Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1863-02-27
The Vermont Coat Of Arms

The Vermont Coat Of Arms.
Till recently the Coat Of Arms anil great ceel
of the State of Vermont had no properly suthor-
i,e.i form. Originally adopted, 50 far as sone
markell particulars were concerned, by sort Of
tacit agreement, they remained simply matter
Of tradition. There was no law defining the en-
blcms they should consist of. and hon they should
be combined. anil the subject was left mostly 10
the fancy Of typc-founders. Hence IT haPpcnei
that the Goats of Arms which for various Pur-
poses came 10 he used as omblcmatic Of srmont'
though for the meet part they have presented the
same general featurcs, have exhibited great
variety of shapes and combinations, most Of them
luiicrcusly at variance in some respects with
long established heraldic rules.
In 1860, the attention Of the Vermont Histori-
cal Society was directed to this subject bya coui-
munica,ion from the Hon. Norman Williams, Of
Woodstock, relating to the origin and history Of
the State Seal. The result vas the appointment
Of Committee by the Society, to investigate
the subject and present a proper devise for the
State Coat-of- Arms and Seal. The committee
consisted Of Mcssrs G. W. Benedict, Of Burling-
ton, Norman Williams, Of Woodstock, and
Charles Reed Of Montpelier. During the last
Session. that committee brought the subject Be
fore the Legislature, With description Of What
the State Cc.t-of Arms and great seal should be
bc-avoiding in this description, The introduo-
ton Of any novel or strange features, but bring
ing the omblems which by usage had became
familiar to the eyes of vermonters. under estab-
lished rules Of heraldry. and 20 combining them
and defining their colors, as to produce a proper
and pleasing effect. The Legslature enacted a
Law in conformity 10 these suggestions.
Under the direction ofthe Secretary Of State, and
the supervision Of the Chairman Of the Committee
Of the Historical Society. our toTnsman, Mr.. c.
L. HEYDE, has Just completed hsraldie picture
Of the State Coat-of-Arrns in s'riot conformity
with this lsv, which e to b Lspt in tho 5ecre-
tary Of States Office a. an authoritative repre-
sentntion. Having seen this picture. just now
completed, We take the liberty to give our i'm
preston. Of it, though We pretend TO no critical
knowledge Of the particular Inc Of art IL which
it belong We know a. much as this, however,
that hcrsldic painting mus; be quito a different
thing from landscape painting. In piece Of her
aldry, the most important thing is the meaning.
Wcvish 20 read the significance Of the devices
without trouble We wish 10 sec them itlv ar
ranged. each in it, appropriate division or COM
partment, and these compartments marked aud
bounded distinctly enough 70 h. OBSERVABLE ~
the fret glsncc Thee. which are The essential
roint-, are very harri, se-urcl, o. rc think,
in Mr. Heydc's picture. nile at thc same time
an agreeable effect Is pr-luscl, FROM the eircum-
stance that the symbol rf our State Sa,' ars an
Of them nstural cli,t- rii.b ve ..e c-o. DAY
around us
The pine tree. stiff aud -'rs ,at h. nature.
divides the entire shield into two q. nal portions
rigb, and left; the foreground, the mountains
sud Ky, each by It's own uatur'l color, divide
the pholc trinycrsely in a nsturrluauucr The
ficius the righto Of the she'll, and 'he -ieay,>
bcrd-'rise "a the term id oa the lc.t occupy O.
position a. natural as If in lsndsclpe, without
losing particle G.; their hcrillic significance
In the foreground Mr. Hcyie ms introduced "a
very pretty pivee Of llni=eapc The whole hing
taken together, With the crest above and the
badge ard motto hel-v the shield. produces q
wonderfully placing cfc-t. end we are really 70
avov It as cur opinion that the Vernon, Coat Of
Arms. as IT now stands, m'v safely challenge
comparison Nth sry other sts'r Coat ef Arns
IN tbc Union
7. r We heightened above TIC Committee cf
the Vermont Historical Society, to whom NC are
indebted for bringing our State Coat of irms
into right share, ard With leave Of the serior
Editor Of this paPer, ~ viii aid. that 20 NJ on
individual sre ne ncre indebted. on account Of
his ~atehful superintendsnos Of this work frsm
beginning 20 end. than to the gentleman s-st
named on II. 7