Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-10-16

Many Changes from Colonial Days
10 the Present.
CNew York SUM-


into Canaan. Moses ordered that every
man Of the children of Israel shall pitch
nv his own standard and with the ensign
of their fathers house." which empha-
| sizes tina fact that all tribes and nations
have been compelled to adopt some sym
| boil by which they may be known. Inc
| flag OF every nation represents growth
! in the life OF that nation. The develop
| ment of the Stars and Stripes stands as
| the maturity OF certain new IDEAS anu
| firm principles. which were deeply rooted
| I'm the brave hearts OF the early innaDi-
tants OF this country.
| In 1870 the Mayfiower sailed with the
| red cross OF st. George floating from. her
| masts, but even then some or the most
| sturdy of the PuritanS objected 10 inns
/ use OF the cross. and 1t was the subject
| of numerous debates in the Colony. re-
! ligion and politics getting into quite a
| contention over the matter. IL was nnalIy
| settled by n compromise, however ana
| agreed that the "Kings colors might
| float over the fort in Boston harbor but
| nowhere else. This continued to be the
| practice until 1907, when what was termed
| the union fiag OF James |. was designated
| by Parliament as the flag TO be used
| throughout the British possessions: Al
| though the American colonists adopted
this union flag. representing the uhiteu
| crosses of ST. George and 81. AndreW, 10
| show the union of England and Scotland.
| there was at the same time spirit OF IN
| dependence manifested in using the flag.
| Frequent additions would be made TO II,
| as sometimes a tree, usually pine Tree;
again otner devices. green tree was
| used as early as 1862 In MASSACHUSETTS as
| an emblem of that Colony.
| In the early records Of the island OF
| Manhattan we find mention OF flag from
| Holland being used I'm 1859. but the sturdy
| Dutchmen did not take kindly 20 1t, and
| II was only for a few years that the
| flag of their native country or their own
| Colonial device fioated over their forts
| and dwellings, for in 1864 the red cross
| of the dragon knight claimed English
| supremacy in this stronghold of the New
| World.
When the Colonies of Plymouth and
i Connecticut united in defence against the
| French, Dutch, and Swedes under the
name of the United Colonies of New Eng
| land, the King was so pleased that he
| gave them flag called "the Kings
standard" This league led the way for
a stronger combination of forces, and a
league flag was soon adopted, consisting
| of the cross of st. George in one corner
| and sphere in one of the others signi-
| Tying the New. World. This league had a
long career, changing its name and flag
| many times; it was the origin of the
famous Sons Of Liberty" whose flag
trees and poles, with their emblems of
liberty, blazoned with such notices as
Liberty and Union" appeal to Hea-
VEN VEN d ana the ,r Sw famous rattlesnake
forerunners Of the spirit OF resistance
which finally developed in the struggle
Tor Independence and liberty.
In l7I6 the Council of Massachusetts
adopted regulations for its merchant ma
rine, and designated their flag as white
ground with green pine tree in the
! centre. bearing the motto, Appeal to
heaven; but the favorite flag in those
days of unrest was one with seven red
and six white bars, with rattlesnake
stretched diagonally across it. bearing
the words, Don't tread on me-" This
is said to have been the banner of the
| soldiers at Trenton and again at Prince
| ton; but Ii is an unsettled point what
coiors the men at Bunker Hill, Lexington,
and Concord fought, probably the standard
| of New England.
When the Continental army was organ
ized in January, 1775. the union flag Of
tie :, Colonies was hoisted over the camp
| at Cambridge, and as the Colonies had not
as yet declared their independence, the
nag or the mother country was not en-
| trely discarded. The crosses of Eng
land and Scotland had place in the up
| per left-hand corner, while the field con-
sisted of thirteen stripes. but there is
some doubt whether these stripes were
alternately red and white or red. white,
ana blue. The flag was made by order
! OF Congress, and was called the "Grand
Union Flag" as it represented the united
colonies; 1T is also known as the CONT
| mental flag. Not until nearly a year and
halt afterward, or on June IA. III, did
congress place the stars in the corner
| In place of the crosses. The resolution
| concerning this read:
| Resolved, That the flag Of the thirteen
| united States be thirteen stripes. alter
nate red and white; that the Union be
| thirteen stars in blue field representing
| new constellation"
| Many theories are advanced as to WHY
| the thirteen stripes were chosen. They
may nave come from the naval flag Of
| the DutcH republic, for there had always
| Deen strong bond of sympathy between
! the seven provinces of Holland and the
! American Colonies The idea Of the stars
IS thought to have been suggested by
| Washlngtons coat of arms, which was of
| two horizontal stripes over which were
three stars, and on the top an eagle"
] In explanation of the 6ve-ponted star
/ being used on the flag and a six-pointed
| one being on our coin, IT is said that the
| makers Of the early coins used the Eng
| fish custom in heraldry. while the de-
| signers of our flag followed the shape
| or the European star.
When the new States came into the
| Union the question arose as to how they
| should be represented on the national flag;
| tney were too important an acquisition
| not to be represented on the flag. and
! hence, after much debate in both houses
! in 1894, two more stripes and two more
stars were added for Vermont and Ken
| lucky. This formed the flag of fifteen
| stripes and fifteen stars. which continued
| to be the emblem of the United States
| until 1918, or for twenty-four years, during
which time 1t won many laurels on land
and sea for the new republic II was this
| ensign that amazed the people of Europe
| by its holiness in attacking the Algerian
| pirates, and floating from the mastheads
| of our merchant marine and navy il won
! new glorieS on sea and lake in famous
| naval battles, as well as at New Orleans
| and Fort McHenry.
| But as the new States came TO be adj
| mitted II was not possible or advisable
that new stripe and star should be add
| ed for each, yet all felt their right 10
| representation on the country's flag and
| after many weary months of debate In
| Congress, on April T. 1918, ii was finally
| decided to reduce the flag to the thirteen
original stripes, one for each OF the orgi-
| nal states, and as each new state Joined
| the Union another star should be added
| TO the constellation. Thus, after many
years, much debate I'm Congress, and
! through several changes. the flag of the
| United States of America has come to
consist of thirteen alternate red and
| white horizontal stripes, with a blue field
| In the upper left-hand corner containing
| a. star for each State in the Union
| In one of his speeches Charles Sumner
| said, as he stood pointing to an Ameri-
can flag:
"rhere is a piece of bunting. lifted into
| the air, but 1t speaks sublmely, and
every part has voice"
-~D---
War HumOr Mt santiago.
(New York WORLDLY
Captain Evans is responsible for a choice