The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1905-03-16

tuttcbt juht W uoutiou Nchy pkiohy
the frat Gag, 30 far az recorded, ever
waved over any part Of the New
World" Twas q fateful moment,
fateful because full of the fate OF ma
tions, when Columbus stepped ashore,
and shook out the flag with the quar-
tered castles and lions over bis longed
for "Land in the Wests'' but he stood
on an island .only. Had it been the
coast Of North America, thus reached,
instead of this island, he called San
Salvador who can imagine what the
map Of the world might look like to-
day? While we sigh over the sorrows
and recall the injustice suffered by
this greatest of discoveries, yet, az
Americans we must rejoice and many
old world nations will rejoice with
MS, that Columbus never reached the
mainland Of North America and
that his castilian flag never cast its
whitening shadow over this country,
but that it was.destined of God to be
the land Of "Old GLORY"
II the Mayhower bore any banner
1t was doubtless the red cross of st.
George, as this was in use in the Mas
sschusetts colony IN 1884 for In that
year, the question was argued in the
colony, as to the "Godliness of using
the sign of the cross on military
banner, with the result that the
kings colors were Rept at Castle
island in Boston harbor but excluded
from use elsewhere In the colony.
This banner was used in the colonies
until the British parliament in l7O7,
prescribed the Union Jack Of James
LIST, for use throughout British do
minions. Perhaps the first flag made
especially for the United Colonies
was gorgeous affair, sent over by
James II to Sir Edmond.s Andros 1.-THE
Tyrant of New England" who had
been made royal governor of the col
onies.
II was the kings colors-the rcd
GROSS OF st. George on white field
the center Of the cross emblazoned
with gilt crown over the cipher Of
King James 30 long as the colon
lists felt themselves to be but children
Of the "Island Queen, loyal and true
to Mother England, they had little
need Of ensigns or anything military,
and paid little attention to them, but
when the ensignia Of royalty came
to mean the insignia OF tyranny and
injustice. It naturally became dis
tasteful to them, and they began to
seek ways of expressing their hatred
OF opp ession, and more, Of their in.
tended resistance to it. So, for q de-
cade before the Revolution, various
devices began to appear III divers
places. Llbery poles, trees and flags
began to rise to express the great,
growing sentiment of liberty. One
OF the earliest of these, was the fam
ilisr cartoon following the StamI
Act, being the disjofned snake, with
n. E. for New England on the head
the initials OF the other colonies, on
the separate sections, and with that
most suggestive and effective motto
"Join or die - This became favor
ite device and appeared often, unit
the colonies joined and didn't die.
In October 1774, at Taunton, Mass.
q liberty pole appeared, mounted b.
the Union Jack bearing the wor d
Liberty and Union. At the begin
ming Of the Revolutionary war, tn
colonists thought Of themselves q
British SUBJECTS, and entered;the strug
gle to fight not for Independence, bu
for their rights as British subjects
hence, there was no distinctive Ameri
can flag at Lexington or Bunker HILL
The old Union Jackssstill floated owe
them. but with suoh suggestive mot
tos and emblems added thereto, as
make it rather an inconsistant banner
Very early, howevever we find th
colonies setting up, each its own pal
vicular banner and the regiment
adopting standards to suit their far
cies. An old orderly book of thoi
days, 10 said to show this entry:
tCoionels are desired to provit
themselves with some colors m
standards, II they are to be procure'
It doth not signify Of what sort the
are. In connection with these reg
mental banners we have at least oi
pretty little story; that OF the famo,
"Eutaws Stand ndard.." In the fall
I7S0, Dol. William Washington, aft
hurried visit to his fance, MI
Jane Elliott near Charleston, Sou
Carolina, was about to leave he
when she assured him, she would lo
eagerly for news Of his flag and fo
times. He. had to tell her, his cor
had no flag, She turned quickly o.
cutting square OF crimson dana
from a;ohair, handed 1t to him, sa
ing Here, Col. make this your stan
ard" and, mounted on a hickory po
IL went at the head Of his troops
the end of the war, being dubt
"Tarleton's Terror because IL
came such at the battle of Cowpel
This flag was presented on April
1897, by Mrs. Jane Elliott Washir
NJ IL. "a