The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1893-05-18
A BEAUTIFUL FLAG
PRESENTED TO THE UNION VETERAN
LEGION TUESDAY.

Speeches Made Dancing and sooia-
bility.
II was O beautiful and patriotic affair
and though the rain drizzed and fell all
day, there was q fair attendance at the
flag presentation of the Union Veteran
Legion Tuesday night in Wernet's hall.
Many soldiers were present, and the en-
celebration was success.
II was about o'clock when the Grand
Army orchestra OF seven pieces began 10
play a few dance selections and the
younger folks and elderly people present
who could dance stepped out upon the
floor. After eiddy waltz or two, Com,
rAde William Archinnl introduced General
Sherwood who presented the new and
elegant silk nag, and spoke substantially
as follows:
"what is this flag? Whence comes II,
and what is its origin and history? Some
one says It wac born with the Republic.
But no, II was not. When the old bell
first tolled in Independence hall on the
4ih Of July, 1776, proclaimiDg liberty to all
the people of the American colonies, as
the death knell to that Kingly Rule, there
was no flag to wave above the heads of the
excited thousands.
The stars that blaze upon the shining
folds of our flag today were then unborn.
That great idealization Of beauty and
valor and glory, the Stars and Stripes.
was still q slumberinR dream locked in
the bosom of the ages, as this flag was
then unknown to civilization, or to man
around the world. But today Liberia, the
black Republic, has adopted our
flag entire With single star
on the canton, instead OF forty>four.
Tho United States of Columbia. have
adopted the Stars aud Stripes with three
stripes of yellow, blue and red and blue
circle In the center. with red border en-
circling 8 stars.
The flag of Venezuela is also the Stars
and Stripes of yellow, blue and red, with
q group OF 8 stars blazed in the center
stripe of blue.
The flag OF Chile 10 also of our pattern
one large white star on canton of blue,
with two broad stripes of white and red,
with the Chilean coat Of arms in the
center.
The flag of the Argentine Republic has
three stripes of blue, white and blue, and
the flag Of Paraguay, is red, white and
blue, with single star encircled in blue
border on the white.
All these Republics were born since the
United States, and all their flags are bor'
rowed ideas from our own Stars and
Stripes. The English Colonies in America
first displayed the flag of England, with
the cross of st. George. The Union flags
first mentioned in Iva, were ordinary
English red ensigns, bearing the Union
Jack. In the first struggles for American
Independence, the different state troops
of the 10 original Colonies, displayed a
great variety of flags.
1t is uncertain at this tune what Gag was
carried by the American army at Bunker
Hill. The first flag of Massachusetts was
of pure white, with a green pine tree in
the center. The first Republican flag un-
furled in the Southern States was blue,
with white crescent. The flag called the
"Great Union" was first raised by Wash>
ington at Cambridge, January 2nd, 1776.
This flag consisted OF 10 alternate stripes
of red and white, with the crosses OF st.
George and st. Andrew on blue canton.
This flag was carried by the American
feet that sailed the Delaware Capes in
1776. Another flag carried by Connecticut
was yellow banner, with a coiled rattle
snake in black in the center with this
motto: "Don't tread on me-" This
was carried by Commodore Paul
Jones on the CapstAn of the Alfred,
inviting the fire of the whole
British feet. The first authoriz ed
American flag was enacted by the Con-
tinental Congress, June IA, 1777.
This enacted that the American flag be
thirteen stripes of the 10 states, with IL
stars In white on canton of blue. This
act of Congress, was not officially pro
claimed until Sept, 3D.. 177.,
This flag was unchanged until 1884
when after Vermont and Kentucky were
admitted into the union, the stripes were
changed to 15 and the stars to 10, to rep
resent the number of added States.
This flag OF 10 stars and 15 stripes wal
the war of 1912 and 1874. In 1916. when
Indiana was admitted into the union, q
committee was appointed by Congress tc
inquire into the expediency of alterin {
the flag. A bill was reported January
2nd, 1917, as recommended by Capt
Saml. Reid, disting pushed Naval officer
of the war of 1874, which reduced the
stripes to 13, and she stars equal to the
number OF states, with provision that Q
new star be added with every new state
This flag was first hoisted over the
National Capital At Washington, Apri
30th. 1918. Hence the flag of today Is only
75 years old, with 13 atripes and forty -four
stars, and will never be changed, save &c
add more stars.
The stars and stripes therefore repre-
sent an original flag, not feature in IT.
folds were borrowed from any OF the ole
world monarchies. II 10 the conception
of Republic, and in its emblem we wor'
ship at the Republic's shrine. OIL
Colonel Stump, on behalf OF the LegioI
in q pretty little speech. accepted the
Stars and Stripes. He spoke OF the neet
of flag for the Legion. The orchhstrr
then struck up dancing SELECTIONS. The
flag 10 most elegant one. 1t is of regula.
ton size aud was purchased by patriot,
citizens for presentation to the
Union Veteran Legion. The Legion
IL quite distinct organic alton from the
G.. A. n. Post,in that comrades who have
| served two years or more can only sigI
it's roll.
Captain II. c. Smart and his thoroughly
trained company OF Zouaves, gave fancy
exhibition drill which greatly pleased the
spectators. The boys were at their bes