, 1877-07-07
THE NATIONAL SEAL.
Plans Proposed by Adams, Jeffer-
son, and Franklin.
The Device that Was Finally Adopted
in 1882.

in 1882.
la Ieraldlc Lapscs.- -.Unautllorlzed Al.
toration Madc In 1871.
1aia1y.
It Ia somewhat singular fact taqt although
the United statcs assumct ap the rights, pow
ers. and dignitlos, Of nation Of, tho Fourth uf
JULY Ito, no great seal WA adopted Until al,out
fvo months before tho signing Of the prclin,-
inary treaty Of peace will, Great Britain IN 178a.
This II tho moro remarkable when NC consider
that our forcfathcrs woEe brought up under tho
shadow Of the English Law, which prescribed
that no grant nor c1lnTter WAS fIetum until
It was scaled, and OF Eng1iell custom, wlyc],
taught that even tho sign manual OF tho soycr.
egn must 10 authenticated by an Impression from
the privy seal.
But the inception Of our Government was at
tontlcd With
OTTER 1KronxALH1Es
than the neglect to provide seal. sflas Dcanc,
our first political agent to France, wrote from
Paris TO tho Secret Committee Of Congress
under date OF Nov. 2s, t77B, acknowledging tf,c
recelp. Of tho Committce's lctSr ofAug. 7, In
closing copy of another letter OF July 8, the
original OF whFh never came to hand, and also
a copy OF tho Declaration OF Independence,
which, he complains, had been circulated in Eu-
rope two months before. Tll!a last letter con-
veycd what was intended to hc thc official notl-
flcatlou to the Court Of Francs Of the net Of
separation Of the colonies. hut was 10 unofficial
In form that alr. Deano was prompted tosa5 In
answer that lie would havo supposed tt,at soma
mode more formal, Or, II may Bny, respectful.
would have been mudo uso Of, than simply two
Or three lines from tho committee ot Congress.
1mcntion this AZ something deserving
Of serious consldcratton, whether In your app1l-
cations hero aad -FOUR powers and Instructions
Of public nature. It ts not always proper to
uas seall THIS IL very ancient custom In NIL
public and evcn private concerns ot any conse-
quener.''
But although Congress NEGLECTED to provide
seal, It was not because It Ind not antictpatcd
tho need Of ouc, for this record appears In its
journal, undof date OF Thursday, July i, 177G:
.Rexoined, That Dr.. franklin. Mr. i. Adanls. and
Mt. Jetrcfton be committee TO prepare q dcyicc
for q seal for tho unitca states Of America,
We obtain an insight Of the acts Of this Conn
mftttc In
LETTER FROM sotn ADAMS TO n1s WIFE,
under dntc Ut Philadelphia, Aug, II, 177l}.
After discussing matters Irrelevant to tho
question At iss1c, he SAYS:
Lam; Ism PIT upen 9e , = committee to prepare
traction, whuee nnme Is Du s1aa'lifrs, painter by
hss drawings well executed. 1lo las been applied
70 for bic =. ADVICE. lwatod on tim 1sstsrday. and
e y: = m Ga nasn: s ~ h. sn:e
isls1, bu;e9 Ssrmfa &C., eaeh i" shiei'i. t'i 81
ose oas ae1 hs W." ~s Il. e 'hs IL
$$s;s:: sas t$sss t.eSs: xss II: Fs + .iae!
4 book containing an account Of lhe drcsscs Of
=. the Koa" soldiers po q rhsh sppcassa
desiee Tor tos se. Moses filns % ~ b. sSpI'o @sn, ss
dividing tho Eea M 81 nd lAar4eh @ IN be chariot
belilon 70 Tyranta ia obed!enee to Cod
Ar. jefferson proposed the childron OF lsFot. IN
81 n sa s sn as sssd y n @s a s I
ifoFsa, tho SdroH chtcfs from whom VIC c{nim tho
honor OF being descended. and whose political
principles And for" Of government NO hare A.
olp.opoasd The eho'ee q litre:t.. y engraved BY
y sS, sSs sts1s S t1S T19<
suadtnx him 10 asecnd. S'oth, alanc.ng At lcf
Tho ground, displaying Tho charms bath oi hef eo.
gnenee and per.on. 70 setllee him Into .!eo. Hut
; . too osf som9lsattd group fer 'ea' or saa
oress - foltnus. o
Tbs ~ ors.t se.l ,bo,,d an IN, ss, h.,. IL. ,-,rs
~ ~ Itmi1d u,t " VIZ sau anss tne astns
sho ~ III III ~ =. foI,ors, " ""''s"' "A'sH ss"'
Ths shIeld III IT onarters. psrts ona Gamma tvo
Tho aTtt Or q Yoec snan,nicd 1uies and arsnnt foe
England; tho scooia argent thistle proper for
Scotland; tho third ycst u harp or, for Ireland;
tlo fourth axure. taowef DO luee toy fFsnoo; fha
eth O., tS lmlpemGia' IT. Ssglf sable. f9s oesnsny;
sna ths si1th OF. e., ~ oost1 i,on. Eaes tor Hol.
tts Uas f. 1, *aGh , Inc
bnrsr x.ss. % eatrnsd Of ebtltscn '. cseutehsnn. m
srrent'' tjnkrd tove ther by = chin nr. sach
charged x,ih Initial .ab'e letter. follow: 1t,
T. H.; IL y, na.s; Vi, %: =. l.; A!h; Conn; Oh II.
ioth ~. ya 1i,a, ~, n ss,t; G.; 19h !: c lnh, ua
Hme1jsa e1s '0' a's''s OF
eoset .adns ID 10 she pls.snt tpe.
Wiz kos iii ,apportRx tU sbIsid Of Tho state.: L.:
.I4!tit1, ,ho Goddess q iu.slee, bear!nx sword
Greet This ere Of Providence - = tadant trian.
ss ThosS Eto,y e1tsaas err ,a!s ts satsa md be-
J9ha th9 hsafes. Motso. a tf9ftoHs UnhM
.sSema rSua ~ wa1IS aenhcssaSets I.5 seal of
In r." athrr otin - H. s.,S rrcst ss.i :h,,,a