The Mankato free press., 1902-06-06

Biblical cement. State papers of that
age contained devout recognition of the
diety. When statesmen spoke they
weighed their words in the fear OF
God. They appealed to heaven for the
Judgment of their cause, confessine
their human weaknesses they did not
shrink from an examination of their
motives and their conduct. Differing
among themselves as to languages,
customs, and the forms of religious
belief the colonists nevertheless from
cavalier to ssroundhead were united in
the sentiment that only, Through
God we shall do valiently, for he it il
that shall tread down our enemies. -
9 This disposition is, perhaps, best
attested by the sort of flags which the
troops from the various colonies took
with them to the front in 1775. There
was Massachusetts, with white
banner upon which was a figure of a
tall, pine tree, signifying, An appeal
crescent blazing in the corner OF her
ensign, meaning, "Providence lights
our way And there was also the
anchor design expressive OF uprising
hope. Yet do rot think that the
WClC coh1h W 6CSOlE
for they were not They were decid-
grimly. Indicating the deadly char
acter of the blow which they intended
to strike Great Britain. Those men
unfurled banner which had for its
design a coiled rattle snake, and,
beneath it the oninous words, "Don'
tread on me.
These diverse flags were carried by
the troops until the third year Of the
war for independence. In 1776 General
Washington reoragnized his forces and
found himself the effectual Tailor of
the British army then quartered in
the city of Boston. He was almost
ready to begin the series of blows
which finally drove that army and its
Tory abbettors to the distance shores
of Novia Scotia. On the first day of
January in '76 he displayed the orig
inal Union flag for the first time over
an American camp at Cambridge 1t
consisted of thirteen stripes, alternate
red and white, symbolizing the thir-
teen revolted colonies. In one corner
was device of the British Union,
viz. the combined crosses OF st. An
drew and st. George. That design
'mislead the English general. Lord
Howe, to think that the colonies had
we'll received the gracious speech from
King George III and would therefore
soon submit to him. Hence, Wash
ington began to cast about for a better
device and, in his search he was aid
ed by bright little Quakeress, who
suggested Thirteen stars white in a
field of blue" as a substitute for the
British Union design. All, indeed
Betsy Ross was skillful with her needle
as with her brain and. to her deft
fingers, by the congressional commit
tee, was given the task of making the
new banner.
How swiftly and accurately her
needle hewi How bright the stars
and stripes of bunting shown against
the demure drab of her habitual
Quaker costumel Did she know that
this was no ordinary job of sewing ?
Did she, with prophetic vision look
upon distant scenes where the flag
would float in triumph to cheer and to
bless the hearts of milIions2 With her
stitches did she mingle prayer for her
country, her .eountrymen and for
the commander of the Revolutionary
army2 Who can tell.
But oh, let US give to this dear
woman her just share in contrib buting
to the glory of her nations flag Let
Us besrow upon all of the noble wo-
men of America their suitable portion
in the volume of praise which goes
out to the heroes of our wars Shall
we not pay homage to that wife and
to that mother, who denied the alb
sorbing activity of the conflict, must
bide at home to sigh and to think, to
think and pray, to pray anu to watch
the published list of the names of
those who have been wounded upon
the field of battle2 Shall we not ap-
plaud that thoughtful and resourceful
woman who congresses creature COM
forts and necessities into little box
and then sends it with message of
love to her soldier boy who is half
sick for glance into her sweet face
and lonesome for sound of her sweet
voicef Ay, if we do we'll to crown
the hero of martial conflicts with a
wreath of flowers we shall de eminent
ly we'll to drop bay and laurel into the
laps of the heroines of war. Let it be
clearly understood that each woman
who has made a sacrifice of tears and
of love and of toll during her coun-
try's struggles in arms is henceforrh
entitled to the honor accorded to that
bold patriot, Barbara Fritchie, over
whose burial place the stars and
stripes are floating.
On the 14th day of June in 1777,
congress ordered the design which it's
committee and Mrs Ross had made
adopted and such with the exception
of an added star for each new state
which has come into the Union is our
flag of the present day.
Listen to sentiment from Charles
Sumner: "There is the National flag |!
Its highest beauty is in what it SYM
bolizes. 1t is because it represents all
that all gaze at it with delight and
reverence. It is a piece of bunting
lifted in the air; but it speaks
sublimely and every part has voice.
Its stripes of alternate red and white
proclaim Union of thirteen states to
maintain the declaration of indepen-
dence Its stars white on field of
blue proclaim that union of states
constituting our national constellation
which receives new star for every
state. The two together signify union
past and present. The very colors
have language which was officially
recognized by our fathers. White is
for purity red for valor; blue for
justice; and all together-bunting
stripes and stars and colors blazing in
the sky-make the flag of our country
to be cherished by all our hearts, to
be upheld by all our hands.
In the summer of 1897 while spend
ing few days of my vacation in the
city of Chattanooga, Tenn, secured
nearer view and clearer apprecia-
tion of what the flag symbolized to
the men who were engaged on the
federal side of the civil conflict. /
had been up on the topmost point OF
Lookout mountain where General
Grant and his staff of officers once
nnsed for what La now q familia