Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-11-08

| in the eft-hand quarter of the cross,
and one flag had only the tree for a
symbol. The Revolutionary cOntrOver-
sizes brought forth all manner of de-
vices for flags and banners. the larger
portion bearing notices more or less
defiant of the British government. The
| two flags most used i'm those days
were of the pine-tree and rattlesnake
pattern. Soon after the battle of Lex
ington, the volunteers from Connecti-
cut put on their flags the arms of the
colony, with a legend "Qui Transtulit
! Sustnet," (He who brought us over
sustains us).
| The colonial flag of New Amsterdam,
carried by armed vessels sailing out Of
| New York, had as it's principal figure
a beaver, indicative of both the indus
try of the Dutch people and the wealth
of the fur trade. A month after the
battle of Bunker Hill, Putnam display
ed flag from a red ground, having on
one side the Connecticut motto, and OH
the other side words then recognized
as the motto of Massachusetts, AN
Appeal to Heaven" Tradition has it
that at that battle large red flag was
| displayed with the defiant taunt,
Come, if you dare"
The earliest vessels sailing under
Washington's authority displayed the
| pine tree flag, though a combination
of that and other flags was sometimes
| used. A device seen on many flags of
| that period consisted of a mailed hand
grasping a bundle of thirteen arrows.
| One of the most famous was the rat
| tlesnake flag, which originated with
| Benjamin Franklin twenty years be-
| fore the Revolution when he was edi-
tor OF the Philadelphia Gazette. In an
earnest appeal for union of the COL
onies against the attacks of the French,
he showed a wood cut representing a
snake separated into parts, each part
marked with the initial Of one of the
colonies, and underneath the motto
Unite or die"
On February 9, 1776, Col. Christo-
pher Gadsden of South Carolina, pre-
sented to the Continental congress AN
elegant standard such as is to be used
by the commander in chief of the
American Navy" 1t was Of bright
yellow color, the center bearing the
lively representation of a rattlesnake
in the attitude of preparing to strike
The motto beneath was Don't tread on
me-" Congress adopted the design,
which was afterwards much used. In
some cases the snake was shown as
"undulating across the field"
AS the palmetto occupies a promi-
nent position on both our flag and seal
of state, reference should also be made
to the latter. On both sides of the
shield are typified and perpetuated
scenes of historic interest. The scenes
are laid on the water front at Charles
ton, because many of the battles of the
Revolutionary war were fought at and
near that city. On one side OF the
shield is represented the fallen trunk
of an oak tree, torn out by the roots,
the body frayed by cannon balls. This
represents the fallen mother country.
Out of this fallen trunk has sprung a
new tree standing erect, which is the
tree of the Palmetto State" About its
base are bound twelve arrows, thus
representing the tie between South
Carolina and the other twelve colonies,
with the motto "Quis Separabit,'
(Who shall separate us?) On the two
sides of the tree and just below its
branches are two smaller shields,
pendant, one inscribed March 26, and
the other July 4, referring to the two
declarations of independence, the one
by the Provincial congress of South
Carolina on March 26th, 1776, declaring
for independence and state sovereign
ty, and the other the declaration OF the
Continental congress of the thirteen
colonies on July 4, 1716, commonly
known as the Declaration of American
Independence. In the circle enclosing
the whole is the motto "Animis OPT
busque Parati," prepared in mind and
resources). Beneath the oak tree Is
the motto "Meliorem Lapsa LOcaVit,
(The fallen oak sustains a better
growth or tree-Palmetto). The oak
referred to the timbers of which the
British ships were built, while the pal
metto referred to the timbers in the
fort behind whose walls the victory
was won. Underneath are the. fig
ures 1776, referring to the year the
first constitution for South Carolina
was framed, and to the battle fought
at Sullivan's Island June 2S, 1716, and
to the Declaration of independence,
and to the year the seal was ordered
to be made. The arms on the front OF
the shield were designed by William
Henry DraytOn, who was president OF
the Provincial congress, and the re-
verse of the arms was designed by Ar
thur Middleton, father Of Henry Mid
dleton, 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 scimiter, ETC., un-
der her feet. In her right hand is the
palm branch of welcome to all who
come to our hospitable shore from 9TH
er countries, while across the waters
arises the sun of a new nation with the
motto DUN. Spiro, Spero." (While l.
breathe. l hope). Within the field be-
low the figure is inscribed the word
"Spes," (Hope).
Thus both our state flag and the Of
fetal seal of state relate to great his
toric facts and events that transpired
in the early days. 1t is of vital import
ance that the knowledge of these events
should be impaired to the youth of our
state. Perhaps there has been too
much negligence in the past in this
respect. Thanks to Governor Ansel
for his message to the general assembly
recommending the display of our state
flag on public buildings and school
houcoc nc nrOvided in the act above