Frostburg mining journal., 1908-07-04
OUR FLAG.
Its Origin and History Related by Rev
Thomas B. Gregory.

Its Origin and History Related by Rev
Thomas B. Gregory.
The stars and stripes be ame the flag
of the United States on June H. 1717
On that day it was resolved b. congress
that the flag of the thirteen Unit
ed States be thirteen stripes, alternate
red and white. and that the Union be
thirteen stars, white, in Il blue field
representing Il new constellation
The congressional enactment creating
Old Glory said nothing concerning the
particular form in which the stars
should be grouped, and as the circle is
the simplest of all figures the circular
form naturally became the one in
which the stars were arranged.
The national flag continued with thir
teen stripes and thirteen stars until
Jan. 13, 1875, when congress voted that
"aftcr May l, 1875, the flag of the
United States be fifteen stripes, alter
nate red and white, and that the Union
be fifteen stars, white. in blue field"
Twenty-thrce years later April 4.
1918, congress adopted the following
resolutions:
BE it enacted that from and after the
Fourth of July next the flag of the Unit
ed States be thirteen horizontal stripes
alternate red and white, and that the
Union be twenty stars. white. in blue
field.
And that on the admission of a new
state into the Union one star be added to
the flag, and that such addition shall
take place on the Fourth of July next
succeeding each admission.
Certain members of congress in their
patriotic ardor wanted Il new stripe
for each new state, but Mr. Windover,
one of the members from New York
arose in his place and said:
"Mr Speaker, l am heart and soul in
favor of any proposition that will give
us a big flag. We are going to be Il
big people, and we need a correspond
ingly big flag. But it must not be 50
big as to be a burden to us At the
rate the United States is now growing
If a stripe were added for every new
state admitted it would soon be impos-
sible to find Il mast or pole tall enough
on which to hoist the flag"
Mr.. Windover's speech settled the
matter, and the limit was drawn at
tIc SlIlllc.
The first time the stars and stripes
was displayed in battle was at Fort
StanwiX, now the city of Rome, Oneida
county. Colonel Peter Ganscvoort was
in command of the fort, and. being
surrounded by St Ieger and called
upon to surrender, the gallant old colo
mel replied as follows:
at is my determined resolution, with
the forces under my command. to de-
fend this fort to the last extremity in
behalf of the United States, who placed
me here to fight for it against all their
enemies"
The first salute given by a foreign
power to the stars and stripes was In
Quiberon bay, on the coast of Brittany.
Paul Jones in the Ranger was cruis
ing in those parts and, coming up with
a French admiral, saluted his flag.
The Frenchman returned the salute
gun for gun.
Before that event it had been the
usage of Europe to salute the flag of
republic with four guns less than were
fired in saluting the flag of a crowned
potentate. but Jones claimed that Old
Glory was the peer of any flag atioat
and that in saluting it must get as
many guns as it gives.
Glorious old flag! And of every
American north, south, east and west
the prayer is:
Long may she waye!-Rev. Thorn
as B. Gregory in New York American.