The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-03-02

vanced concerning the meaning of the Oh
| varse. Accordingly James e. Blaine, then
Secretary of State, ordered an iavestiga-
tion of the matter by Mr.. Hunt, which
brought forth The following facts:
On July 4, 1915, after the Declaration OF
independence had been read in the CoLti-
mental Congress, Dir. franklin, john
Adame.s and M. Jefferson were appointed 4
committee to prepare device Tor seal OF
| the United States of North America. On
the diverse Of this seal all the thirteen
States were in shields around centre
piece. Only two features OF it, tho 'E Plu-
ribus Unum" and the eye in fhe radiant
triangle are preserved in the shield OF to-
day. The eye, representing the perpetual
watch of Providence, appears on the re-
verse Of the seal, w5;h which the public is
not familiar. Since the seal has teen
pressed on paper ana is no longer two-sided,
as IL former years, the reverse is not seen
and so has been unotIicially suppressed.
A second committee was appointed March
20, 1873. and it submitted design, the OBJ
verse of which contained for ths first time
the Stars and Stripes which are to-day our
national emblem. This idea aas taken from
the national flag which Congress had adopt
ell two years before. After this inc there
seems TO have been quite il little activity i'll
the search for suita bic device. A very
elaborate design was prepared by William
Barton. A. M, agreeable TO the rules Of
heraldry." but it was evidently not agree
able to the committee, Tor though claiming
TO be full of moaning, it had so little merit
as a composition that it was promptly sup
pressed. Here The Grst design of the re-
verse of the seal was clearly fixed it being
the same except Tor the motto as the one
finally adopted.
The next design, from which grew the OBJ
verse of he seal of to-day, was prepared
ny Charles Tomson. then Secretary of Con-
gTess. Che eagle bearing the shield on its
breast, grasping the olive branch and ar
rows, and the constellation surrounded by
clouds. appear they now are. Tho re-
verse adopted from the Barton design was
also used here, and finally adopt ed. The
words ON the reverse or the seal to-day.
"Annnit coeptis noyus ordo seclorum,''
have been taken as one motto. meaning.
The new series of ages is favorable TO our
undertakings" but they are really intended
to ne divided into two notices. ''Annuit
coeptis. +" meaning, 1T 1.-THE Eye of Proyi-
depce) is favorable to our undertakings,
and Nous o-do saclorum,' meaning simply
6 A new order of centuries.' According to
Mr.. Henry L. Thomas. translator of the De-
partment of State. tho words were adapted
from Two passages in Virgil: !" Audacibus an
nue. coeptfs" Favor my daring undertak-
ing) and "Magnus alb I'M egro seeloram mas
citur ordo' tthe great series of ages begins
new. The former is found in the Eneid.
book 8, verse 6a5. also in the Georges. l.,
40. and the latter in the fourth Eclogue.
fifth verse. Although the form ''secIorum''
was adopted. the more approved form is
'saeclorum.'' and the word is spelled witt.
the 'oe'' i'll all, or nearly all, the best mod
ern editions of Latin authors.
The next report was called Mr.. Barton's
improvement on the Secretary's device, p
which was almmost Identical with the one
finijlr HeTced upon on June 81. 49,? THIS