Show tf 1 OUR FLAGOn historys i crimson lie = On kCC high thR high up on the pasei 1IP roll of fame The Mory ot OM OloryR burns In deathless r f word of flame R It Is the old red white and blue proud emblem R em-blem of the free Is tho flag that floats 1iE It = f a above our land of Ho R erlY 1 BenjaminButton 185 The Star Spongled Banner Is generally gen-erally taken for granted Ono seldom hears its why and whero fora called In question With its every display in city and hamlet on turf ret and hall comes a lit tlo discussion as to Its history and development It transpires that tho American flag Is HlTo tho human species a thing i of evolution This is so Indeed with tho Insignia of most countries notably not-ably of England whose Hag began with old King Egberts dragon upon which was Incorporated I tho threo Norman lions I of William the Conqueror When Edward III aspired i as-pired to the crown of Franco ho added the fleurdelis James I dispensed dis-pensed with both and adopted St Georges cross and finally in 1801 tho Lion and the Unicorn Uni-corn began their long fight for tho crown which has since contln i ued on canvas in every I latitude of the world Tho colonies of course lived under tho British flag In 1680 the flag of New England was white charged with St Georges cross in red surmounted with the crown In the center was inscribed Jacobus Hex While Manhattan was in possession oi tho Dutch tho ships waved a flag on which was a beaver the then insignia of tho New Netherlands 1707 the colonies adopted the Union Jack ol Great Britain This was formed by 8 combination of St Andrews and St Georges crosses and of course was typical of the fact that the two countries coun-tries had become ono when Queen Elizabeth died and the Scottish king succeeded to tho English throne At tho time of our revolt from British Brit-ish authority tho Union Jack was In general use usually bearing some patriotic motto of which Liberty and Union was the favorite Directly after aft-er the battle of Lexington a new flag was Improvised with tho motto of tho state of Connecticut viz Qui trans tullt sustlnot This soon gave way to regimental colors each being distinctive dis-tinctive In shade At Bunker Hill a blue flag was chosen to designate New England troopsthe first sign we see of union in tho colonial army This flag had St Georges cross In ono corner It was growing beautifully less within our limits and soon afterwards after-wards disappeared when Gen Putnam Put-nam displayed a red banner on Prospect Pros-pect hill with the motto An Appeal I to Heaven Tho colony of Massachusetts Massa-chusetts sent out cruisers in tho spring supplying each with a white flag on which was painted a green pine tree When armed vessels were commissioned In Washington they were furnished with flags of slmllai kind To Col William Moultrie of South Carolina Is due the honor of raising the first republican flag It had a white crescent on a blue ground This was unfurled on the east bastion of the fortress In Charleston harbor Juno 28 1770 while on tho opposite side I waved the flag called the Groat Union which bad first been raised by Washington at Cambridge June 14 1777 the Continental congress con-gress realizing the inappropriateness of longer using British colors resolved that the flag of the 13 United States be 13 stripes alternate red and white that tho union be 13 stars white In n blue field representing a new constellation con-stellation The first national flag after this pat tern was made by a Mrs Ross a lady of Philadelphia She had some dis tinguished men to assist her among whom were Benjamin Franklin and Gen Joseph Heed We are not In formed whether theso men appointed by congress for the purpose used the thimble needle and thread that the lady herself employed From her gen eral character It Is probablo that Mrs Mess declined to let them boss the Job and proceeded In her own way The 13 stars of the flag of 1777 were arranged In a circle although there was no officially prescribed form In 1791 after the admission i of Vermont and Kentucky Into tho unlqn It was resolved by congress thnt from and after May 1 1795 the flag of the United States be 15 stripes alternate red nnd white that the union be No 15 stars white In a blue field provision was made by this act for future alterations nor were aw any changes made till 1818 although number of now states were admitted a meanwhile Into the union On 4 of that year a bill embodying April tho suggestions who of Capt Samuel G Reid recommended the reduction of the stripes to tho original 13 and the adoption of stars equal to the number of the status formed Sgo Into one star large and a new star to bo added tho Fourth of July next on succeeding the almlsslon of each new state IIroYt11 Was tip by President Monroe nag thUB and the established was afterward hoisted on the hall at reprcaentatlves |