The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-02-20
A STATE SEAL.

A resolution has been introduced in
the Senate and referred to the commit
tee on education looking to the legal
adoption of a State SEAL The Constitu-
ton REQUIRES that there shall be seal
of State kept by the Governor for Off
cial purposes, which shall be called The
Seal of the State of Indiana" The
resolution recites that there has never
been any legislative enactment declaring
what the seal of the State should be,
although there has been used by the
various officers of State for a period of
eighty years various and different forms
of seal of State. with the general de-
sign of the rising sun, the buffalo and
the woodman welding his ak on the
tree, but differing widely in the particu-
lars of said design, and some of said
seals having the words The Seal of the
State of Indiana thereon, and some not
having said Words
1t is a little surprising to learn at this
late date that there has never been ac-
ton by the Legislature to carry into
effect the constitutional provision rela-
tive to State seal, though there is
nothing alarming in the discovery. The
State has had and used a seal all the
same. though just when and how it
originated seems to be somewhat of
mystery. 1t is probably legacy from
territorial times, and very likely a search
through the acts of the territorial legis-
latures would discover the record of it's
adoption. Whether it was ever formally
adopted after Indiana became State
does not matter much, since immemorial
usage has given it the force of law. The
present seal of the State with flying
buffalo in the foreground, shirt-sleeved
woodman chopping down tree in the
middle ground, and the sun either ris-
ing or setting behind three impossible
mountains in the distance, is familiar
to every school child. 1t has been af-
fixed to millions of commissions, has
carried joy to millions of hearts, and has
legalized millions of public documents.
If it is not the seal of the State it has
answered every purpose of one.
The resolution recites the Importance
of having "a definite, well-defined and
legally authorized seal of State, with an
appropriate and certain design thereon"
and provides that Mr.. Hatcher, reading
clerk of the Senate, who has given the
subject of heraldry years of study and
investigation, and has thorough in
formation upon all seals of State and
coats of arms thereof. of the different
States of the United States, as we'll as
the seals of state and coats of arms Of
foreign countries" be appointed to in
vestigate the matter and report to the
Senate. This seems to foreshadow a de-
parture from ancient landmarks. OF
course, the State should have a legal
seal, but it need not be a work of her
aldic art. The great seal of the Post
office Department of the United States
represents a mail carrier riding a gal
Looping horse. 1t was adopted in the
early years of the government. and rep
resented the highest speed of that time.
1t has been used ever since, and, though
an anachronism now, the department
continues to use 1t because it is quaint
and hallowed by sacred traditions. The
State seal of Indiana is also an anach-
ronism. The fugacious buffalo no longer
sports on our plains, if he ever did. The
sun neither rises nor sets behind noun
tains. The industrious woodman still
fells trees, but he is as apt to use saw
as an ak. The seal does not represent the
Indiana of to-day, yet it is quaint and
hallowed by sacred memories. 1t has