The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-07-04
Our Country's Flag.

wi NOuluy 5 Tldg.3
A general definition of the word fac Is
cioth bearing certain devices and used
10 indicate party or nationality; also to
give or ask information. It is synony-
nous with the French word drapeau. and
is one of the forms of insignia by which
nationality Is distinguished or the juris-
d1ction OF a political power asserted.
hence its predoninating use in the army
and navy Of a country, those organiza-
lions by which its sovereignty is main
tanned, and also, its powerful appeal to
the patriotism of those who see in it not
only the symbol of their country's power
but or its claim upon themselves.
Our own national flag grew in the
most direct way cut of the banners that
had waved over the colonists. The flag
of the United Colonies had thirteen
stripes, one for each colony, alternately
read and white, and this part of the
flag remained unchanged in the new.
Previous to this various flags had been
carried by the different colonies, some Of
them bearing the rattlesnake as a ma
tional emblem, with the significant mot
to, Don't tread, on me-" but this did
not express the conviction of the colon
lists that they were striving for liberty,
that their cause was just and that their
appeal to heaven would be heard, and
was soon abandoned.
The flag of the colonies had displayed
in its union the kings colors, the crosses
of st. George and St. Andrew conjoined
on blue field, but the union of the new
flag dispensed with the kings colors, for
their was no longer a king in America.
A new union had risen, a union of thir-
teen states, and the union of the new
flag was a circle of thirteen stars in a
blue sky, representing new constella-
ton. AS a recent writer has well said:
''The old flag had expressed the hopes
ana asplra ,ions of thir.e9n colonies
which had united in order to secure JUS
tice from their king and fellow country
men in England; the new flag represented
the resolve of the same thirteen col
onies, now become sovereign states, to
form a permanent union, and to take
their place among the nations Of the
world. They were no longer English
men, but Americans"
The idea OF expressing the union of the
different colonies by stripes in nag De
calco familiar to every one very carly IN
tie history Of the Revolutionary war,
and in 1775 and 1776 flags were used bear
ing thirteen stripes, but the first legal
established emblem was that adopted by
congress June IA, It'll, which PROVIDED
that the flag of the thirteen United states
should be thirteen stripes, alternately req
and white and the union OF thirteen
stars. white in a blue field. This form
was adopted by act of Jan. Il, 1874, which
provided that after May l, 1875, the flag
of the United States should consist OF
| fifteen stripes. alternately red and white,
and fifteen stars, Mile in Dlue helo-
In 1878, however, act of April 4, the nag
was restored to its original form OF tAir-
teen horizontal stripes, alternately Ecu
and white; the union to consist OF twenty
stars. white in a blue deid, one star 10
he added to the union on the ADMISSION
If every new state, the addition to be
made on the 18th day &c July following
such admission. This flag went into ell
feet July 4, 1918, and is the present pre-
| scrihed national emblem of the Chlted
States of America.
The Stars and Stripes were first saiuted
nv a foreign naval power-thus recogtiz-
| ing the independence OF the OlllIeu
| States-on Feb. IA, IT'S. This occuIreo
| in French waters, when Admiral La
Mo++a planet. of the French navy, re-
turned the salute of Lieut.. Jones. Inc
hattie of Brandywine is the hrst occa-
eion when II is certain that tho Slal
ond StriDes were displayed at any mill
| tarv engagcment-on Sept. II, llH. frolIi
tbis time on the Stars and Stripes We're
generally adopted and recognized DIS tiie
| standard. flag of the new nation;
The Columbia, Capt. Jehn AeI en- 10 o.
| soilad from. Boston in the fall OF 1885,
9e1-i SEA- oro1nd Cape Horn In January
4TSS sailed thence to China, and retur'ieo
- +ba Cane of Good Hope, arriving III
pos+on in 1883. This was the INST time
That the Stars and Stripes were 00NA -
around the world - ..os+ed 4, THE
Many Of us have been
Glory of Betsy Ross and tine .Iia ZHiis =
fine first American flag. In 1917 IL ne.
+ Candy read a paper aetoFe ING - 40
torical society of Pennsylvania, on Ing
I .uoE1ioo., FAC. IN which he claimed thai
tic lie maternal grandmother, Mrs. JohT
Boss was the maker and partial designer
Of the first flag combining the stars anu
strines. Mr. Candy asserted that com
nittee of congress accompanied ny U0n
washington, called on Mrs ROSS IN 'uiie
17Te ord engaged her to make the nag
from q rough drawing, which at her suS-
pestion was redrawn In pencil py Geh
Washington in her back parlor. Inc Aas
thus designed was afterWard auopteu ny
congress. and was, according to MI. IAN
Nv tho first 'star-spangled banner winch
ever fioated on the breeze. Three OF MRS
Ross daughters were living when MT
CANDY wrote his paper; also niece, WhC
were cognizant of the facts given by MI
CANDY. and they also said that Mrs: Ross
suggested that the original design was
wrong. thesstass having six points instead
of five. thus making her a partial De
signer as well as the maker Of the nag
that was to play such an important part
in the history of the worlds progress
Mr.. CanbT was eleven years old When
Mrs Ross died at his home, and remem-
bered hearing her tell the story OF the
flag. -,
Sometimes, during the dark days of 81
and 81, men l6oked at the dear old f1ae
with dimmed eyes and heavy, forebod1ne
hearts. Was the structure that ouI
fathers had planned and builded so care
fully and we'll. to be torn asunder? Was
the Union to be disrupted and some ol
the stars blotted from that azure field by
fraternal blood? Looking backward, We
remember how these questions were
answered, and today the same old flag
save with added stars, floats over pros
porous and united people.