The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1888-05-31
The Confederate States Seal.


From the Washington Evening Star.
Occasionally, during the past three or
four years, articles have appeared in vari--
GUS newspapers purporting to show what
became of the confederate states seal
after the collapse of the Confederate gov
eminent, but as none of them that 1 have
seen have been correct, have, at the re-
Quest of a number of friends, concluded
to give a correct statement of what
became of that seal, as we'll as short his
tory of the same. At the fall of Richmond
Col. Jno. I. Pickett, who was in command
of the rear guard of the confederate
forces, left there to cover the retreat of
the army, and the officers of the govern
ment went into the Office of the secretary
of state to see if there was anything left
there that might prove of any interest.
In searching through pile of old papers
and rubbish on the floor he found the
confederate states seal, which he put in
his pocket. At the close of the war
Colonel Pickett left the country and went
to Mexico, taking the seal with him, where
he remained for several years. On his
return to this country, in 1872, Colonel
Pickett settled in this city, where be-
came acquainted with him, and learned
that he had in his possession the confed-
crate states seal, which he showed me two
or three times. Shortly after settling
here, Colonel Pickett conceived
the idea of having fac SMILES of
the seal made, intending to sell the came
and distribute the proceeds of the sales
among the widows and orphans of con-
federate soldiers. He had number Of
those fac SMILES made, one of which he.
presented to me, and which I still have in
my possession. Whether any of these fac
SMILES, and if any, how many, were ever
sold no not know nor do know what be-
came of the original, as 1 left this city in
short while after ard have
never seen Colonel Pickett
since. Very little is known as to
the history of the seal, but the following
is short synopsis of what little is known:
At the third session of the First congress
of the Confederate States, held in 1868, a
"joint resolution to establish a seal for
the Confederate States" was adopted.
Said "seal to consist of an equestrian
portrait of Washington (after the statue
which surmounts his monument in the
capitol square in Richmond), surrounded
with wreath composed of the principal
agricultural products of the confederacy
COTTON, tobacco, sugar cane, corn, wheat
and rice), and having around its margin
the words: The Confederate States of
America, Twenty-second February,
Eighteen Hundred and Sixty-two,' with
the following device: Dec vindice.'"
Accordingly, on May 20, 1868, Judah P.
Benjamin, secretary of state of the Con-
federate states, sent Dispatch to james
NJ. Mason, commissioner of the Confed
crate states, near the government of Great
Britain, giving him full description of
a design for a seal as adopted by con-
gress, and directing him to have the samei
made. In this dispatch Mr.. Benjamin
says: at is not desired that the work be
executed by any but the best artist that
can be found, and the difference of ex-
expense between poor and fine speci-
men of art in the engraving is too small a
matter to be taken into consideration in
a work that we fondly hope will be re.
quired for generations yet unborn"
Mr.. Mason placed the matter in the
hands Of Mr.. Foley, who employed Mr.
Joseph s. Wyons, chief engraver of her
majesty's seals, to execute the work. In
letter to Mr.. Benjamin, dated London,
February Is, 1864, Mr.. Mason says: "Mr.
Foley informs me that Mr.. Wyons says
that it will yet require six weeks or two
months to complete the seal, as he is very
anxious to bestow upon it all the pains so
important work demands. He is exc
cutting it in silver (the metal the state
seals of England are executed in), which
offer the advantage of proof against rustt
so often destructive to seals executed in
STEEL"
On the 9Th of July, 1864 Mr.. Mason
writes Mr.. Benjamin: II have the pleas
ure to inform you that send by Lieuten.
ant Chapman, G. s. A., the seal of the
Confederate states, at last completed. 1t
is much admired by all who have seen it
here, and hope you will approve it as a
fine work of art"
The seal, which was pure silver and
weighed four or five pounds with the
waters and other necessaries, cost the
Confederate states government e122 los,
equal to about 500 United States cur
rency. 1t arrived in Richmond but a
snort while before that city fell, so that
but few impressions were ever made from
it.
This is about all that is known of the
confederate states seal, or of its hlstoryJ
ana is sent to you for the purpose of set
ting the question of what became of it,
as well as to give those who feel an in
terest in the matter what little is known
OF Its history. JAMES 7. POWELL,
121 E Street Northeast.