The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1898-08-13

BY FREDERIC VAN RENSSELAER,
DEFY.
The star spangled banner, oh, long may
it wave
Ger the land of the free and the home or
The mysterious influence Of patriotism
has it's fountain head in the flag of our
country. 1t CLEANS upon us from the
stars: it is fastened to our existence by
the immovabIe, Interchangeable stripes. It's
brilliant red teaches us TO remember the
heroes who brought it into existence to
symbolic the birth of freedom. It's Ger
uIean blue is embIematic of truth, of hon
or. of principle, and of that kind of glory
which everlasting. It's spOtless white
typifes The purity of purpose which ac-
tuated our forefathers who conceived il.
Its stars are the cOrOnet of freedom; its
stripes, the scourges of oppression.
Wherever it appears, it is the symbol OF
power and the shield Of safety; who
clings to it, not all the tyrants on the
earth can tear from its protection. There
is no influence more august, there can be
no hoIier thrill than that which the flag
of our country inspires in every patriots
breast"
An American poet has aptly termed our
banner the Scarlet Neined." 1t seems
like a channel through which the heart
throbs of a mighty nation impeI the life
giving, liberty loving fluid of its people
1t generates the atmosphere of freedom
that we breathe; it creates the higher i'm
pulses which we absorb; it speaks to the
highest and to the most lowly in the
same even tone of power, of steadfast-
III
Use.
Tradition asserts that the prophets or
old were no more directly inspired than
was our own Washington in its selection.
Picture those grand men, our national
creators, as they were gathered together
in that grim old Philadelphia chamber,
TO consult and agree upon the adoption
of a national emblem, as they had been
directed to do by the Continental Con-
gress There We're as many designs as
there were men at that solemn conclave,
and yet to Washington, upon whom all
eyes rested, all hearts depended, every
thought concentrated, there was not
among them one which conveyed his
hearts exalted hopes for the future OF
his country.
imagined many, but was satisfied WI tn
! none; and at last, perpleXed, he rose II
| his place, so to state. Just then the sun
/ PANIED window of the gable, nigh above
/ their heads, and feu upon the table be
! fore him. The prismauc CLEANS begat
! COlOrS and resolved themselves INTO shape
/ before his eyes. The framework of the
! window separated the bars of light IN
! their descent, 50 that when they met
again upon the table they became stripes
! of red and white. Washington raised ms
| eyes, and through the window saw the
| blue dome of heaven beyond, where SC
/ many nights, upon the battlefield, he ha-
| watched the glimmering stars. instantly
| he saw the flag of freedom.
| History has not recorded the words II
| which he gave the fruits of his inspira-
ton to that august assembly, but WITT
one voice his suggestions We're adopted
! resolved that the flag OF the UnlteC
States be thirteen stripes of alternate
red and white; that the mon De IIiI ,eel
| stars, while in blue field, presenting
| new constellation Thirteen has PROVED
! to be Americas lucky number.
| 1t is only fair to add that there IS an
! o+heT. account of the source from whcl
! the pattern of the Stars and Stripes wa;
| draWn-an account that is less plctur
eSQue. but perhaps more historical. 1t !:
! pointed out that WaShingtOnS coat o
| arms consisted of stars and stripes, ah'
| that either he or, more probably; SOM
other member of the committee-there Is
/ no actual evidence as TO the individual
| originatOr of the design-adopted thest
| heraldic emblems as no less appropriate
for the banner Of the army he com
manded.
BE this as it may, historians agree that
Z some time during the IISl AdNS o. tllft
eventful June, Washington, accompanied
bv other members of the committee
called upon Mrs. Elizabeth Ross at -
Arch street. Philadelphia, and from
rough draft which he had made she pre-
pared the first flag. Washington dc
SIGN contained stars of six points, bu
/ Mrs Ross thought that five points Woul
. make them more symmetrical. She com
/ DIeteG the flag in tWenty-tOur hours, an
/ il was received with enthusiasm WHEREBY .
displayed. Betsy Ross was manutaC
. turer of flags for the government 70
many years, and was succeeded 10y he
\ volume could he written upon tn
! early history of the Stars and Stripes
/ / There has been much controversy as [
, / its first appearance on the field of battle
- / MY hand hOiSted the first America
, | hag.' declared John Paul Jones, the pue
2 naciOus Scot who afterwards became fan
Ous as captain of the BOnhOmme Rich
ard: but this must have been one of TN
, earlier banners, as the final pattern ha
2 not been adopted when Jones was SerVin
as lieutenant on the Revolutionary frs
: ate Alfred. John Adams claimed tn
, : honor for a New England officer. Il as
l sart he said that the first America
tasr was hOisted by Captain John Manly
/ and the first British flag was struck
! him Manly was q Massachusetts sal
T IN. who's, schooner. the Lee, captured II
t british ship Nancy almost at the begin
] Tiro of the war. His ensign was prot
- ably one of the pine tree HaSS, or Whlc
several different patterns were low Z
early as the battle of Bunker nm.
o IT was probably at Fort schuyler, the
I,ssaiaad by the British, that the Stal
/ and Stripes received its baptism OF rr
| The beleaguered patriots had some an