeeding such ad- 
 In the revision of the United States statutes of 1878, the same act is re-enact- ed, with the proviso that the union on the flag shall be 37 States. The conse- quence is that, to-day, the flag contains A stars, that being the number of the | States now in the Union.
 The flag is the insignia of nationality. It is always seen on United States fort | pr United States vessel, because the army and the navy are the means where by we assert and maintain our sovereign y. Our history as nation, from the Revolution to the Rebellion, is interwoy- an with that of the flag.
 When the act of April 4, ISIS, was adopted, which provided that 20 stars mould be placed on the flag on and after he 4th of July next succeeding, it was objected that the time was too short to How of the provisions of the act becom. ng generally known. It took month hen to convey intelligence to New Or cans. Contrast that time with the pres- mt, when the telegraph flashes the news round the world in second of time.
 Abraham Lincoln was elected presi-