The Elbert County tribune., 1905-06-29

During ten years preceding the Rev.
dictionary War the colonists had
n any different designs OF flags. These
early flags were emblematic of the
feeling of an illtreated people, whose
rights had been trodden on. whose Pc
titions for justice had been ignored
They were the Handwriting on the
wall" which foretold the coming strug-
gle.
What could better tell the attitude
of an indignant people than the rat
tlesnake flag with its defiant motto,
Don't Tread on Me-" 1t was Eng
lands custom to release shiploads of
criminals on American shores. There
fore it was suggested in the Philadel-
phia Gazette that the colonists in re-
turn for this kindness send the mother
country cargo of rattlesnakes. A
writer of the times said: THE rattle
snake well represented the Americans.
inasmuch as 1t is found only in Ameri-
ca; never begins an attack, nor when
once engaged, ever surrenders; 1t
rever wounds until 1t has given no.
tice, even to an enemy, against further
treading on 1t. From these-the flag"
Another design, the favorite of New
England and the navy. was the Pine
Tree Flag Then there were many
others-The Bunker Hill Flag. the
Minutemen's Flag, Paul Joness Flag,
the South Carolina Flag, etc.
Benjamin Frankiin's FLAG.
1t is to Benjamin Franklin, that
great man to whom America owes
SO much, we are indebted for our first
Union flag. This grand Union banner.
raised at Cambridge. Mass. Jan. @,
ITS, had on its red ground 10 alter
nate red and white stripes, symbolic
of the union of the colonies, while in
the upper corner was the well known
ensign of England-the crosses of st.
George and st. Andrew.
However. after independence was
declared, this flag. with its English
cross, was inappropriate and unsatis-
factory. So June IA. 1777-over 1877
years ago-the Continental Congress
passed the resolution that the flag. of
the United States be 10 stripes, alter
nate red and white, that the Union be
10 stars-white in a blue field, repre-
senting new constellation.
The First STARRY Banrer.r
This was designated to typify a new
nation-the one shining light of free
dom in a world of tyranny
Tradition has it that Gen. Washing.
ton with Robert Morris and Col. Ross,
took a sketch of the design to Mrs,
John Ross on Arch street, Philadel-
phia, who had the honor of making
our first banner.
1t has been asked why our stars on
our flag were five-pointed and those on
our coins, six-pointed. The designers
of our early coins followed the Eng.
lish custom. The designers of our
flag followed the continental
The first mention of our stars is
found in the Massachusetts Spy of
March 10. IVA. as follows:
"A ray. of bright glory now beams from
afar.
Which shall shortly fame wide through
the sky"
When Vermont and Kentucky were
admitted to the Union the question
arose: How shall these states be
represented on our fag?" The ques-
ton was answered Jan. 10, 1894, by
Congress increasing the number of
both stars and stripes to Is. But
when Tennessee, Ohio. Louisiana and
Indiana followed Vermont and Ken
lucky in the Union, the question as to
their representation was not so easily
answered. Plain it was that the Stars
and Stripes could not be increased in
definitely. else 1t would soon require
a regiment to carry SO large a flag.
Victorious in Five Wars.
Upon request of Mr.. Peter Wind
over. Mr.. S. c. Reid, hero of Taylor
Roads. suggested a way out Of the
"a fnIr