The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1908-06-07

archives and Libraries for the establish |
ment Of flag for the United States OF
america.
II has been argued that the stripes had
been borrowed from the Dutch. or from
the designating stripes on the coats of
the Continental soldiers. Az the Wash
ingtOn cOat-Of-arms contained five-pOinted
stars. or muIlets, and bars Of alternate
red and white Il is not improbable. a few
have considered. that Washington had
these, 20 him, familiar details In his mind
as he did his drawing and that this ex-
plains the retention Of the stripes and
addition Of the stars.
Where Washington Got His Ideas.
The following are opinions supporting
this contention:
Loves. British antiquarian OF repute.
said: Like Oliver Cromwell, the Ameri-
can patriot was fond Of genealogy. and
.corresponded with our heralds on the sub
ject OF his own pedigree. That George
Washington. who gave sanction. if not
birth, 10 that most democratical Of all
sentiments, that all men are free and
equal was, as the phrase goes. a gentle
man OF blood. Of ancient time. and coat
armor; nor was he slow 10 acknowledge
the fact When the Americans. in their
most righteous revolt against the tyranny
of the mother country, cast about for an
ensign with which TO distinguish them
selves from their British oppressors. what
did they ultimately adopt? Why. nothing
more nor less than a gentleman's badge.
a modification Of the old English cOat-of-
arms, borne by their leader and deliverer
A few stars had in the old chivalroUs
times distinguished his ancestors from
their compeers In the tournament and
upon the battlefelds, more stars and ad-
ditIonal stripes. denoting the number OF
States that joined in the struggle, now
became the standard around which the
patriots Of the West so successfully raj
lied. 1t IS not little curious that the
poor. WORKOUT ray OF feudalsm, as so
many would count it, should have ex-
banded into the bright and ample banner
that now waves from every sea-
The supposition that the devices OF our
national ensign were taken from the arms
Of the Washington family, and were
adopted out OF respect to the commander
in-chief. is also favored by Mr. Haven.
He thought. also. the stars on the shield
might be of Roman origin. Virgil speaks
Of returning TO the stars. 'redire ad astra.'
implying a home OF peace and happiness"
Early Washington Coat-of-arms.
The earliest mention OF the Washington
coat-of-arms was by Lawrence Washing
ton, worshipful mayor OF NOrthumber-
land. England. in 1882 In 1910 he placed
| IL upon the porch of his manor house and
on the tomb Of Ann. his wife in 1864. The
| Archaeological Society OF England. the
highest authority on matters pertaining
TO heraIdry, states that from the red and
white bars and stars Of the Washington
shield and the raven issuant from its
crest. the trainers OF the Constitution
took their idea OF the flag.
When the great-grandfather Of Gen.
Washington, Sir John Washington, in the
| year 1851 came to this country. he brought
with him the family shield. He settled in
Virginia, where he established the Amer
lean branch OF Washingtons. Gen. Wash
/ ingtOn had the family arms emblaZoned
on the panels Of HIS carriages, watch
seals, and books. The family porcelain
1 bore the same device.
| The history of the Washingtons has
| been traced by the Rev. J. n. Simpkin-
son, rector OF BrightO-, near Northamp-
| ton, England. with tolerabie clearness in
/ volume entitled '"The Washingtons.
published in 1860, but more concisely in a
I
Of American citizehs an London on Wash
/ ington's Birthday. two years later. Re
/ ferring TO the American flag. he said. in
part: in Brighton churchyard are two
/ sepuchral stones one dated 1916. over the
grave of the father of the emigrant In
which his arms appear impaled with those
Of his wife; the other covering the re-
mains Of the uncle OF the same person,
and presenting on a brass the simple
family shield. with the extraneous cres-
cent appropriate to a young brother. II
/ IS supposed that the stars and stripes
which figure IN the American national
blazon were taken from the shield OF The
illustrious general, as a compliment no
more than due him. In favor OF this
idea II is to be remarked that the stripes
Of the washingtons are alternate gules
and white, as are those Of the national