Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-02-22
Seal Of the United States Of America
Its Appearance and What is
Known Of Its History
It's Motto ''RebelIlon to 1yrants Is
Obedience TO God'-How the
House RoIes We're Changed.
The Innuence OF the Lobby one'Leggrd
Mon in tho senntc-Relien of Lin.
coins Assassination.


OlfifA huuu tut itHblA VI AhN NChAAhthtNN
appointed July 4, 177G, "To prepare q
seal FOR the United States OF America
The persons composing the committee
were DR.. Franklin, Mr.. Adams, and Mr.
Jefferson It has generally been stated
that the handwriting was that OF Mr.
Jefferson, but / am informed by Mr.
Dwight, the librarian Of the state depart
mcnt, that this Is popular error, though
the script Ia in hand not unlike his The
following Is the recommendation Of the
committee:
The great seal should on one side have
the arms OF the United States OF America,
which arms should be as follows The
shield has six quarters, part one, coupe
two The first quarter, a rose, cnam-
eled gules and argent for England;
the second argent, thistle
proper for Scotland the third,
yerd, harp quarter for ireland; the
fourth, azure, flower dc luce for France (;
the fifth, sable, the imperial eagle for
Germany, and the sixth, the Bclgic lion
gules for Holland, pointing out the coun-
tries from which these states have been
peoplcd. The shield within border,
gulcs ontoirs Cor entours) Of thirteen
scutcheons, argent, linked together by a
chain, orange, each charged with initials,
letters sable, as follows; LIST, N. H., I'd,
NJ. b.; Sd, X. L., 18th, c.; 9Th, N. Y; 9th,
Nj; 7th, p; 9th, ID. c.; 9Th, Ms. 10th,
"; llth, N. c.. 18th, s. c.. 18th, g., for
each Of the thirteen Independent states Of
America.
supporters, dexter, the Goddess Of Lib
erty in corselet OF armor, abiding to
the present times, holding In her right
hand the spear and cap and with her
left supporting the shield of the states I;
Sinister, the goddess OF Justice, having
sword 10 her right hand, and in her
left balance; Crest, the eye OF Provi-
dcnce, in radiant triangle whose glory
extends over the shield aud beyond the
figures motto u Pluribus Unum. Legend
around the whole achievement Seal Of
the United States Of America
MDCCLXXVI. on the other side of
the said great seal should be the follow
ing device Pharoah sitting In an open
chariot, crown ON his head and u
sword In his hand passing through the
divided waters OF the Red sea In pursuit
Of the israelites; rays from pillow
(sic) OF fire in the cloud, expressive OF
the divine presence and command, beam
Ing on Moses, who stands on the shore
and extending his hand over the sea
causes It to overwhelm Pharoah Motto,
"Rebellion TO Tyrants Is Obedience to
Gad.n
ills impossible to determine the au-
thorship OF this device The original re-
port WAS not preserved, aud TIE paper
on file is distinctly marked as copy by
Charles Thompson, the secretary OF the
continental congress, who was charged
with tho task OF preparing Il device, and
all the papers that have been offered TO
congress on the subject have been
placed in his hands The device reported
by him on the goth OF June, 1882, was
immediately adopted, and on the cstab,
llshmcnt of the federal government In
1889 that device was accepted as the
permanent seul OF the United States.
The manuscript was not accompanied
ny any device, and Mr. Benson j. Loss
ing, who described the Jefferson seal IN
uarpcr's Magazine some years ago, was
probably the author of the drawings
there reproduced.
II is said that Stilson Hutchius, editor
OF the Washington Post, and Capt. Eads,
OF Mississippi river Improvement fame,
aud other lobbyists are responsible for
the change In the rules which deprived
Mr.. Randall OF his power as chairman of
appropriation committee to thwart their
schemes. IT WAS u very shrewd move on
the part OF the lobbyists They knew
they could rely on the support OF every
iree.trado member of congress-, and the
lree'trado journals Of the country.
Capt. Eads, OF course, was able TO fix
the newspapers along the Mississippi
river, as he had controlled the editors of
threo-tourths OF these papers for years.
The Washington papers We're 10 be looked
after by Hutchlns. He prac ticalIy pur-
chased the Critic and the Republican,
which was done through JEFF Chandler,
the well-known lawyer, and Il. w. Fox of
81. Louis represented him In the purchase
OF tho Republican, llallet Kllbom and
Mr.. Sylvester, who had been editor of
Mr., lIutchlns' Post, managed the Critic
for him.
The light then began against Mr.. llau-
DALI The result Is well known. The
committee ON appropriations was shorn
OF It's power, aud now has only the con
troll Of seven regular appropriation bills.
There arc three senators who have only
Que lcg apiece, Butler and Hampton OF
South Carolina and Berry OF Arkansas.
Butter lost his at the battle OF Brandy
station in 1865 Hampton, after riding
CALAMITY through the war without serious
mishap, lost HIS leg by u fall from horse
lie has 10 use cane, and Berry uses
two. Berry lost his at the battle OF Cor
NTH, Miss In 1862.
Mr. Joseph $. Sessford, who was the
ticket seller at Ford's opera.house when
President Lincoln was assasslnated, has
In his possession large photograph of
the stage and boxes just as 1t was az the
time OF the assassination. The picture
was taken the next day by Brady, and the
plate was destroyed by order OF Sccreta.
~ stanton. Mr., Sessiord also has the
key OF the box in which Lincoln was
shot, piece Of the curtain, n piece OF
the paper OF the wall, as woll as little
tin postoflce that hung Ii the Office In
which Booths mail was deposited,
FAX