Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1859-03-04
For the Journal
Territorial Seal of Iowa.


Territorial Seal Of Iowa.
EDITOR JoURNAL:-f have, this winter
received from three different portions of tn
: State requests to furnish an account of tn
"Great Seal of the State of Iowa." You
with many ot.ers, have doubtless observed
that, while all commissions and document
issued from the Executive Department of tn
State Government bear an impression callet
1.-The Great Seal of the STATE of Iowa." upoI
the maps Of the country al! collections O
State seals, and even tho recent large ant
valuable Report of the State GeoIogist, have a.
their "coat of arms" the "Great Seal of tn,
TERRITORY of Iowa"
Whether this be the result, in the first two
instances cited, of ignorance or not, | an
unable to say. In the last case cited, Iknow
that Prof Hall selected the Territorial" sea
from his own good taste, with the ''aatiet
and consent" of Gov. Lowe, who, with every
other gentleman of good taste, connot but
regret the bad taste that conceived and adopted
the conglomerate devices of our present
"Great Seal"
The description of these seals is not so
much sought after as their history.
"The Great Seal of the Territory of Iowa"
originated with the Hon. VIM. B. Conway,
first Secretary of the Territory of Iowa, and
was engraved by Mr. VIM. Wagner of York,
Pennsylvania. 49,.
At the request of the Legislative Council,
Mr.. Conway addressed to that branch of the
Legislative Assembly communication, of
which the following is copy, extracted from
page 45 of the Journal of the Council:
SEcRErARY's OFFICE, Nov. %, 1888.
TO the Honorable j. B. BEowNE, President
oflhe Legislative Council:
SIR R:-The request of the Honorable, the
Legislative Council, expressed by their reso-
luton, adopted on the 22d inst, was duly
transmitted to this Department of the Terri
torial Government, where it has been very
respectfully considered, and with which it
affords me peculiar pleasure to comply. a.
In accordance, therefore, with the request
of the Honorable, the Legislative Council, the
''GkEAT SEAL OF THE TERRITORY OF Iowa"
is herewith transmitted, for their inspection,
accompanied by some impressions ON wax
and paper.
The DEVICE is believed to be simple; and,
with the highest Difference to the good taste
and sound criticism of the Honorable Council,
it is regarded as perfectly expressive of a
distinct idea, intimately associated with the
history of the delightful country which we
have the happiness to inhabit, and for which
it is the sacred duty and lofty privilege of the
Legislative authorities to provide wise,
equitable and salutary laws.
The slightest examinations of the seal will
disclose to the Honorable Council the EAGLE,
the proud and appropriate emblem of our
national power, bearing, in its beak, an Indian
arro,s and clutching in its talons an unstrung
6ow; and, while the idea thus delicately
evolved is so well calculated to make the eye
glisten with patriotic pride, and cause the
heart to beat high with the pulsations of
conscious superiority, it nevertheless presents
a touching appeal to our manly sensibilities,
in contemplating the dreary destiny of
declining race; nor should it fail to admonish
us of the immense importance of improving,
in every possible point of view, that vast
inheritance which it was their peculiar mis-
fortune to undervalue and neglect
The Honorable, the Legislative Council will
pardon the freedom of these reflections, which
the occasion elicits, if it does not justify and
demand, while have the honor to remain, as
heretofore, their very obedient and respectful
servant, and yours.
VIM. B. CONWAY,
Sec'y Of the Territory.
This communication was referred to a
committee, who reported the following reso-
luton, which was adopted, viz:
Resolusd, That the seal submitted to the
Council by the Secretary of the Territory be
adopted by the Council as the ''Great Seal Of
the Territory of Iowa.
The seal is one inch and fivc-eighths in
diameter, and the word Great is not upon
the seal, Notwithstanding the Honorable Sec
retary in his communication, and the Council
in their resolution, have it prefxed.
The devices upon the seals for the ''Supreme
Court" "District Courts" "Commissioner' S
Court" and "Probate Courts" were all designed
by the Honorable Secretary, and were all as
appropriate in their several spheres as that of
the "Grsat" Seal of the Territory. This latter
seal was never adopted by the Legislative
Assembly, but by the Legislative Council, the
higher branch thereof, which held their
sessions in the lower story or basement of old
Zion Church, in Burlington.
There are some "reminiscences connected
with the carly history Of this seal which |
must omit, as well as the history of the Seal
of the State, which latter l will continue in
another paper. T. S. PARV1N.
Muscatinc, Feb. "a, 1859.