The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1893-11-17
THE STARS AND STRIPES.

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United States are again returning
to a more endearing love for the
starry emblem of their glorious
country and the principles it rep
resents. In view of the evident
facts, we take the liberty of print
ing a brief history of the flag made
dear by the blood of so many pa
triotic sons, This int eresting re-
view is taken from the columns of
St. Nicholas:
at is a matter of record that
during the early days of the revo
luton the colonists made use of
flags of various devices. 1t is now
adays generally accepted as fact
that the final idea of the stars and
stripes as a national flag was bor-
rowed from or suggested by the
coat of arms of Gen. George Wash
ington family.
In the spring of 1777 congress
appointed a committee author
lied to design a suitable flag for
the nation.' This committee
it seems consisted of Gen. George
Washington and Robert Morris.
They called on Mrs. Elizabeth
Ross, of Philadelphia, and from a
pencil drawing by Gen. George
Washington engaged her to make
a flag. Mrs. Betsy Ross was a
milliner whose principal customers
were the Quaker ladies. She
came from good colonial stock.
The story goes that during this
call at that little old building at
239 Arch street, Philadelphia,
General Washington, after ex-
planning his drawing to Betsy
Ross, directed that the stars should
be six pointed ones. Mrs. Ross
objected to this, and argued that
the stars in the sky seemed to
have but five points. Following
her argument with a practical
demonstration, she folded piece
of paper, and with single clip OF
the scissors cut out a perfect five
pointed star. This was too much
for the committe, and without fur
ther argument Betsy Ross pre-
vailed.
This flag, the first of a number
she made, was cut out and com
pleted in the back parlor of hel
little Arch street home. It was
the first legally established EN-.
blem, and was adopted by con.
gress June IA, 1777, under the
act which provided for stripes al
ternately red and white, with a
union of thirteen white stars in a
field of blue. This act reads as
follows: sResolved, that the flag Of
the United States be thirteen
stripes, alternate red and white:
that the union be thirteen stars
white in a blue field, representing
a new constellation
Words in those days were few
actions were rapid, and spoke
loudly. In May, 1777, congress
made an order on the treasury to
pay Mrs. Ross GA 12s Up for flags
for the fleet IN the Deleware river.
and contract to make all govern
ment flags. Because of the ad-
mission of Vermont and Kentucky
the flag was changed by an act OF
January 13, 1894, which provided
that after May 1, 1895, the flag OF
the United States should consist OF
fifteen stripes and fifteen stars.
But in 1918 the flag was re-es-
tablished as thirteen horizontal
stripes, alternately red and white,
the union to consist of twenty
stars, white in a blue field, one
star to be added to the union on
the admission of every new state;
such addition to be made On the
4th day of July succeeding such ad-
mission. This flag went into effect
July 4, 1918, and remains the pre-
sent regulation national emblem
of the United States of A America
Some description of the symbol
ism of the colors in the flag is not
without interest. Red is supposed
to represent courage and Divine
love; white, integrity of purpose
truth, and purity; blue, steadfast-
ness, and loyalty.
The quaint, two-and a-half-story
dwelling on Arch street for more
than two hundred years has with.
stood time and the elements, and
though threatened with destruc-
ton from fire and modern build
ings innovation, still stands mon.
ument to Betsy Ross and the
American flag. The very bricks
of this old house came over as bal
last in the hold of the sW Welcome'