Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-05-11
THE AMERICAN EAGLE.
rdltnr al the Dispatch

Is nv no means free from obscurity. 10
,eu of this proud birds birth, OF his
orovth and OF his tremendous eXpan-
sion. is TO delve deep into hera'dry and
TO 20 back into decades whose heroes
have long been sleeping the sleep of the
lust In sooth, the American eagle II,
after all. but the descendant of a plumed
race that was prominent long before 'he
birth of Christ Years before the star
OF Bethlehem shed that lustre which be-
tokened future Light for the world the
eagle was a bird of importance win inc
ancients. The Roman mythology assoc
ciated the feathered monarch with Jupi-
ter though the bird Of Jove' soon round
a place on the standards of this warlike
people, and was carried in triumph to all
known lands. The eagles of Caesar are
frequently referred TO i'm the classics
and so great a reputation did they
achieve that upon the disintegration OF
the mighty empire the bird was still re-
tanned as an emblem of triumph ana
sovereignty by many semi-barbarlc peo-
ple. And passing down through the
medieval ages and the succeeding cen
turtles. we still find the eagle emblazoned
on crests and banners and seals. HIS
presence may yet be noted on the Ger
man flags and elsewhere.
OF such an ancestry, we may say our
own proud bird of liberty has sprung
though he was not born in day, nor ana
he assume his present shape until some
years after the Declaration of Independ-
ence. To-day we see him at his best on
the Great Seal of the United States
though his appearance is perhaps sweet
er To US when we behold him on the re-
verse. side of the American dollar. But
wien we seek facts about the eagle we
must investigate the history of our SEAL
for the two have common history, ana
were evolved. by the same patriotic
minds.
On July the 4th, 1775, after the Declara-
ton of independence had been read TO
the Continental Congress, 1t was resolved
that DR.. Franklin Mr.. j. Adams, ana
Mr.. jefferson be a committee to prepare
Al
They reported on August 10th, and the
shield-like design they recommended had
in one of it's six quarters an eagIe-a
very insignificant little fellow, by the
way-that played most unimportant
mart on the device. The two main figures
were the Goddess of Liberty and the
Goddess Of Justice, who stood benea'h
the Eve Of Providence" On this design
we meet officially for the first time that
well-known expression. "E Pluribus
Unum." The quotation was one familiar
ID the coonists as the motto of the Cen
tIeman's Magazine, and naturally sug-
gested itself as the most appropriate de-
scription of the new order of things
TO make a long story short, the pro-
posed seal was not accorded favorable
reception. and the committees report
was laid on the table.
Nothing further was done until March
%. 1873. when the matter was referred 10
a new committee. consisting OF James
Lowell. Of Massachusetts; Mr.. Scott, of
Virginia. and William Houstoun, OF
Georgia" After some debate their report
was ordered to be recommitted to a new
committee, composed of Middleton ana
Rutledge, of South Carolina, and Boudi-
not. of New Jersey.
Two years later the records show ac-
tivity i'm the efforts TO evolve a suitable
device for a seal, and In the mean time
the committee reports were referred 10
the Secretary of Congress, Charles Tom
son. The name of Arthur Lee, a men,
her of Congress from Virginia, just re-
turned from France. also appears as one
Of the members 10 whom designs were
submitted. The assistance of William
Barton, NJ. A., a resident OF Philadel-
phia. was also sought, and he submitted
an elaborate design which contained
very little that was subsequently used.
But IL is here that the eagle for the first
time prominently appears. In the de-
scription of the device the bird is men
toned as being "emblematcal of soyer-
eighty"
Another design was submitted by
Charles Tomson, the Secretary Of Con-
gress. Here we still further trace the
process of evolution in the American
eagle. Though we aim 10 divest this lit
tie history of the boast of heraldry,"
the following description conveys an eX-
cellent 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, and in the sinister
bundle of arrows. over the head of the
eagle a constellation of stars, surround
ed with bright rays. and at a little dis
lance clouds. in the bill of the eagle a
scroll with the words, II Pluribus
Unum.' The next and last report is en-
dorsed Mr. Bartons improvement on
the Secretary's device.
This made some slight alterations in
the Secretary's design. and after itself
undergoing certain changes, was adopted
June 20, 17S2 SO, all things considered
we suppose we are justified in saying
that the great, glorious, and indestructi-
BILE American eagle was born not quite
ll6 years ago The records of his birth
and all the incidents preliminary thereto
are matters of record In Washington, but
where O. where, Is the man whose yet
unborn generations will write the obitu-
airy of this glorious bird,
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