The National tribune., 1906-05-31

tain the British flag or anything at all
similar to 1t.
yet under that flag they had fought
| in their infancy for their very existence
| against more than one determined foe.
Under 1t they had repelled and driven
| back the relentless savage and carried
4 ii farther and farther into the de-
| creasing wilderness as the standard of
civilization and religion. Under it
youthful Washington son his spurs
in the memorable and unfortunate ex-
pedition of Bra5dock, and Americans
| heiped TO plant 1t on the Plains of
Abraham when the immortal Wolfe
fell. covered with glory. in the arms
| of victory. But our forefathers. when
| they separated themselves from Great
Britain, a separation not on account
of their hatred of the English Consti-
tuition, or of English institutions, but
| in consequence of the tyrannical and
unconstitutional rule of Lord North's
administration, and because their
destiny beckoned them on to indepen-
dent expansion and achievement, cast
no lingering, regretful looks behind.
Proud Oh Heritage.
''They were proud of their heritage
in the glories and genius and language
of old England; but they were in
nuenced by the spin. of the north, of
the great Hampden, 'Vestigia nulla
retrorsum.' They were determined TO
build up new power among the Ma
tions of the word. They therefore did
not attempt to keep the old flags We
think IT good TO initiate them in this
comparatively little matter as well as
emulate them in greater and more i'm
portant ones.
The committee on examining the
representations of the flags of all
countries found that Liberia and the
Sandwich dc hoI e;,, ;la-
10 that of the United States that it
seemed to them an additional. if not n
conclusive, reason why we should not
keep, copy or initiate ii. They feel no
inclination to borrow at second hand
what has been pilfered and appropriat-
ed by. free negro community and
a race OF savages. 1t must be admitted,
however, that something was conceded
by the committee 10 what seemed 50
strong and earnest a desire to retain
at least suggestion of the old Stars
and Stripes. So much for the mass of
models or designs more or less copied
from. or assimilated to. the United
States Flag.
THE committee humbly think that
the flag which they submit combines |
these requisites. 1t is very easy 20
make. II is entirely different from any
National flag. The three coIors of which |
II Is composed, red, white and blue. are
the true Republican colors. In her
aldry they are emblematic of the three
great virtues of valor. purity and truth.
Naval men assure us that it can be
recognized at q great distance. The
colors contrast admirably and are last
ing. In effect and appearance ii must
speak for itself.
Your committee therefore recon-
mend that the flag of the Confederate
States of America shall consist of a
red field. with white space extend
ing horizontally through the center.
and equal in width to one-third the
width OF the flag. The red spaces above
and below to be of the same width as
the white; the union. blue, extending
down through the white space, and
center of the union a circle of white
stars corresponding in number with the
States of the Confederacy.
IF adopted, long may it wave over
4 brave, a free, and a virtuous people.
May the career of the Confederacy,
whose duty 1t will then be to support
and defend 1t, be such as to endear II
10 our children's children as the flag
Of loved, because just and benign,
and the cherished symbol
IF its valor. purity and truth
The report was adopted and on mo-
ion of Mr.. Withers. of South Carolina
he whole report was entered upon the
OuTndi Oh the Gay DTetlOuS, tnuS max
ng the birth of the Stars and Bars, as
he flag soon came to be called, SYM
Dol of the new empire, simultaneous
with the Inauguration of Abraham Lin
,oIn as President of the United States
1t Washington.
Soon after the adoption of the Stars
Ind Bars, the burial of the Stars and ,
Stripes was publicly celebrated at
Memphis, Tenn. pit was dug by the
iide of the statue of Gen. Jackson in
he public square of that city. Then n
procession of some 500 citizens, es-
,orting eight men carrying coffin in
which was an American Flag, slowly j.,
approached the spot headed by a band
# music playing the Dead March. The
,offin was placed in the grave, the .
words "Ashes to ashes. dust to dust"
we're sacrilegiously pronounced. and the
rave flied uE,-
The same month, on the arrival of
\. III. Stephens at Savannah, Ga, he
vas escorted by a large procession
through the city which carried a {
,ainted representation of the Ameri-
an Flag. torn, and suspended from 7
roken staff. Underneath was a grave
With the words Receive Me" 7
No other flag than this was used by !
he Confederates in the field after 1t
vas adopted and furnished to the
roops in Virginia, October, 1861.