Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1910-11-02

,gress Of the thirteen colonies on
July 4, 1875, commonly known as the
Declaration Of American Independ-
ence. In the circle enclosing the
! whole Is the motto "Animis Opibus-
que Paratf' (Prepared In mind and
resources). Beneath the oak tree is
! the motto "Meliorem Lapsa Locavit,"
i CThe fallen oak sustains better
! growth or tree-Palmetto). The
| oak referred to the timbers of which
/ the British ships were built, while the
| palmetto referred to the tinbers in
! the fort behind whose walls the VIC
! tory was won. Underneath are the
figures 1916, referring to the year
| the first constitution for South Car
! olina was framed, and to the battle
1776. and to the Declaration Of In
dependence, and to the year the seal
was ordered to be made. The arms
on the front Of the shield were de-
signed by William Henry Drayton,
who was president Of the Provincial
Congress, and the reverse Of the
arms was designed by Arthur Mid,
dleton, father of>Henry Middleton,
one time Governor.
On the other side Of the shield the
Goddess Of American Liberty is pre-
Sented standing on the shore with
the British implements of war, the
battle axe, the sword, the scimeter,
etc, under her feet. In her right
hand is the palm branch of welcome
to all who come to our hospitable
shore from other countries, while
across the waters arises the sun Of
new nation with the motto "Dum,
Spiro, Spero." (While l breathe, l
hope). Within the field below the
figure is inscribed the word "Spes,"
(Hope).
Thus both our State flag and the
official seal Of State relate to great
| historic facts and events that tran
| spired in the early days. 1t is of
vital importance that the knowledge
of these events should be impaired;
there has been too much negligence
| In the past in this respect. Thanks
to Governor Anse. for his message
| to the General Assembly recommend
ing the display OF our State flag on
public buildings and school houses as
provided in the act above cited. dur
ing his administration Of four years,
now fast drawing to close, he has
! sought, by both precept and example,
| to create a greater interest in the
history OF our State and to promote
the welfare Of our schools and COL
leges, and especially our public
schools. There IS wealth Of his
toric truth related to every section
of our State. May the time be NJ:
far distant when al! these historic
facts and events will be compiled by
some master mind. and made avail
able for all our people.
But as South Carolina was not
only one of the Original Thirteen
| Colonies, but is to-day one Of the
forty-siX States, and is loyal to the
American Union Of lndestructible
States, we should place "Old, Glory"
high over all. South Carolina was
one of the thirtee.. States when this
new constellation was presented to
the world. On June Ia, 1777, Con-
gress patriotically resolved: THAT
the flag Of the United States be thir-
teen stripes, alternatively red and
| white; the union be thirteen stars,
white in blue field, presenting a
new constellation" 1t has been sur
missed that they were introduced as a
compliment to Washington, on whose
coat Of arms both the stripes and
stars appear, but this is only specu-
lation. Still, the Father OF his Coun-
try had much to do with the origin
OF the Stars and Stripes. 1t was
he, assisted by a committee, who di-
rected the preparation OF the first
design. They called upon Mrs. Elz-
abeth Ross, No. 239 Arch street,
! Philadelphia, between May 23, and
| June 7, l777, and requested her to
prepare flag. Washington had a
rough draft in which the stars were
siX-pointed. Mrs. Ross proved that
the fivc-pointed ones would look bet
ter, and her suggestion was adopted.
She hah the flag finished by the next
day, and 1t was received with great
admiration wherever displayed. She
was manufacturer OF flags for the
government for many years. While