River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1877-05-10
Latin state Notices.

From the Detroit Post.
Our forefathers ran fearfully to Latin
notices. In the esrly days, every gentle
man expected to learn 10 read Latin,
though he might not know how to use
good English. Latin notices were put on
city and State seals, as matter of course.
The national seal of the United States is
thus ornamented. But, fortunately, the
mania of Latin did not spread greatly, so
that only fifteen of the State seals have
Latin notices; and it is safe to say that,
/ if they had the thing to do over again,
these fifteen would show their good
modern taste by leaving out the Latir.
Owing to the weakness in the early
| founders of Michigan, every year, or Of
tener, some anxious inquirer writes 10 Us
asking the exact meaning of the Latin
motto which meanders over the great seal
of the state of Michigan, upon the rib
band, or halter, which ties the hind legs
together of the rampant deer which rear
against the shield. The motto reads:
| 81 quarts peRinsuldm am9ndm, circun-
spice. The motto is parody upon the
inscription upon the tomb of Sir Chris
topher Wren, in England. Its exact
meaning is: If you are looking for a
nice peninsula, walk right in, stranger.
We can sell you just the quarter section
you want Upon the Michigan shield
appears the word Tuebor. 1t means:
Michigan maintains her republican
majority" Now don't let us be bothered
again with questions about this thing.
While we are about it, we may as well
explain all the Latin State notices, for
the benefit of such of our readers as are
not classical scholars. As we have re-
marked, but fifteen of the States were led
into this folly. Maine leads off with the
motto: Diriga-I direct. Properly trans
lated it means: my son, Jimmy Blaine,
points the right way" A very good mot
to; but it would be better in plain Eng
! lish.
Massachusetts runs to length, like Mich
igan. Her motto is: Fuse petit ptaeiddDa
sub libertdte quietdm. This is sometimes
translated as "Give US rest" Its prop
er meaning, however, is: {" Let us have
peace, five have to fight for it"
Connecticut has shorter motto-Qai
| transtulit sustinet-He who transported
will sustain. The hidden meaning of this,
however, is: Bound TO make a living
unless the dam breaks" And a very per-
tinent motto it Is.
New York has for her motto the single
word: Ercelsior-higher. Its meaning
has been made obvious great many
times: However high may be the Re
publican vote in the country districts,
Tammany sees il and goes one higher
Then comes Maryland with the motto !:
| Crescite ct muttiplicdmini-i and
multiply; which means: "Taxes in
crease as Democrats multiply" The beau
| ty of this motto is its truth.
| Virginia also has a pertinent motto /:
| Sic senper tyrannis. This is such easy
Latin that everybody can translate it.
1t means: " Virginia played the tyrant
! till it made her sick"
Missouri again runs to length, with
her: Salus poputi suprema teresto-let the
safety of the people be the supreme law.
| The genuine translation, however, runs
thus: "The laws are not allowed to fool
with the safety of our people" The
motto is favorite with the Younger and
James brothers, and other outlaws
Missouri.
Arkansas has brief but very express
i've and pertinent motto: Regndnt popuEi
strictly, means, Mob rule"
Kansas chose her motto in her fighting
and specializing days. 1t is: I'D dstra per
aspera. A Kansas man says this means;
"To the stars through tribulation." He
is mistaken. The proper translation as:
Knocked higher than a kite" as any
good interpreter can see.
Minnesota goes in for French. Her
l.. &C fha
North. This clearly means: Come
North, young man; come North" 1t Is
motto which Horace Greeley highly
approved as soon as he found out what 1t
meant.
California has a Greek motto in the
single word Eureka, signifying: Dig
and you may find" The evident peril
nence of this in a State whose people never
create wealth, but always find it, will at
once strike the popular mind.
Nevada has also a good motto: Vofens
e. potens-willing and able; or, in the
modern sense: "In case of a muss, count
me in"
Wisconsin. being organized in hard
times, couldn't afford any motto of her
own. SO she borrowed her motto, along
with various other things, from Uncle Sam
uel, and puts T. pltri5as unum on her
shield. In her case this means; One
pig of litter"
This motto, as it appears on the shield
of the United States, however, according
to the recent decision of the Electoral
Commission, as either Mr.. Tilden or Mr..
Hendricks will testify, means: Zone too
many" And very good motto it is; as
the United States has always proved
one too many for any and every acct
dent.
BY carefully studying these explana-
tions, very good idea of the Latin
language may be obtained; and the reader
will also be convinced of the immense
| snnnriorffu of our own -ernacular.