Evening journal., 1915-10-23

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Continued From First Page)
partment to the United States Gov
ernment. This flag will remain in
the permanent possession OF the
Postoffice Department and will be
used on all occasions when the flags
of the several States are to be used
for purposes Of display by the ma
tiOnal government Heretofore Del
aware has not been represented at
Washington by a flag in the perma-
nent possession of the government
and on such occasions as Flag Day
which comes in June every year 1t
has been necessary for the State au-
thorities at Dover to loan the Del
aware State flag which floats over the
State House in Dover.
This flag which is being present.
ed today is one of the first few Of the
new flags designed by the Delaware
Flag Commission, created by the
General Assembly of 1913, and ac-
cepted as the official flag of the State
by legislation. The Colonial blue and
old buff of the flag were the original
colors carried by the Delaware Con-
tinental troops in the Revolutionary
War. The diamond i'm the centre of
simile OF the Great Seal of the State.
signifies. of course. the term applied
10 Delaware as the Diamond State.
Delaware was called the Diamond
State at the first inception OF this
government because it was known
as a diamond among a galaxy OF
stars. The date. December z. 1887.
which YOU see underneath the dia-
mond. signifies the day upon which
Delaware ratified the Constitution of
the United States. and we we're the
first State to do So The large buff
diamond in the centre Of the flag and
the date underneath are the most
striking departures in this new flag
from the old flag. which it supplanted
after 1913.
"On this historic spot. the Dover
Green. and at this time. it is very fitting
to revert 10 the history Of our state in
the early period of its government. Our
State House in Delaware dates back in
construction before 1850. and today the
state of Delaware is the only one of the
original thirteen States using its his
toric State House of Colonial days This
old building shonld be cherished by
every Delawarean as n sacred monument
should be taught what it stands for
Within those walls have served The
most illustrous men this State has pro
duced. and some of them have achieved
rational fame that viii never die. II
will repay any Delawarean 20 Journey
to Dover and inspect this gem Of histori
cal interest from top TO bottom, ant
after 50 doing no one can help hut Zee
an honest pride in their native state, ol
il they have come to us from without
for their adopted State. The hundred
IT more portraits placed IN the Stat'
House within the last year by the Della
sare Portrait Commission, and th'
various tablets erected by patriotic or
7anizniions in this State, attest to th'
record made bv Delawareans not onl,
N the early history Of our country, bu
n subsequent times.
"In the Revolutionary War. Della
ware supplied the largest number OF
troops. in comparison to our popula-
lion 90 any OF the original thirteen
states. AS early as September, llI6
Washington selected the Delaware
Light infantry as his body guard dur.
me tho operations in New Jersey anc
Pennsylvania. and on December 10
f77e. he wrote to the Pennsylvania
Committee of Safety that the Della
ware troops were turning out witt
proper spirit and served as a fitting
sxafnple TO other State organizations
me OF the greatest achievements o
he Delaware troops was in the cam
naien OF 1873, when. under the com
nand of General Gist. they took par
in the campaign in New York state
Ieneral Gist was second in comman'
IN washington at this time, and as tn
delaware troops we're under him di
rectlv he wrote to Caesar Rodney
wbo was then Governor of Delaware
that a great number Of Delaware OF
scers and men had fallen prisoner
- war because of their daring con
5uct in battle. He further went OF
snd assured Governor Rodney that IN
delaware regiments had behaved VIII
ne utmost firmness, and STATE
hat IL n had not been for the scanda
ious conduct of militia from otne
states which fed and left the regu
lar Coutinentals and the DelaWar
troops in the lurch, the battle woui
M Mr. Miller spoke for few minute
on the subject of national defens
stating that inasmuch as It was
question very much to the fore
the nresent time and directly col
nected with the patriotic pulse
tbe country It was very httih
time TO bring up the subject at sue
A meeting. He urged that the que,
ton of national defense and the lei
islation incident thereto at the con
ing session Of Congress be conside
ID without political bias, because Il
army and navy are the agenci'
through which the country must
defended should trouble ever come.