The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1897-06-17


vessels.
Another famous flag was that de-
signed by Colonel Moultrie. 1t was a
large blue flag. In the upper corner
near the staff was a white crescent and
beneath also in white letters was the
word " Liberty. 1t was under this
flag that the colonists drove the British
fleet from Charleston harbor, and we
may be sure that if they had fought
under such a distinctly American en-
blem at Bunker Hill, instead of a
modification 4 the English flag, sue
cess would have been theirs.
Late in Tie year 1775 Franklin,
Lynch, Harrison and Washington and
few other prominent men of the day
were appointed as committee to con-
slider the subject Of a Colonial flag
Franklin suggested one having field
composed of thirteen equally wide,
longitudinal alternate red and white
stripes, and the Union Of the English
flag to still be returned as q Union for
the Colonial flag. This was to an
nounce that the colonists would remain
loyal to a just government of the
Mother country. The thirteen stripes
were to represent the thirteen Colonies.
They were of equal width, to typify the
equal rank and privileges of the Colo
nists. The white stripes signify that
our demands are just and reasonable,
and would be secured by peaceable
means, if possible, but the red stripes
at the top and bottom showed that
first andalast we would not hesitate to
use force whenever it was deemed nee
essary.
The flag first described and ex-
planned was unanimously adopted the
18th OF December, 1775, and boisted for
the first time on the I'd of January,
.1776, over the camp as Cambridge by
George Washington; thus end the va
rious emblems used heretofore.
BY the Declaration of Independence
July 4th, l776, the British colonies be-
came free and independent states and
they now thought it time to dispense
with the British Union in the colonial
flag. The matter of changing it was
left to the continental congress, who
passed the following resolution:
!" Resolved, That the flag Of the thir-
teen Unite States be thirteen stripes
alternate red and white; and the union
be thirteen stars, white in a blue field,
representing a new constellation"
Congress adopted this resolution
June IA, 1777, and not until a year
after the adoption Of the Declaration of
independence did the stars appear in
our flag. For fifteen years it remained
thirteen red and white stripes, thirteen
stars for a union, arranged in a circle.
and all Of equal size.
Ii the year 1892, when Vermont and
Kentucky were admitted to the Union,
the flag did not represent correctly the
fifteen states, so the work of changing
it was left to a committee, who decided
to have fifteen stars and fifteen stripes.
Congress, after prolonged discussions,
passed this resolution, and until the
admission of new states the question
was again settled, but not for long, as
new states being admitted caused an
other change. 1t was now decided
that it would be unreasonable to be
continually changing the size of the
flag and the following resolution was
adonfad Anr1l 4 1878.
/" An Act to Establish the Flag of the
United States:
. Section l. Be it enacted, ETC., that
from and after the 18th day Of July next
the flag of the United States be thirteen
horizontal stripes, alternate red and
white. that the Union have twenty
stars, white in a blue field
q Section 2. And be it further re-
solved, that on the admission of every
new state into the Union one star be
added to the Union Of our flag; and
that such additions shall take effect
on the 4th of July next succeeding such
admission.
" Approved April 4, 1878"
Since that date every United States
I flag complies with this law. The fol-
lowing story is told concerning the
first flag: Washington and Franklin
could design flag, but in the end had
to depend upon woman for its con-
struction. They took sketch Of the
proposed design to a Mrs. JOHN Ross
who criticised them for using a six
pointed star, so folding a scrap OF
paper with one cut of her scissors she
produced a symmetrical five pointed
star and true to womankind carried
her point. She made the first star
spangled banner and continued to do
so until her death, sixty years later.
Such is the history Of our flag the
prose OF its past history being trans
formed into the poetry of its present
grandeur. The noblest sacrifices for
humanity have been made under its