Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1895-07-05
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THE FLAG,
An Excellent Essay on the Incubation
of Patriotism.

THE AMERICIN FLAG.
An Excellent Essay on the Incubation
of Patriotism.
When America was first settled, each
colony used the flag of the country from
which it's inhabitants had come. The
number of flags decreased as the
colonists became more united, until the
Leading flag was the flag of England.
When the colonists began to feel the
pressure of British rule, they adopted a
Q fag-a yellow background; with a
r~attlesnake cut into thirteen pieces, and
the motto "Join or Die" on it. AS the
colonies became more united in their
purpose of resistance to British tyranny,
they placed on their flag, a we'll formed
rattlesnake, in the attitude of about to
strike, with the motto :.Don't Tread on
Me-"
DR.. Franklin, seeing their emblem on
one OF the drums of the day, writes as
follows: II have learned that the an.
clients considered the serpent an emblem
of wisdom, and in some attitude of end
less duration; also that countries are
often represented by animals peculiar to
that country. The r%attlesnake is found
nowhere but in America. Her eye is
exceedingly bright and without eyelids-
emblems of vigilance. She never begins
an attack, and she never %surrenders,
emblem of magnamity and courage.
She never wounds even her enemies til
she generously gives them warning not
to tread on her, which is emblematical
of the spirit of the. people who inhabit
her country. She appears weak and
defenceless, yet her weapons are never
theless formidable.
"Her thirteen ~rattles, the only part
that increases in number, are distinct
from each other, and yet so united that
they cannot te disconnected without
breaking them to pieces, showing the
impossibility Of All American republic,
without a union Of states. A single
rattle will give no sound alone, but the
singing Of the thirteen together is suff.
Gent to startle the boldest man alive"
The next form of the flag was the
thirteen stripes alternate red and white,
mathematical of the thirteen colonies
with the crosses of ST. George and ST.
Andrew.
The next form was the Stars and
Stripes, it's proportions are perfect when
properly made, the first and the last
stripe are of red with alternate stripes of
white. The blue field for the stars was
a square, the width of seven stripes.
On the 14th Of June, 1777, the Cont.
mental congress resolved that ''the flag of
the Union be thirteen white stars on a
blue field representing a new constella.
tion."
The Stars and Stripes we're %unfurled
for the first time at the battle of Sara
toga, on the occasion of the surrender OF
General BurRoyne.
On the 18th of January, 1894, by an
act Of congress the flag was altered to
fifteen stars and fifteen stripes. On the
18th of April, 1878, congress again al
tered the flag by returning to the origi-
nal thirteen stripes and fifteen stars, as
the adding of q new stripe for each state
would soon make the flag too unwieldy.
A new star is added to the flag on the
Fourth of July, following the admission
of a state into the Union
White represents purity, and those
white stripes denote the purity Of the
cause which they represent. Red is the
color of blood, and the red stripes de.
note the blood which will be shed it
necessary to defend and maintain our
cause. Blue 9 .for justice. The white
stars on the blue field denote justice to
one and all who shall come under the
guidance of that constellation.
The American flag is the emblem of
equal rights. It means that "Govern-
ments derive their just powers from the
consent Of the governed" It means that
this continent has been dedicated to
liberty. 1t means that every citizen Of
the United States must be protected at
home, abroad and on the sea. Our flag
denotes q nations supreme power.
Under it's folds the weakest must be
protected; the stronger must obey. It