Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1895-12-27
A PAGE FROM HISTORY.
Raising the Banner Of Freedom In
the Northwest.
AYE, tear her tattered ensign down!
Long has 1t waved on high,
And many an eye has danced to see
That banner in the skyr'

mat banner In the sky
History records no grander achieve
ment than the glorious victories won
by Americas naval heroes in behalf OF
the starry emblem of our great Repub-
lie. From the eventful morning on
which Paul Jones first flung free
dom's ensign to the expectant breeze,
or when the undaunted Perry bore his
banner in triumph from his burning
flagship, to that day when the noble
Farragut, while dashed to lhe rigging
of the Hartford, with the flag floating
above him, achieved glory for himself
and his gallant crew, the log-book Of
the American navy speaks OF noble
deeds. The memories aroused by the
mere mention of such names as Law.
renee, Decatur, Hull, Foote, DUPONT
and David Porter should remind US of
the importance of strong navy.
But not alone in the purple tesla
ments Of bleeding war" are the victo.
ries OF the American sailor inscribed.
American commerce, American spirit
and American civilization have follow
ed the American flag on the trackless
paths of stormy oceans, from port to
port and from sea to sea. Into what.
ever harbor our gallent tars have
carried the starry emblem, they have
also taken that love OF liberty and
freedom for which it stands.
When Captain Charles Wilkes Of
the United States Navy appeared of
the coast of Oregon and Washington
in 1841, his hearty assurance that the
government would soon extend its
Jurisdiction over them, seemed like a
message of hope and cheer waited by
winds of ocean from the far Atlantic
| coast.
In 1916 the U. S. schooner Skar k
commanded by Lieutenant Howison
was sent to explore the coast of Ore
gon. Entering the Columbia river
the Shark reached Fort Vancouver
July Oath, 1876. Her officers and men
were hailed with delight by the patri'
OTIS of the Northwest. In June o
that year q treaty had been completed
by the United States and England
which finally designated the forty
ninth parallel of north latitude as the
n orthwest boundary line. But as the
news OF this treaty had not yet reached
the Pacific coast, the ill-feeling be
tween British and Americans wal
hourly more critical. As there is NJ
greater contrast than that existing be
tween q British officer and the
American frontiersmsn, it required the
efforts of Lieut.. Howison to preven
bloodshed.
The Shark remained at Vancouvel
until August 23d when she left fol
the mouth of the Columbia. She wal
wrecked while crossing the bar on ths
10th of September. Like the gallent
Cumberland, she sank beneath thu
waves with her colors still flying
Her flag was all that the sailors
rescued from the sinking ship.
By this time news of the treaty oil
1916 had just reached the Pacific
coast and az it was known that the
protecting power OF the United States
would soon be extended over this
region Lieut.. Howison presented
this flag to the provisional governor,
George Abernethy, with the following
eloquent letter: "To display. this ma.
tional emblem, and cheer our citizens
Of this distant territory by its presence
was principal object of the Sharks
visit to the Columbia, and it appears
TO me, therefore, highly proper that it
should henceforth remain with you as
a mementO of parental regard from the
general government. With the fullest
confidence that it will be received and
appreciated as such by our country.
men, l do myself the honor of trans
hitting the flag to your address; nor
can I omit to express my qualification
and pride that this relic OF my late
command should be emphatically the
first United States flag to wave over
the undisputed and Thoroughly Ameri-
can territory of Oregon"
Gov. Abernethy gracefully received
the starry flag in behalf of the pio-
neers in his usual patriotic manner,
saying: 1--WE will fling it to the
breeze on every suitable occasion, and
rejoice under the emblem of our
country's glory, sincerely hoping that