The Lynden tribune. [volume] (Lynden, Wash.) 1908-current, 1912-06-13

The proclamation of Governor Hay des-
ignating June IA as Flag Day." and
asking loyal citizens to observe the occa
sion, calls to mind the fact that one
hundred and thirty-five years ago, on
the 18th Of June. 1877, the stars and
stripes sprang into existence, and makes
tory.
On that date. the American Congress,
in session at Philadelphia. resolved:
THAT the flag Of the United States be
thirteen stripes. alternate red and
white; the Union to be thirteen stars,
white on a blue field, representing a
new constellation, the stars to be
arranged In a circle
1t has often been asked what suggest
ed the design for our star-spangled ban
ner. and there are several traditions a
float concerning the origin Of the de-
sign, but the one In which there Is prob
ably the most truth is that which cred
Its the design to Washington, "the fa-
ther Of his country" The general found
In the coat of arms Of his own family a
hint from which he drew the design for
the flag. This coat Of arms had two red
bars on white ground, and three gilt
stars above the top bar. When the time
arrived that a flag had to be decided up
on, the vessels on the seas as well as
the armies on land being in need Of a
standard to mark and lead them, WASH
irgton decided that his coat Of arms
with a few notifications would be fit
ting emblem for the new nation. The
decision having been made to give A
merica a flag which would answer for
all the colonies, Washington as the head
of the committee Of three, the others
being Robert Morris and Colonel Ross.
met to adopt the form of the banner and
have 1t made. The flag proposed by
General Washington was accepted and
Colonel Ross suggested that they visit
his niece. Mrs. Betsy Ross and solicit
her assistance.
Mrs. Ross, being good needle-woman
and q true helpmeet, assisted her hus-
band in his business which was that OF
an upholsterer. The building In which
they lived and carried on their business
still stands and is one of the show plac-
es of Philadelphia.
The story of that famous interview,
when the committee having with them
a rough drawing of the flag, requested
Mrs. Ross to make flag with thir-
teen stripes alternating red and white.
with q canton containing thirteen white
stars on a blue field: how Mrs. Ross
suggested substituting a five-pointed star
(such as We now use) because it was u.s.
ed by the French and Dutch, rather
than the six-pointed star Of English her
aldry,-is well known to history. 1t Is
stated that Mrs. Ross folded scrap OF
paper and with one deft snip OF her
upholsterer's shears, produced perfect
five-pointed star The committee ac-
cepted the suggestion, and as original
~ designed, the stars were arranged in
a circle, one for each Of the thirteen col
onies, and this was the arrangement IN
the canton Of the flag officially adopt
ed by Congress on June IA, III.
From this time Betsy Ross made flags
for the army and navy, receiving a con-
tract which she held many years to
manufacture all the government flags.
The first use of the Stars and stripes
in military service was at Ft. Stanwix'
renamed Ft. Schuyler, and now Rome
New York, in l777. On August OF that
year the fort was besieged by the Eng.
lish and Indians; the brave garrison was
without a flag until one was made In
the fort The red stripes were made OF
woman's petticoat. the white stripes
and stars of a officers shirt. and the
field of blue Of a piece of Colonel Gan
seyoort's military cloak. Three women
worked on the flag, and 1t was raised 10
victory when the red men and the
English were defeated at the fort.
There is a record Of the use of the
flag on the first anniversary of Ameri-
can Independence. which was celebrated
at Philadelphia, Charleston, s. c., ana
other places, July 4, III. The banner
was used at the battle OF Brandywine'
September II, 1777. at Germantown. oc-
tober 4. of the same year, and 1t float
ed also over the surrender Of Burgoyne.
II cheered the patriots at Valley Forge
and It waved at Yorktown, and shared
in the rejoicing at the end OF the war.
As long as the states remained thir-
teen in number the original design OF IN
circle Of stars was satisfactory, but
when. in 1871, Vermont. and in 1892, Ken
lucky. we're taken into the Union, 1t
was decided to arrange the stars in the
form of one constellation. In 1885 1t
was decided to add a stripe as well as q