The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-02-07

| ment, the tax imposed by law on the
seal or the State shall be collected ana
| accounted for by the Secretary OF the
| Commonwealth as keeper of the seals.
8. The Lesser Seal shall be affixed TO
all grants for lands and writs OF cleo
ton issued by the Governor; to an let
ters OF pardon aid reprieve; TO all COM
| missions, civil and military, signed W
| the Governor: and to all other papers re-
| curing seal, authorized TO be issued ny
the Governor. for the purpose OF car lms
! the laws into effect within TINS 'om
monwealth; antd also. when deemed
| necessary by the Secretary OF the COM
monweath, may be used by MN as an
Authorization of his official signature
| but no tax shall hereafter be chdrBed
upon said Lesser Seal. except upen com
| missions appointing notaricS pubic IN
| spectOrs of tobacco and other coInmoul-
| ties commissioners OF wrecks, ana COM
| missicners i'm other States for taking ac-
/ acknowledgements, and so FORTH and upon
! certificates OF the Secretary or the COM
| monwealth, when. at tho request OF the
| parties desiring such certificates, the seal
| Is attached. In all such cases the tax
shall be the same az upon the Great Seal
| ana shall be collected and accounted for
/ in the same manner.
THE FLAG OF THE STATE.
G. The flag Of the Commonwealth shall
| hereafter be made of bunting or merinO.
IL shall be "A deep blue field, with a cir
cular white centre Of the same material.
Upon this circle shall be painted or en-
brOidered, 10 show on both sides alike
the coat-of-arms CT the State. as de-
scribed by the Convention Of lao. for the
diverse Of the Great Seal of the state;
and there shall be white SILK fringe on
the outer edge further from the flag
staff. This shall be known and respected
as the flag OF Virginia
Z. The Governor shall regulate the size
and dimensions of the flag proper for
forts. arsenals and public buildings, for
ships OF war and merchant marine, for
troops in the field, respectively, and Tor
any other purpose according 10 his dis
erection. which regulations shall be pro-
claimed and published by him as occa-
sion may require
5. During the sessions OF either house
of the General Assembly the flag OF the
state shall be kept raised over the Cap
itOl, or other place Of session, and tho
Superintendent OF Public Buildings shall
see that the same be done
This act shall be in force from It's
passage.
MIR. MREAS REPORT.
Mr.. Sherwin McRae. who turned over
the rev Great Seal 10 the Secretary OF
the Commonwealth. as stated in Gov
ernOr CamerOns communication, cited
above. accompanied the same with
lengthy report as 10 the history of the
seal The following statement forms 4
portion OF his report
This new seal, ii may DO safely affirm
ed, IS perfect reproduction Of the Great
Seal Of the Commonwealth adopted by
the Convention of 1716 and intended TO
be reproduced by the law Cf 1913. direct
ing the Governor to cause new seals 10 DO
engraved Indeed. no other seal but the
original Great Seal of 1916. as readOpted
in 1913, Will ever be satisfactory TO the
people OF Virginia This seal is not only
indissOlubly linked with the great names
OF Richard Henry Lee, George Mason,
George Wythe. Robert 9. Nicholas, John
Page and Arthur Lee, but Mason will
be particularly remembered. not only as
the member of the committee who re-
ported the device Of the seal, but as the
author OF its descripti0n-one of the most
remarkable specimens Of precision In eX-
preston TO be found in any language, and
showing Enthusiastically that It's paternity
is IN" same as that Of the celebrated De
claratiCn OF Rights.
The question here arises IS the new
Great Seal above mentioned, I'm devices
and notices, a reproduction Cf the Great
Seal Of lU6, as reaifirmed in 1873? The
following narrative answers the question
aiiImatvely:
ITS DEVICES AND NOTICES.
On the 9Th day of July, lU6. George
Mason from the committee appointed TO
devise proper seal icr the Common
wealth, reported the following devices
and notices thereof:
To be engraved on the Great Seal-Vir-
tus, the genius OF the Commonwealth.
dressed like an Amazon. rest
Ing on spear with one |
hand and holding n sword in /
the other. and treading on Tyranny. rep |
resented by a man PROSTATE, crown /
fallen from his head a broken chain in |
MS LETT hand. ana scOurge IN his right. |
I'm the eXergOn. the word Virginia over |
the head Of Nirtus; antd underneath, tho |
words Sic Semper Tyrannis. ON the re- |
verse, group. Liberals with her wand
and pllcus, on cne side OF her. Ceres |
nn
land and an ear OF wheat
n the other, on tie other side
Aetcrnitas with the globe and phoenix
In the cNergon, these words. Deus Nobi3 |
laec oua fecit-changed I'm 1919 10 the
single word, Perseverance, il was then
'esoved that George Wythe and John
Page, EsQs.. be desired TO superintend the
engraving OF the said seal. and % take
are that the same bee properly executed.
indicating by the selection of these ac-
.omplished classical scholars the impor-
ance OF thorough knowledge of the
orm and signlncauie of the devices OF
he seal 10 insure its correct engraving.
Do compliance with this request John
'age, for the proper execution of the
ed, Immediately sought SpenCe's Poly
netls. the recognized highest authority
or the figures Of Roman deities. ne
wrote 10 Mr.. jefferson. then I'm Philadel-
mia, requesting his aid In procuring the
'Olymetis for the figures OF Virtus and
~ the most sklful artist TO be found.
Philadelphia being az that time the centre
I art IN America, 10 has heretofore been
onsldered an established fact that tho
treat seal was engraved in that city.
lut this is mistake as the sequel Will |
how. and this mistake became the source
Z an entire misconceptiOn Of the devices
I the diverse Of the Great Seal.
ENGRAVED N PARIS.
After the II ost strenuous and persistent
HOfts OF John Page L. cause the Great
sea! TO be engraved in America had
rOven unsuccessful. Dr. Arthur Lee. one
4 the most accomplished classical scho-
trs Of the time. then in Paris Gin public
mploymenU, was induced 10 superintcnd
Is engraving which was done i'm Paris
a the style 10 be expected frcm that
reat centre OF art. and delivered 10 Dr.
zee. as the agent Of Virginia. on or before
lc sth day or September lliy. The late
ieCrge Wythe MuufOrd. SO long and fav-
ruby known as Secretary of the Com
louy calth, testites that this original
treat Seal was used until the year 1856
hen. being so worn by use as 10 be In
apable OF making an impression. IT was
INSTITUTED by q new seal. which was
ngraved from the standard figures which
ou6titute tho devices of the original |
treat Seal of lll6 This seal, although
luch worn, and Incorrect in some par
culars, indicates clearly the purpose OF
S designer and eusraver, 10 make IL a
opy or reproduction OF the original Great
cal, adopted by the convention OF l776.
nd readopted by the General Assembly
{ lil3. with a change OF the motto of !
he reverse side Of the seal.