Red Lodge picket. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1889-1907, 1898-06-11
BIRTH OF AMERICAS EAGLE.
Evolution of the HeraIdic Bird
Which Is SO Lively just Now.

On July 4, 17.6. after the declaration of
Independence had been rad to the Con-
Jinental congress. it W. s resolved that
Or, Franklin, Mr.. ]. ADAMS and Mr.. JEFF
ferson be 4 committee to prepare Il de-
Vice for a seal of the United States says
the philadelphia Record They reported
en- August TO- and the shieldlike design
they recommended had i'll one of its six
divisions an eagle-a very insignificant
little fellow, by the way-that played a
most important part on the device.
The two main figures We're the Goddess
of Liberty and the Goddess of Justice
who stood beneath the Eye of ProVi-
dence.' On this design we meet official
ly for the first time that well-known ex-
preston, "E Pluribus Unum. The quo-
tation was a familiar one to the colonists
as the motto of the Gentleman's Maga-
z.ne, and naturally suggested itself as the
most appropriate description of the new
order of things
To make a long story short the pro-
posed seal was not accorded a favorable
reception. and the committees report was
laid on the table
Nothing further was done until March
., 1l9, when the matter was referred to
It new committee consisting of james
Lowell of Massachusetts, Mr.. Scott of
Virginia, and William Houstoun of Geor-
sia." After some debate their report was
ordered to recommitted to a new commit
tee. composed of Middleton and Rutledge
of South Carolina and Poudinot of New
Jersey.
Two years later the records show ac-
tivity in the efforts to evolve suitable
device for the seal, and in the meantime
the committee rports Were referred to the
secretary of congress, Charles Thomson.
The name of Arthur Lee a member of
congress from Virginia, just returned
from France, also appears as one OF the
members TO whom designs We're submit
ted The assistance of William Burton,
NJ A.. a resident of Philadelphia, was also
sought and he submitted an elaborate
design which contained very little that
was subsequently used. But it is here
that the eagle for the first time prom-
nently appears In the description of the
device the bird is mentioned as being
"emblematic of soyereignity.
Another design was submitted by
Charles Thomson, the secretary OF con-
eress. Here we still further trace the
process of evolution in the American
eagle Though we aim to divest this little
history of the boast of heraldry,' the
following description conveys an excel
lent idea of the device:
THE shield borne on the breast of an
American eagle, on the wing and rising
proper. In the dexter talon of the eagle
an olive branch, ana IN the sinister a pun
Gle of arrows Over the head of the eagle
a constellation of stars, surrounded with
bright rays, and at little distance
clouds. In the bill of the eagle a scroll
with the words, Il Pluribus Unum. -
The next and last report is indOrsed Mr..
6arton's Improvement on the secretary 5
Device =
This made some slight alterations in the
secretary's design, and, after itself under
going certain changes, it was adopted
June 20, 1872. So all things considered, we
suppose we are justified i'll saying that the
great, glorious and indestructibe Ameri-
can eagle was born not quite JIG years
ago.