New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1885-05-27
Our Seal.

Our Seal.
A correspondent writes to the Toledo
Blade asking the description Of the great
seal of the United States, the history of
its origin and its use. AS this is a little
bit of history that very few are acquaint-
ed with, we herewith reproduce the
answer.
Soon after the formal establishment
of the Republic by the Declaration of
Independence, Benjamin Franklin,
John Adams and Thomas Jefferson
were appointed committee to prepare
a seal. They employed an artist and
furnished various devices; Jefferson
combining them all at the request of
the others. The paper still exists in
the Office of the secretary of state ut
Washington. They reported August
10, 1776, but for some unknown reason.
probably neglect, it was not acted on.
In 1879 another committee was appoint
ed to make device. They reported
May 10, 1880. 1t was not acceptable,
and recommited, being again reported
ajyear afterwards, but not adopted. In
1882 third committee was appointed,
but could not satisfy Congress in their
report. 1t was then referred to the Sc
cretary of Congress, Charles Thomson,
who procured various devices that were
unsatisfactory. After vainly striving
to perfect a seal which should meet the
approval of Congress, Thomson finally
received from John Adams, then in
London, an exceedingly simple and ap-
propriate device, suggested by Sir John
Prestwitch, baronet of the West of
England, who was a warm friend of
America, and an accomplished anti
quarian. 1t consisted of an escutcheon
bearing thirteen perpendicular stripes,
white and red, with the chief blue, and
spangled with thirteen stars; and, to
give it greater consequence, he propos-
ed to place it on the breast of an Ameri-
can eagle, displayed, without support
ers, as emblematic of self reliance. It
met with general appreciation, in and
out of Congress, and was adopted in
June 1882; so it j. manifest, although
the fact is not extensively known, that
we are indebted for our national arms
to titled aristocrat of the country with
which we were then at war. Eschewing
all her aldic technicalities, it may thus
be described in plain English: Thirteen
perpendicular pieces, white and red; a
blue field; the escutcheon on the breast
of the American eagle displayed, hold
ing in his right talon an olive branch,
and in his left bundle of thirteen ar
rows and in his beak scroll, inscribed
with motto e Pluribus Unum." For
the crest, over the head of the eagle,
which appears above the escutcheon,
= golden glory breaking through a
cloud, and surrounding thirteen stars,
forming constellation of white stars
IN blue field. Reversal pyramid
unfinished. In the zenith, an eye in a
surrounded with glory. Oy2
he eye, the words "Annuit Caeptis
God has favored the undertaking"
On the base of the pyramid. are the nu.
neral Roman letters MDCCLXXVI;
.ndu nderneath the motto. '.Novus Ordo
;eculorum. "a New Series of Ages
that new order of things
lad commenced in the Western hemis-
,here. The custody of the great seal is
With the secretary of state, whose duty
t is to afix it to all civil commissions
ssued to officers of the United States
'ppointed by the President and Senate,
r by the President alone. But it is
orbidden to be affixed before the Presi-
lent has signed it The seal alone
Without the signature has no value. It
$ used to show the genuineness of the
residents signature. |