The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-05-02
THE SEAL OF NEW YORK.
Two Hundred Years Old and 1t May He Laid
Away Forever.

In September, 1865. Thomas Dongan, Gov
ernor OF the Province OF New York, wrote to
England that "a new seal OF this province was
very much wanted, and ye people extraordinary
DESTROYS to have 20 Kings seal to their Patents
and other papers that concern them" Not
withstanding this recommendation, no seal
was provided for the Province OF New York
until Aug. II, 1867, two years later, when a
warrant was issued for it by King James II.
The seal in this warrant was described as
"engravcn on the one side with our royal
cttigicS, on horseback, in arms. over n landskip
OF land and sea, with a rising sun and a sCrole..'
On the other side were the royal arms with the
garter, crown, supporters, and motto with this
inscription on the circumference, "Siglum Novi
EboraCi." Such was the seal Of the city of New
York during the period of the English supre-
macy, but prior 10 that time the original and
now restored seal was uscd-tho Dutch seal of
Dutch New York. 1t had its origin in Dutch
times when the chief commercial activity of the
townsmcn of old New York was displayed in the
purchase of furs from the Indians and nothing
was so potent in bringing about n trade as gun
powder, whiskey, or beads. The contracting
parties were sailors and Indians. Hence there
are on the seal a sailor and an Indian. represent
ing the traders. and two beavers and two
barrels, representing articles traded in. Tho
windmills OF Holland. celebrated in the seven
teenth as well as in the nineteenth century, also
are represented, and the four arms serve for tho
uuarterings. An eagle surmounts the shield.
The first seal. for New Amsterdam, was
granted in 1904, the city having been incorpo-
rated tho preceding year. For this the seal Of
the Duke OF York was substituted under Gov.
Sicolls, in 1869, and II was continued In use
until 1856, when the first aCknowlcd RInent or
the DOngan letter was made from LONDON, the
warrant authorizing the seal following the year
after, When Thomas ongan resigned his office
-. 80 ,.l nkr,pt cha. Zapl If tho oct u Z A SIr ltIlIln
Andres, who RftcrwtTd filed with the Colonial
Secretary OF state in London an extract from
tho published direction OF James III. Though
autiuuarians do not observe il. grammarians
will remark that the spelling OF this letter of in
s%truCtiOn Is somewhat primitive, particularly as
regards the word we
"And, whereas, since our accession to the
crown, wee have appointed Il new seal Tor our
Colonies of New England, as also another seal
for our Province of New York, which being now
direct and require that the seal appointed for
the said Colony of New England, DO henceforth
made use for all that our territory ana dominion
in its largest extent and boundaries aforemen-
toned, aud that the seal for our Province or
New York be forthwith broken and dcfaced in
your presence.
such was the ignohle end of what was known
ms the English seal of New York and later on
the Dutch seal was restored, but II is now u
question whether, for the Greater New York., IL
the new city. Though Brooklyn was originally
settled by Iiollanders, as New York was, brook.
lyn makes no claim to the kniCkcrbOCkor
descent and there has recently been some talR
of the establishment OF a Greater New YORK
seal designed to have representation upon IT OF
| perhaps some representation for Gu Gems and
Richmond counties.