The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-06-19

not seem at first to have been thought
necessity. but after time committee
such rational flag should be adopted. This
committee was composed of Benjamin
Franklin Franklin. Thomas Lynch, jr, of South q1I
ginia. They held their conference at Cam
bridge and decided:
ITO retain the Kings colors or the union
ereignty of England but coupled with thir-
teen stripes, alternate red and white, en-
the tyranny and oppression, in place of the
loyal ensign. This flag was first thrown to
the breeze Jan. 3, 1776, over the camp at
Cambridge. Washington two days later, in
a letter to Joseph Reed, says: We hosted
the Union flag in compliment to the United
States The British Annual Regis
ter about this time contains this paragraph
They (the rebels) burned the Kings speech
and changed their colors from a plain red
ground, which they had hitherto used to a
flag with thirteen stripes, as symbol of
the union and number of the colonies. "
The report of the committee is of par
ticular historical interest, for in retaining
, the colors of the union jack there is still
the recognition of the sovereignty of Eng
land. This is a convincing proof that 1t
was only at the very last moment that the
idea entertained of an entire and abSo-
lutte severance from England.
Where did the stripes come from? Who
originated them? Mr.. Hugh Hastings writes
that the exact colorS of these stripes at the
beginning is by no means well defined.
1T has been suggested that the stripes
on our flag were derived from the national
flag of the Netherlands, adopted as early
as 1882. Then, again, it has been claimed
that the idea of our ensign emanated from
the East India Company's flag. A careful
research fails to elicit the fact what year
the East India Company first adopted the
striped flag, but it is known that in 1704
this companys ensign consisted of thirteen
alternating red and white stripes. with the
cross of ST. George in a white canton which
rested upon. the fourth red stripe
Such stripes are of very old usage in
there thirteen
them used in the first American flag was
purely accidental, that is. as far as re-
pany's emblem. Sometimes it has been
thought that the stripes perpetuated George
Washington's coat-of-arms, but Mr.. Hugh
Hastings deems this to be assumption, not
substantiated by any facts. THE author of
the stars and stripes is not known. nor is
the name of the person who suggested the
IA, 1777, it was resolved by the American
Congress that the flag of the thirteen
United States be thirteen stripes, alternate
white and red; that the union be thirteen
stars, white. in a blue field representing a
new constellation"
"While Pennsylvania laws claim to the
combining the stars and stripes. New York
is entitled to the credit of having first flung
the new banner to the breeze" The his
sents confirming this is most interesting:
I'm July, 1777, Col. Peter Gansevoort. of
Albany vas Sin in Of Fort stanwx
son consisted of $50 men, When the British
officer st. Leger invested Fort Stanwix
Gansevoort's command, increased by the
arrival of Col. Marinus Willet's regiment
and 200 men additional of Col. NELSON'S
regiment, was not only without sufficient
supply of ammunition, but was without a
flag On Aug. g. when ST. Leger appeared.
Gansevoort's patriotic troops started to con-
struct the first battle flag of the United
by the Continental Congress. The white
stripes were made Of shirts that we're cut to
pieces for the purpose, bits of scarlet cloth
were sewed together to form the red stripes,
and the blue ground for the stars was taken
from cloth coat belonging to Capt Abra-
ham Swartout. of Duchess county.
up to 1894 the flag was unchanged but
among the States, and Kentucky in 1892
two more stars were added, making the
stars fifteen. Then the chances of making
a permanent flag became no longer possible.
Finally, in April, 1918, it was enacted that
en- the admission of every new State into
the Union one star be added to the union of
the flag and that such addition shall take
effect on the 4th of July next succeeding
such admission"
There is a general idea of utility in a flag.
1t must be so made up as to colors as to be
at once distinguishable, and that of the
United States answers all requirements. As
to the want of permanency in the flag. for
with each additional State new star is to
be added the general appearance of the
flag. however remains the same. The blue
ground may some day be almost covered
with the white stars. but then what will be
done is to diminish their contour. 1t is the
blue the white. the red, that tens and it
will wave before long taking the place of
the yellow and the red.