I conceive,
Mr. President, this a fitting occasion to discharge a commission which has been entrusted to me by some of my constituency of
South Carolina.
I have before me a flag which some of the young ladies of
South Carolina present to this Congress, as a model flag for the
Confederate States of America.
This flag, as it will be seen upon inspection, embraces the idea of a cross — a blue cross on a red field.
Now,
Mr. President the idea of a cross no doubt was suggested to the imagination of the young ladies, by the beauteous constellation of the
Southern cross, which the great Creator has placed in the
Southern heavens, by way of compensation for the glorious constitution at the north pole.
The inauguration of the young ladies was doubtless inspired by the genius of
Dante, and the scientific skill of
Humboldt.
But sir, I have no doubt that there was another idea associated with it, in the minds of the young ladies — a religious one; and although we have not seen in the heavens the “
in hoc signo vinces” written upon the labarum of
Constantine, yet the same sign has been manifested to us upon the tablets of the earth; for we all know that it has been by the aid of revealed religion, that we have achieved over fanaticism the victory which we this day witness; and it is becoming on this occasion that the debt of the
South to the cross, should be thus recognized.
I have also,
Mr. President, another commission from a gentleman of taste and skill, in the city of
Charleston, who offers another model, which embraces the same idea of a cross, but upon a different ground.
The gentleman who offers this model, appears to be more hopeful than the young ladies.
They offer one with seven stars, six for the States already represented in this Congress, and the seventh for
Texas, whose deputies, we hope, will soon be on their way to join us. He offers a flag which embraces tho whole fifteen States.
God grant that this hope may be realized, and that we may soon welcome their stars, to the glorious constellation of the Southern confederacy!
(Applause.)
Mr. Miles--I move that a committee of one from each State be appointed to report upon a flag for the
Confederate States of America.
Adopted.
The States were called, and the following committee was announced:--
Messrs. Shorter, of
Alabama;
Morton, of
Florida;
Barton, of
Georgia;
Sparrow, of
Louisiana;
Harris of
Mississippi; and Miles, of
South Carolina.
